JOSEPH LEO ‘AMEDEE’ DeGAGNE

JOSEPH LEO ‘AMEDEE’ DeGAGNE
It is with great sadness that the family announces the passing of Joseph Leo “Amedee” DeGagne on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007 at the age of 80.
Amedee will be remembered and missed by his children, Louise and Bob Nastor, Leon and Shelley, Melvin and Jeanette, Jeannine and Ernie Godin, John and Betty, Darrell and Angela, and Marty and Heather.
Amedee also is survived by his grandchildren, Jodi (Kevin Bodnarchuk), Jonathan Nastor (Johanna), Shanda (Daryl Begin), Blaine DeGagne (Angela), Bryan DeGagne (Paula), Rheal DeGagne (Wendy), Denise (Rick Hedlund), Nicole DeGagne (Ryan), Christopher Godin (Rose), Rick Godin, Lori (Joel Stoliker), Dan DeGagne (Natalie Lundon), Nathan DeGagne (Sarah), Dawn (Jamie Galusha), Jessica (Jeff Ogden), Kyle DeGagne, Taylor DeGagne (Christine Badiuk), and Jordan DeGagne.
Amedee was a great-grandfather to Sadie Nastor, Jesse and Kenzie Begin, Kaitlyn, Chelsea, and Evan DeGagne, Madison and Meagan DeGagne, Madison Godin, Rhys and Mia Godin, Hanna and Alyson Stoliker, Nicholas Goldrup, Alex Galusha, Nicholas Ogden, and Morgan DeGagne.
Amedee also will be missed by his brothers and sisters, Valeda and Jerome Cousineau, Gertie Bujold, Ed and Teresa DeGagne, Denis and Yvonne DeGagne, Rolande Lowey, Claude and Laura DeGagne, Rita and Wayne McLeod, and Yvette and Ronald Beck.
He was predeceased by his children, Bradley and Dwayne in 1961; wife, Jesse in 1978; parents, Jean Baptiste and Marie Antoinette DeGagne; and brothers and sisters, Anita DeGagne, Irene Legarie, Louis DeGagne, and Phillip DeGagne.
Amedee was born Feb. 23, 1926 in Fort Frances, Ont. As a young boy, Amedee lived and attended school in the rural Fort Frances area. He helped his Dad on the family farm, where his love of farming began.
Through his many careers, he always returned to farming.
He married Jesse Mills in September, 1947. In their early days together, they farmed and began their family. In 1956, they moved to Atikokan, Ont., where they opened a grocery store.
The family returned to Crozier in 1961 and purchased his father’s farm. As the years went by, he operated a butcher shop and lumber yard.
After his wife, Jesse, passed away, Amedee moved to Manitoba, where he owned and operated Pinetree Campground.
Dad was a family man who enjoyed business and passed this enjoyment on to his children. Upon his retirement, he returned to Fort Frances to be close to his family.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2007 from 7-9 p.m. at Green Funeral Home in Fort Frances, with parish prayers being offered at 7:30 p.m.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007 at 10 a.m. at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Fort Frances. Fr. Paul Moonjelly will officiate, with interment in Holy Cross Cemetery in Fort Frances.
The pallbearers will be his grandsons, Jonathan Nastor, Blaine DeGagne, Bryan DeGagne, Rheal DeGagne, Christopher Godin, Rick Godin, Dan DeGagne, Nathan DeGagne, Kyle DeGagne, Taylor DeGagne, and Jordan DeGagne.
Should family and friends so desire, in memoriam donations may be made to the “Together We Build in Faith Campaign” at St. Mary’s Parish, 206 Victoria Ave., Fort Frances, Ont., P9A 2B9 or the Riverside Health Care Foundation’s “Just Imagine” fundraising campaign c/o La Verendrye General Hospital, 110 Victoria Ave., Fort Frances, Ont., P9A 2B7.