GERARD
JOSEPH DePAPE
December
4, 1922 - December 24, 2014
It is with great sadness that we announce the
passing of Gerard Joseph DePape, after a short illness, at the age of 92
years.
Gerry is survived by his loving wife Angele
(nee Haegeman) of 64 years of marriage; brother Ray (Anna) and sisters Alma
(Harry) Smith and Mary. He will be
especially missed by his brother-in-law John Haegeman and his wife Claudette;
as well as numerous nephews; nieces; cousins and friends. He was predeceased by
his parents, Charles and Marie; brothers Remi, Wilfred, Albert, George, John,
Joe; and sisters Marguerite and Clara.
In his youth, Gerry was an exceptional goalie
in hockey, a great pitcher in baseball, and a keen participant in all sports.
Throughout his life he especially enjoyed curling, golf, pool, horse shoes and
fishing. It was always difficult to beat him at Belgian bowling or horseshoes;
at the age of 87, Gerry – along with his sister Alma – won the DePape family
reunion Belgian bowling championship in 2009. After running the family farm for
several years, Gerry and Angele moved to Winnipeg where he worked at Eaton’s
warehouse for 15 years and then the following 17 years were spent with Bee Maid
Honey before retiring in 1989.
Growing up on the farm near Swan Lake,
Manitoba, Gerry took after his father and developed a keen affinity toward
horses. Early in their marriage, Gerry
and Angele raised Belgians, showing them and competing at local fairs. In his retirement, he became a well-known
show judge at many fairs throughout the province. He always attended the Brandon Winter Fair
and was recently recognized as the six-horse team champion driver in 1956.
Gerry and Angele loved travelling, either by
themselves or with family and friends, travelling throughout Europe, Canada and
the USA, as well as Cuba and Mexico. He
especially enjoyed their annual trips to Espinola, Ontario, where he enjoyed
fishing on Bass Lake and golfing with John and friends. Gerry also enjoyed ushering at church and all the time he spent
with his friends at the church bingo; he was there when it started and
continued until a couple of weeks ago. He couldn’t wait for Tuesday nights when
he would see all his friends at Bingo.
Gerry
was a soft-spoken man of few words, but when he spoke, he was truly worth
listening
to. His quiet wisdom and gentle affirmations will be sorely missed.
Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday,
January 7, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. in St. Paul the Apostle Roman Catholic Church,
2400 Portage Avenue. Honourary pallbearers will be Gerry’s life-long friends
from Tuesday night bingo.
Flowers are gratefully declined; donations in
Gerry’s memory may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society, 195 Sherbrook
Street, Winnipeg, MB R3C 2B7.
Wojcik’s Funeral
Chapels & Crematorium, 2157 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada
204.897.4665, is in care of arrangements. wojciksfuneralchapel.com
Wojcik’s
FUNERAL CHAPEL & CREMATORIUM
2157 PORTAGE AVENUE
204 - 897 - 4665
www.wojciksfuneralchapel.com
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