Raymond Noel

Raymond Joseph Félix Noël, 78, of Kenora, ON, passed away peacefully with his family by his side at Pinecrest home for the aged, Saturday, 13 January 2024.

Born on Saturday, 10 February 1945, in St. Edouard, AB., he was the son of the late Ernest Joseph Antoine Noël formerly of St. Paul, AB. and the late Jeanne Marie-Rose (Boivin) formerly of St. Paul, AB.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Elizabeth Jean (Mcleod) Noël his two children Lisa Elizabeth (Noel) Yeomans of Kenora, Ont., Raymond Felix Jason of Kenora, Ont. and adopted son Bill D’Arcy; six siblings, Sylvio Joseph Antoine of Edmonton, Isidore Joseph Viateur and his wife Wendy Darlene (Beaton) of Abbotsford, BC., Maria Sieben and her husband Herb Sieben of Stony Plain, AB., Denise Blanche Touchette and her husband Maurice Henri Touchette of Morinville, AB., Yvonne Marie Adèle Robinson and her husband Delphis Robinson of Spruce Grove, AB., and Françoise Noël of St. Albert, AB.; grandchildren, Zachary Yeomans (Makayla Bierkos) of Blackfolds, AB., Dalton James Yeomans of Kenora, Ont. and Zoe Chelsey Rae (Yeomans) Kamintzky and her husband Yan Kamintzky of Herzeliya, Israel, Jedi Noel of Kenora, Ont.

Raymond Joseph Félix was preceded in death by seven siblings, Jean-Marie Joseph “Joe” of Edmonton, AB., Pierretta Marie Thérèse Cowan of Camrose, AB., Rosalie Marie Victorine Durocher of Bonnyville, AB., Emmerentienne Anne Marie “Anne” Stimson of Two Hills, David Joseph Rosaire of New Norway, AB., Maurice Joseph Marie of Red Deer, AB., and André Joseph Edouard of Calgary, AB.; four grandparents, Ernest Boivin of Therien, AB., Regina Marie (Chauvin) Noël of St. Paul, AB., Albert Joseph of St. Paul, AB., and Emma (Lafosse) Boivin of Ponoka, AB.

Raymond was born at home in St. Edouard on February 10, 1945, with the assistance of a local midwife.

November 1953 Raymond comes home from school sick. It gets worse and by December, he is in bed with swollen feet and in great pain. This is his first experience with rheumatic fever. At the start of the new school year 1954, he comes home sick again after two days in school. At the start of October, they take him to the hospital in St. Paul. He is there for two weeks and comes home with instructions to stay in bed and take medication for another two weeks. He was not able to work on the farm and even

going to school aggravated his rheumatic fever. It was finally controlled in 1958 when he was enrolled in a lifesaving drug program that provided him with penicillin, one pill per day. He had also developed a heart murmurs. At the age of 12 he was sent to a boarding school in Lac La Biche, but he came home a week later because he is so much bigger than the other kids his age. In September 1958, Raymond attended College St. Jean in Edmonton.

After College, he left home and by 1964, he adventured East from Alberta to Winnipeg, where he met his future bride Elizabeth at the University of Manitoba. Newly married and living in Winnipeg Raymond worked in electronic repair services to support his growing family and it was there where his children were born. Lisa has fond childhood memories of her sitting in his Workshop watching him fix TVs and fiddling with the latest electronic gadgets.

In the mid-70s Raymond moved his young family to South Indian Lake Manitoba where he worked as the building maintenance supervisor at the local school there, he made many friends and enjoyed the unique opportunities of the North. Raymond was known for driving people to and from appointments for shopping or supplies, he like to help people that way. He made so many positive lifelong Connections in the community.

In the '80s, the family moved South move South to Brandon Manitoba where Raymond attended University and got his Bachelor of Science. Soon after the family moved again full circle back to Winnipeg where Raymond continued to repair electronics and also worked at Greyhound motor coach Factory.

Raymond was a dedicated Christian and very active in church in all the places he lived. He often was the one who would operate the current electronic technology at the church services in his community.

In the sunset of his life, we are so grateful that Raymond moved to Kenora to be closer to his children and grandchildren.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Lake of the Woods District Hospital and Pinecrest Home for the Aged for their excellent care.

A graveside service to take place at Lake of the Woods Cemetery Saturday, February 10th, 2024 at 2:00pm. A Memorial Service ‘to a life well lived’ will be held in May 2024.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Raymond's memory may be made to the Lake of the Woods District Hospital Foundation https://lwdhf.com/