HENRI LETOURNEAU

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HENRI LETOURNEAU Peacefully on November 28, 2002 at Tache Centre, Henri left us to join his beloved wife Rose. He will be deeply missed by his surviving sisters, Simone (Kutz) and Irene of Chilliwack, BC; his children, Claudette (Groulx), Guy, Denis and Yvonne; his grandchildren, Roxanne (Neifer), Dodd, Cindy (Herrington), Cory, and Leanne; great-grandchildren, Karise, Kyle and Chase Letourneau, Joel and Christopher Herrington, Coralee and Kaitlin Neifer; numerous nieces and nephews. Henri was born in Ste. Delphine, SK on September 13, 1907. His love of history and ensuing connection to the museum began early in life and accelerated in the sixties when as a volunteer he collected many of the artifacts now housed in the St. Boniface Museum and became its curator when it opened in 1968. He was above all a collector of artifacts and a raconteur of prairie folklore, enchanting visitors with his tales of the culture that took root across the Assiniboine River from Winnipeg. Schooled in the country, he gave up a formal education at the age of 14 to join the work force. Henri was a great listener and had a way with horses. This served him well during the depression when he worked on farms and ranches and once in a country store. Through all these experiences, he evolved into an itinerant, grass roots historian. In his forties, working as a milk tester and grader at Medo Land Dairies, he began collecting antique guns. Through his association with the St. Boniface Historical Society he travelled the prairies collecting artifacts. He began recording the stories and songs of the Metis and early settlers for the Federal Government. Some of these stories, personal memoirs and prairie myths are collected in his books Henri Letourneau Raconte. He brought some of these tales to French television, playing the pipe-smoking storyteller between dramatized inserts in the CBWFT series "Autrefois a la Riviere Rouge". Henri enjoyed guiding tours through the museum. As his plaid-shirted, barrel-chested figure moved through the displays that depicted 200 years of French and Metis life in Manitoba, you listened to the energetic lilt of his warm raspy Franco-Manitoban accent, and relished the anecdotes and stories he recounted. When he spoke the past brushed your cheek and blew in your hair and you were struck by a sense of his irreplaceability. Once retired, Henri devoted his time to writing and continued to regale visitors with his gentle humour and wonderful stories. He will live forever in our thoughts and memories. Sincere thanks to all those entrusted with his care while at Tache Centre, especially the staff of 2ABC who became a part of our extended family. Fr. Paul Campeau will celebrate funeral mass Thursday, December 5 at 10:00 a.m. at the St. Boniface Cathedral. Viewing one-half hour before mass. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimers Society of Manitoba, 10-120 Donald St., Winnipeg, MB R3C 4G2 A PRAYER FOR DAD In tears, we saw you sinking We watched you fade away You suffered much in silence You fought so hard to stay You faced your task with courage Your spirit did not bend But still you kept on fighting Until the very end God saw you getting tired When a cure was not to be So he put his arms around you And whispered "Come with Me" So when we saw you sleeping So peacefully, free from pain We could not wish you back To suffer that again. Arrangements entrusted to: GLEN LAWN FUNERAL HOME 455 LAGIMODIERE BLVD. 982-7550

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 03, 2002