BERNARD CECIL PAUL COUSINEAU

Bernard Cecil Paul Cousineau, 71, of 550 Osborne St., Fort Frances, Ont., passed away peacefully with his family at his side on Friday, March 26, 2010 at Rainycrest Long-Term Care in Fort Frances.
Bernard was born April 29, 1938 at O’Donnell’s Hospital in Fort Frances to the late William D. and Marie L. (Roy) Cousineau.
Bernard spent his childhood in Fort Frances and attended St. Mary’s School. He graduated from elementary school on June 22, 1952 and received an award for Sports and Sportsmanship.
In September of that same year, Bernard started secondary school at Fort Frances High. During his high school years, besides devoting his time to school work, he played football and hockey. His considerable ability was recognized with an athletic pin and a Most Valuable Player trophy for the 1955-56 juvenile hockey season.
Bernard even attended an Ontario athletic leadership camp outside of Toronto from Aug. 1-17 in 1955.
Bernard graduated from high school on Sept. 1, 1956.
On Oct. 1, 1956, Bernard started his post-secondary studies at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. While attending UMD, Bernard earned a hockey scholarship and became a co-captain and a leading point-maker for his team.
He started as a left-winger and later became an assistant coach in 1960. Bernard received four letters.
Bernard was a member of the Newman and “M” clubs. He also was a member of the Sigma Tau Kappa social fraternity.
On June 9, 1961, Bernard graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education, with a geography major and a social science minor.
In September, 1961, he started teaching at Hermantown High School. He also coached the Hermantown High School’s hockey team.
On March 7, 1959, Bernard married Margaret Louise Mathieu, daughter of Thomas Shevlin and Beatrice Margaret (Miller) Mathieu, at St. Mary’s Church in Fort Frances. Three children would be born to the couple while in Duluth–Tom, Paul, and Mary.
On June 29, 1967, the couple returned to Fort Frances when Bernard accepted a position at Fort Frances High School. He began teaching at the school in September, 1967.
Four more children would be born in Fort Frances–John, Bernard, Anne, and Betsy.
Bernard spent most of his career teaching geography to Grade 10 and Grade 12 students, and even became assistant head of his department. Bernard supplemented his income by becoming a certified driver training instructor on March 2, 1981. He taught students how to drive after school, during his lunch hour, and on Saturday mornings.
In 1970, with all of his children members of the Fort Frances Aquanauts, Bernard became a certified official of the Canadian Amateur Swimming Association (CASA). Over the years, he regularly volunteered to help run swim meets and time trials both locally and regionally.
He trained to become a timer, a stroke and turn judge, a starter, a marshal, a referee, and even a heat official. He later became a Master Official for CASA and ran Level 1, 2, and 3 clinics for swim officials.
In 1982, Bernard was asked to volunteer at the Canada Summer Games and travelled to Thunder Bay to officiate swimming competitions.
In 1989, Bernard and Margaret divorced.
On June 26, 1993, Bernard married Barbara Anne (Sumner) Forrester, daughter of Murray B. and Eileen Sumner, at Knox United Church in Fort Frances. Together, the couple enjoyed time with family, grandchildren, and friends.
They also enjoyed travelling during the winter to sunny destinations like Florida, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Panama.
Before retiring from teaching, Bernard became involved in the student outreach TAG (or Towards Alternative Goals) program offered through Fort Frances High School. He retired in December, 1997.
Bernard enjoyed many hobbies. He liked sanding and varnishing furniture, barbecuing, gardening, skating, fishing, attending hockey and swimming events, collecting trains and coins, and telling tall tales. He was an enthusiastic member of the Knights of Columbus, and spent many years as the recording secretary of the group.
Bernard was predeceased by one twin son, Bernard Francis, who passed away in infancy on Oct. 28, 1968; one stepson, Scott M. Forrester on Sept 5, 2008; his father, William D. on Feb. 6, 1953; his mother, Marie L. on Dec. 27, 1972; his brothers, Robert L. Cousineau on Aug. 2, 2000, Leon J. B. Cousineau on Jan. 14, 1945, and James A. Cousineau on June 20, 1989; his sisters, Joan M.P. (Cousineau) Boileau on Dec. 12, 1963 and Rose-Marie B. (Cousineau) DeGagné on Nov. 20, 1993; and his former spouse, Margaret L. (Mathieu) Cousineau, on Jan. 30, 2010.
Bernard also was predeceased by his sister-in-law, Marion F. (Walker) Cousineau, on Jan. 21, 1985; and brother-in-law, Louis C. Boileau, on March 25, 1999.
Bernard is survived by his wife, Barbara A. (Sumner) Forrester-Cousineau of Fort Frances, Ont.; six children, Thomas R. Cousineau and wife, Susan S., and Paul W. Cousineau and wife, Lisa A., all of Fort Frances, Ont., Mary M. and husband, Scott R. Knutson, of Eagan, Mn., John S. Cousineau of Fort Frances, Ont., Anne L. Cousineau of Calgary, Alta., and Elizabeth B. “Betsy” and husband, Tom A. Neutgens, of Otsego, Mn.; nine grandchildren, Jessica, Donovan, and Chandler Cousineau, Andrew, Daniel, and Katelyn Knutson, and Nicole, Dominic, and Nicholas Neutgens; and one step granddaughter, Taylor Forrester of Thunder Bay, Ont.
Also surviving are three brothers, Roy D. and wife, Doris E. (Casselman) Cousineau of Sacramento, Calif., Louis E. Cousineau and Raymond M. and wife, Helen E. (Kellar) Cousineau, of Fort Frances, Ont.; his father-in-law, Murray B. Sumner and wife, Dorothy H. Harvey, of London; brother-in-law, Denis A. DeGagné and wife, Yvonne, of Thunder Bay, Ont.; his sisters-in-law, Virginia L. (Terry) Cousineau of Thunder Bay, Ont. and Brenda R.(Sumner) Heath and husband, Gordon, of Kanata, Ont.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Cremation will take place at Rainy River Cremation Services in International Falls, Mn.
A memorial mass to celebrate Bernard’s life was held Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at 1 p.m. at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Fort Frances.
Fr. Francis Pudicherry officiated the service, with the Knights of Columbus providing an honour guard.
Interment will take place at a later date.
Friends visited with family on Tuesday, March 30, 2010 from 6:30-8 p.m. at Green Funeral Home in Fort Frances, with parish prayers being offered at 7 p.m.
The Knights of Columbus led a rosary.
The honourary pallbearers were Bernard’s brothers, Louis and Raymond Cousineau, and friends, Jim Brow, Bruce Caldwell, and Lee Stinson.
Should family and friends so desire, in memoriam donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society, P.O. Box 444, Fort Frances, Ont., P9A 3M8, the Alzheimer Society of Kenora/Rainy River District, P.O. Box 837, Kenora, Ont., P9A 4B5, or the Muskie Blueline Club c/o J. Spence, 936 Russell Bay, Fort Frances, Ont., P9A 3N9 or c/o Green Funeral Home, P.O. Box 427, Fort Frances, Ont., P9A 3M8.
Online condolences may be offered at www.greenfuneralhomefortfrances.com