Obituary of Rene Antonio Loiselle

Grandpa was born in Shaunavon, Saskatchewan on January 28, 1916, the third child of Napoleon and Anna Loiselle. They lived there until 1929 when the family moved to Northern Alberta near Donnelly. In 1937, the family moved Northwest of Dawson Creek. Rene and his older brother Romeo drove a cross mount Case tractor with steel wheels, from Donnelly to Dawson Creek, pulling the threshing machine, sawmill and bunkhouse. Not an easy task considering the tractor could only travel about 3 or 4 mph. After arriving in Dawson Creek, they had built a house, shop and numerous other buildings. In 1942 after completing basic training in the army, he purchased a 1942 K5 International truck, and worked on the Alaska Highway. He paid for the truck in 3 weeks, $1800.00. After the highway work was done he custom hauled grain, loading as much as 600 bushels in one day (36,000lbs with a shovel and his back). Grandpa, his brothers Romeo and Roger, cut railroad ties with a homebuilt sawmill in the winter months. During the summer months, he cleared a 1/4 section of land with an old tractor and an axe. Grandpa met Regina Wangler and they were married September 28, 1944. Over the next 15 years they had 5 children. Around 1956, Grandpa and his family moved from the farm to the south side of Dawson Creek. He built a house there and worked for Loiselle Transport, White Pass, and Motorways for 25 years as a mechanic, while farming around 300 acres. After retiring, he continued to farm, and cut lumber with his home made sawmill. If there was anything that Grandpa was passionate about it would have to be farming. He could build or fix anything. Grandpa continued to work his own farm until his late 80's. Material things and money didn't mean a whole to Grandpa, especially automobiles. If it couldn't be used for something practical, what good was it? I'm sure that any of you who saw him hauling pails of grease and oil in the back of his 1957 Plymouth, or driving his yellow 1972 ford truck with a 1965 box on it held together by dust, black dirt and the potato plants growing in the box, could certainly attest to this. Usually fairly quiet, Grandpa also had a good sense of humour and would play tricks occasionally. He enjoyed hearing a funny story, as well as telling them. He also didn't like to be fussed over, or be a bother. Eulogy presented by Clint Loiselle Rene passed away Saturday, June 26, 2010 in Dawson Creek, BC at the age of 94 years. A celebration of his life was held Friday, July 2, 2010 at 2:00 pm from Reynars Funeral Chapel; Bev Dunsmore officiated; Interment was in the Dawson Creek City Cemetery. For friends so wishing, donations may be made in memory of Rene to the Activities Department of Dawson Creek Rotary Manor.