PERE RAYMOND DION

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PERE RAYMOND DION, o.m.i. 1912 - 2003 Paisiblement, a lhopital Seven Oaks est decede le Pere Raymond Dion, o.m.i. le 18 janvier 2003 a lage de 90 ans. En plus de sa famille religieuse, les Oblats de Marie Immaculee, il laisse dans le deuil de nombreux neveux et nieces. Raymond Dion, fils de Joseph Dion et Belzemire Verville est ne a Arthabasca, QC le 1er novembre 1912. En 1916, la famille demenagea a St-Leon, MB ou Raymond fit ses 8 premieres annees detudes pour ensuite les continuer au Juniorat de St-Boniface. Il prit lhabit chez les Oblats de M.I. le 14 aout 1931 a St Laurent, Manitoba et fut ordonne pretre le 29 juin 1937 a Lebret, SK. De 1938 a 1942 il etait professeur dEcriture Sainte et econome au Scolasticat de Lebret. En 1943 il est nomme econome et assistant-directeur de lecole residentielle pour Indiens a Lebret ainsi que le ministere dans les reserves indiennes. Lannee 1966 le retrouve directeur de lecole residentielle indienne a Fort Frances, ON et il revient au Manitoba en 1968, nomme cure dAshern et en 1977 il est cure a Saint-Leon. Les annees difficiles en mission ayant mine sa sante, il dut prendre sa retraite en 1978 a la Casa Bonita a St-Boniface ou il continua cependant a faire un peu daide ministeriel comme aumonier des communautes religieuses jusquen 1984 ou la maladie le force a abandonner le ministere. Les Oblats et la famille Dion desirent exprimer leur reconnaissance au personnel de linfirmerie a la Casa Bonita et a lhopital Seven Oaks pour leur devouement au Pere Dion. Les prieres auront lieu le mardi, 21 janvier a partir de 19h00 au Manoir - Salle Aubert, 474 rue Aulneau, Saint-Boniface. La messe de la Resurrection sera celebree le mercredi, 22 janvier a 13h30 a lEglise Precieux-Sang, 200 rue Kenny, Saint-Boniface. Linhumation suivra au cimetiere de Saint-Boniface. FATHER RAYMOND DION, o.m.i. 1912 - 2003 Peacefully, on January 18, 2003, at the Seven Oaks Hospital, Fr. Raymond Dion, o.m.i. passed away at the age of 90. Besides his religious family, he leaves to mourn numerous nieces and nephews. Raymond Dion was born on November 1, 1912 in Arthabasca, QC, son of Joseph Dion and Belzemire Verville. In 1916, the family moved to St-Leon, MB where Raymond received his elementary schooling, then completed his high school at the Juniorat in St-Boniface. He entered the Oblates of Mary Immaculate August 14, 1931 in St-Laurent, MB and was ordained to the priesthood on June 29, 1937 in Lebret, SK. From 1938 to 1942 he was a professor and bursar at the Scholasticat in Lebret. In 1943 he served as bursar and assistant director at the Indian residential school in Lebret as well as ministry on the reserves. In 1966, he became director of the Indian residential school in Fort Frances, ON and returned to Manitoba in 1968, pastor of the parish in Ashern, then in St-Leon. The difficult years in the missions, taking their toll on his health, forced him to retire in 1978 at the Casa Bonita in St-Boniface where he continued to work part-time as chaplain to the religious communities till 1984 when his health required him to abandon his ministry. The Oblates and the Dion family wish to express their appreciation to the nursing staffs at the Casa Bonita and the Seven Oaks Hospital for their care and devotion to Father Dion. A prayer vigil will be held at 474 Aulneau St. in Saint-Boniface on Tuesday, January 21 at 7:00 p.m. A funeral mass for Father Dion, o.m.i. will be celebrated at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 22, at Precieux-Sang Church, 200 Kenny St., St-Boniface. Interment will take place at the St-Boniface Cemetery. CROPO FUNERAL CHAPEL 586-8044

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 21, 2003