Eugene Lemire, 1918 - 2007

Eugene Edouard Lemire, late of Falher, Alberta, and former longtime resident of Girouxville passed away in McLennan on July 1, 2007 at 88 years of age. Eugene was born July 30, 1918 in Legal, Alberta, the second eldest of 10 children born to Joseph and Marie-Jeanne Lemire. When he was two years-old, his parents moved to Falher where he grew up and went to school. Arrived here at age 16 At age 16, he left home to join his oldest brother Robert on a homestead south of Girouxville. He married Lucille Sylvain in a double-wedding ceremony on April 2, 1945 in Falher with his sister Irene to LeoPaul Boisvert. Eugene and Lucille, along with a treasured Model T Ford and a one-room house, proceeded to establish themselves on Eugene’s homestead three miles south of Girouxville. They raised a family of four children and resided there for the next 58 years. These were years of hard labour. However, Eugene was blessed with great health, strength, and endurance. At first, the land was cleared by hand and then by horses. For many years, they raised chickens, pigs, and cattle – rewarding them with an abundance of good meat, eggs, rich milk, cream, butter, and home-made ice cream. The extra milk was sold to neighbors and the extra cream was brought to the train station in town. In the early 1970s, Eugene switched to grain farming, partnering with his eldest son Leo, until retiring in 1983. Eugene and Lucille moved to Ste. Anne Manor in Falher in October 2003, selling the home quarter to grandson Jean Lemire. He moved to the Villa Beausejour in Falher in March 2005. He is survived by Lucille, his loving wife of 62 years; children Leo (Irene) Lemire of Girouxville, Gerard (Carol) Lemire of Leduc, Lucien (Lucie) Lemire of Beaverlodge, and Simone (Jules) Labrecque of Donnelly; 19 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Irene Boisvert of Girouxville and Germaine (Ferdinand) Levesque of Falher. He was predeceased by his parents Joseph and Marie-Jeanne Lemire and siblings Robert Lemire, Donat Lemire, Ernest Lemire, Jos Lemire, Thérèse Sylvain, Hector Lemire, and Denis Lemire. Funeral services were held July 4 in Girouxville at Notre Dame de Lourdes Roman Catholic Church with Reverend Boniface Lupitshi OSB officiating. Pallbearers were Yvan Lemire, Jean Boisvert, Gilles Sylvain, Alain Labrecque, Claude Levesque, and André Lemire. Crossbearer was Jean Lemire. Organist was Rollande Johnson. Soloists were Julie Johnson and Ernest Johnson. Interment followed at Notre Dame de Lourdes Cemetery in Girouxville. If friends so desire, donations may be made to Smoky River Palliative Care Society or to Villa Beausejour as expressions of sympathy. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Chapel of Memoiries, Peace River.