It is with heavy hearts that the family of Don Galbraith announces his passing on March 21, 2022, at LaVerendrye General Hospital. Don passed away peacefully surrounded by his family.
Don was born June 9, 1932, in Fort Frances to Agnes (Renwick) and Neil Galbraith. Don’s entire life was based on fishing. He spent his early years living in the former Fort Frances fish hatchery that was run by his father. He attended Fort Frances High School and at the age of 14 he worked for the hatchery tending the fingerlings and harvesting spawn in the spring time. His first commercial fishery was at Northwest Bay on Rainy Lake which he purchased with the help of his father at seventeen.
Don was united in marriage to Beatrice Allan on July 5, 1956. They celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in 2021. Together, they built their first family home at Galbraith Point in Northwest Bay, Rainy Lake. In the pioneer spirit, they raised four daughters and one son on the shores of Rainy Lake. They passed to their children their love of nature and adventure. Many happy times were celebrated with family and friends at their home on Pair a Dice Road in Bears Passage where they moved to in 1967. He could be seen any day, no matter the weather, in Swell Bay and Seine Bay, tending to his nets. In the winter months he set nets through the ice and provided fish to family and friends. Don boasted that his was the first boat in every year and the last boat out in the fall. On several occasions he was called upon for rescues of lost or stranded boaters on Seine Bay. This is how he acquired his CB handle “Storm Rider.”
Don is survived by his wife Beatrice; children Marie (Alain) Minier, Donna (Eugene) McEvoy, Gordon (Carla) Galbraith, Marlene (Douglas) Dickson, Tracy (Greg) Carlson; grandchildren Angel, Miranda, Joseph, Sasha, Jon-Paul, Chelsea, Sarah, Laura, Karissa and Keanna; Along with numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Don was pre-deceased by his parents Agnes and Neil; and one brother Bill Galbraith of Hinton, Alberta.
A celebration of life will be held this summer at Don and Beatrice’s Bears Passage residence.
A few years back I had a T-shirt called “The Legends of Rainy Lake.” It showed pictures of walleye, bass, northern and muskie. In my minds eye, I see the true legends pictured on that T-shirt as being Don Galbraith, Willie Calder, Bob and Maudie Calder, Gandy Woods, Chaw Woods, The George Boys and numerous other hard working friends, who made their living on Rainy Lake.
Storm Rider – out.
