Basil Lemieux

BASIL LEMIEUX

April 30, 1941 - July 2, 2020

It is with heartfelt sorrow that the family announces the passing of Basil Joseph Lemieux at the age of 79, on Thursday, July 2, 2020. Beloved husband, father, grandfather, son, cousin, best friend, coach, mentor, and jack of all trades, Basil was born on April 30, 1941 in Barachois (Gaspe), Quebec. At the age of 11, he and his family moved to Longlac, Ontario to start a new chapter in their lives.

During his early years in Longlac, Basil attended school, was involved in sports and made many friends. He started with Kimberly Clark of Canada (Woodlands Division) at an early age working on the river drive. He then wore ‘many other hats’ during his 37 years with them, including being an equipment owner/operator before retiring. 

He was an active member in the community. Serving in the Knights of Columbus for several years, he was a 3rd degree member of the Francis Lemieux Council 6388, with his last position being that of Grand Knight (1974-76).  He was a member of St. John the Baptist Church, and upon moving to Nakina in 1984, became a member of St. Brigid’s Parish.  Basil was a big supporter of Ringette in both communities.  He dedicated many hours towards coaching house league and competitive teams and promoting the game. In 1990, Basil was recognized by Ringette Ontario as a Community Builder. 

Basil was a dedicated husband, father and grandfather first and foremost.  Basil embraced every moment with his family and friends, spending countless hours after work taking them kneeboarding, fishing, and teaching them valuable lessons and skills. Basil and Pam built an enormous network of friends and colleagues and shared many hobbies. 

In semi-retirement, he and his beloved wife, Pam, of 48 years, enjoyed meeting many people and operating Open Bay Lodge, near Upsala, Ontario. Upon full retirement, they first spent several years enjoying life, living on Lake Superior, just east of Thunder Bay. They then spent a few years of full-time travel in their Motorcoach before settling back in the Greenstone area to enjoy the rest of their time together on Kenogamisis Lake. With their extended family and friends at Outdoor Resorts, they escaped the cold winters for over 20 years in the beautiful Florida Keys. This was one of the highlights of their life together. During the summers back in Greenstone, he especially enjoyed working with the young junior golfers at the Kenogamisis Golf Club. He enjoyed seeing them improve in their skills and having fun on the fairways.

Basil is remembered fondly for his big hugs, his smile, infectious laugh, his booming voice and his ability to make any young child smile. He treated everyone as if they were important. In a crowd he would greet everyone and was sure to have as many personal conversations as he could.  Always helping people, Basil had the ability to fix or build anything! He was our very own ‘MacGyver.” Humour, affection and love were qualities he built his foundation on and he kept them right up until the end.    

Basil will be dearly missed by his wife Pam, his daughter Kathleen (Jon Schram), grandsons Ryan and Kyle of Nakina, ON and his daughter Jennifer (Jeff Ainscough) of Innisfil, ON. He is survived by his brothers Gilles (Maxine), Gerry (Linda), and his sisters Dorothy Sullivan, Mona (Nino Paulini), Doreen Enberg; his sister-in-laws Marie Lemieux and Lucille Lemieux, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Predeceased by his father Francis, mother Inez (Dumas) brothers Floyd, Wilbert and Fred; sisters Rita McDougall, Cecile Gillespie  as well as his brother-in-laws Boris Gillespie, Jerry Sullivan, Don McDougall, Lloyd Enberg and sister-in-law Rita Lemieux. 

Basil’s outstanding contribution to others is his legacy.  He lived his life with gratitude, selflessness and an appreciation for his rich relationships.  In lieu of flowers, or charitable donations, he would have encouraged us all to live every day to its fullest; giving back to others, contributing something to the community, helping someone in need, and showing gratitude towards others.  If a monetary donation is your preference, contributions can be made to the Geraldton District Hospital or St. John the Baptist Church in Longlac.

Our heartfelt thank you goes out to so many in the medical profession for the care and compassion shown to Basil, especially during the last few years. Special thanks go out to the amazing team of nurses, doctors, and staff of the Geraldton District Hospital. Dr Ryan Zufelt, we owe you a debt of gratitude for the care you gave to Basil throughout the last few years and especially during these last few weeks. Thank you to Dr. Vanessa Luks, Dr. B Biman, Dr. Mary MacDonald and Dr. M. Ingves of Thunder Bay. Special thank you to Angie Goulet, Care Coordinator, and nurse Johanna of NorthWest LHIN for their support and care. 

As directed by the Province of Ontario and the Bereavement Authority of Ontario, the attendance is restricted to 30% capacity or less and a record of attendance must be maintained. Wearing of masks or face coverings by everyone and maintaining social distancing of 6 feet is mandatory for those attending.  As Basil has such a large and extended family, the Mass will be limited to family members. Others wishing to pay their respects are invited to attend the visitation on Monday, July 6th, at St. John the Baptist Parish, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m .

We thank you for your understanding and prayers.

Pam, Kathleen, Jon, Ryan, Kyle, Jennifer and Jeff.

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