Lucien Tardif, 1919-2008

Lucien Tardif, resident of Nampa for 46 years, left this earthly life peacefully for his Eternal Home on May 18, 2008, surrounded by his family at Sutherland Place, Peace River, where he had resided for the past 12 months. Lucien was born March 20, 1919 in Falher, where his family had moved from Quebec in 1916. He was the fifth of nine children. His school days were spent in Falher, Girouxville, and Donnelly area. In the fall of 1927, Lucien, now eight years old was struck with polio leaving him with some disability in his left leg; however, this didn’t dampen his spirit for too long. When at an age to be on the work force he labored at various tasks such as farming, trucking and logging. In the fall of 1945 a partnership with his father and two brothers was formed under the name of P. Tardif & Sons to start the lumber manufacturing business for the winter months and continue farming in the summer. Lucien’s interests were mostly in the lumber industry and this became his livelihood. Besides work, Lucien had a passion for sports, especially baseball (his pride being the Nampa Leths); had a love for music, had a strong and deep faith, a great admiration and respect for God’s creation, a natural ease for meeting people. There were no strangers as far as Lucien was concerned, and he always remembered a person’s face even though the name escaped his memory. Lucien was predeceased by a daughter Liliane (2005), by his father Pantaleon (1954), mother Angelina (1971), three brothers: Roméo (1927), Roland (1962), Gérard (1989), two sisters: Juliette (1997), Yvonne (2002), two great-grandsons Jason and Cruz (1991). He is survived by Rita, his wife of 62 years, son Victor (Margaret) Falher, AB; daughters Paula Luiken, Rainier, WA, USA, Joanne Maisonneuve (Louis) Cochrane, AB, Rolande Johnson (Ernest) Girouxville, Evelyne Naturkach (Edward) Peace River, Joyce Labrecque (Maurice) Nampa, 44 grand & great grandchildren; two brothers: Henri (M-Ange) McLennan, Oliva (Germaine) Grande Prairie and a sister Jeanne d’Arc Hill (Jesse) Peace River. The funeral service was held in St.Charles, Nampa, May 22, 2008, at 11 a.m. with internment at the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Donnelly, AB. Officiating was Rev. Boniface N’Kulu Lupitshi O.S.B assisted by Rev. Fr. David Ngondo. Pallbearers were grandsons: Gérald & Marc Tardif, Robert Rondeau, Daniel Maisonneuve, Alain Johnson, Denis, Adrien and Laurent Labrecque, while the Crossbearer was Taylor Côté. Honourary Pallbearers: grandchildren and the Nampa Leths. Organist Rolande Johnson with soloists Julie, Ernest, Joseph Johnson and Paul Dubrule, clarinet Anita Johnson-Anctil, trumpet Talia Nickonchuk, who rendered a special tribute by playing: “What a Wonderful World.” Funeral arrangements were under the direction of the Chapel of Memories, Peace River.