GARRY PAINTER

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GARRY PAINTER Peacefully, in the early morning of April 17, 2004, Garry left this earth. Garry was born on November 14, 1947 to Les and Elsie Painter and grew up in Winnipegs north end where he made lifelong friendships. Garry attended the university of the world and became a master of many things. He was a wealth of knowledge and insight on practically every subject and could create and make anything out of seemingly nothing. In his early days as a young man, he travelled where his heart desired, living and working in Europe, England, the US and for a time in some parts of British Columbia. He returned to Winnipeg in the mid-1970s where he remained for the rest of his life. Garry met Vivian on Grey Cup Sunday in 1979 and they married January 29, 1983. His beautiful daughters, Sarah and Stephanie, were born in 1983 and 1985 respectively. As a husband and father, as well a brother, friend and co-worker Garry was a Quiet Atlas: strong and stable, determined and unwavering, passionate and compassionate. Our beloved Garry was only 56 years old when he peacefully and quietly slipped away at dawn, maintaining his dignity and protecting those he loved from unnecessary pain. He allowed each of us to share his experience, especially his cancer experience. As a friend, uncle, brother, the beloved father and husband Garry was our teacher. He taught humbly by example and through relationship. He was human, though, and not always right, but able to say so. Those closest to him, his family, knew this, but in his last week on this earth it became apparent that this was Garrys way of being as this was every persons experience. He lived his cancer experience just as he lived his life: thoughtfully, constructively, some would say courageously but most of all generously. The last two and a half months were a testament of his generous spirit as Garry experienced a series of complications and set-backs. Our last two weeks were spent on the Palliative Care Unit at St. Boniface where he attempted to address his symptoms so that he could spend his last bit of time at home with his family, friends and his dog, Freddie. But that was not to be. Garry began his leaving us on Easter Sunday and over the last week, he led us through this process, one step at a time, waiting for each of us to get to where he was before taking his next step. In his death, as in his illness and life, Garry was generous of spirit: generous with his time, his help, his love, of himself. We are all so very grateful for every moment with him. Predeceased by his parents, Les and Elsie Painter in 1985, Garry will be forever-deeply missed by his wife, his trusted partner and friend, Vivian and his very precious daughters, Sarah and Stephanie; his sister Gail Pelley, sister-in-law Susan Painter, David Painter (Debbie), Rick Painter (Georgina) and Derrick Painter and nieces, Kristine (Jim) Jones, Lorie Lepoky and Samantha Painter and nephews, Ron (Trish) Pelley, Brent, Michael, Christopher and Devin Painter and three grand-nephews, Stephen, Michael and Jonathan. As well, he will be sadly missed by his mother-in-law Helga Malis and father-in-law, Ron Malis; his sisters and brothers-in-law, Denise Malis (Shaun Lynch), Maureen Malis (Peter Jurgen), Marilyn Malis (Gord Cunningham), Blair Malis (Susan) and John Malis (Gabrielle) and all his nieces and nephews-in-law. Garry also leaves his many friends of many years. He will be missed by his hard-working driveway crew, his Tuesday lunch club, his weekend breakfast buddies and his Sunday coffee friends. A special thanks to Garrys friend Ron Burkett for his visit. We are all Garrys honorary pallbearers. Special thanks to all of our employers and colleagues for the gifts of time and support extended to each of us over the last two years. Thank you to all the health care professionals at CancerCare Manitobas St. Boniface Unit and the St. Boniface General Hospital who were there every step of our way. You are too numerous to name but please know that everyone of you all along the way touched Garry and his family deeply. Flowers gratefully declined in lieu of donations to CancerCare Manitoba. Please join us Thursday, April 22 at 2:00 p.m. at Sturgeon Creek United Church, 207 Thompson Dr., to honour and remember our beloved Garry. You will never be forgotten; you are forever with each of us for all the days of our lives. NEIL BARDAL INC. 949-2200

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As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 22, 2004