Lois Deblois

Lois DeBlois of Willow Bunch, SK., passed away September 13, 2023 at the age of 92 years. Lois Bradley was born on August 30, 1931 at home on the family farm located 8 miles east of Willow Bunch to Elsie and Willis Bradley. She was the middle child of three children, born between her older sister Jean and her younger brother Gordon.

Lois attended Sharon School at Hoath District east of Willow Bunch as well as Dutch Hollow School. She finished Grades 9 and 10 by correspondence at Dutch Hollow and Grades 11 and 12 at the convent in Willow Bunch. She also taught school for one year as a study supervisor at Diamond Stone School in 1950-1951.

Lois and Larry met while attending school at Dutch Hollow. Lois said that Larry would stir the pot by poking her with the sharp end of a protractor and she swore she would get even with him. She once said that after 70 years he has served his penance and could now be granted reprieve. Lois and Larry were married by Bishop Legare on a very, very, hot July 18, 1951 and the two certainly tied a tight knot. They adopted two children: Leslie Charles in 1959 and Christine Elsie in 1961.

Some of Lois’s fondest memories were of farm life and raising her children with Larry as well as the trips to Disneyworld, Disneyland, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, the Grand Canyon, the Maritimes, Las Vegas, Mesa, Alaska and Cuba where she and Larry participated in a number of wild activities such as helicopter rides, swimming with dolphins and riding camels. It was also during these trips that Lois and Larry made a number of travel pals that ultimately became lifelong friends.

Two of Lois’s greatest inspirations were to live a good life on the farm and to be a good wife and mother. Lois always loved cooking and taught several classes for the community college in bread making and cake decorating. Her flower garden was, however, her greatest pleasure. Anyone who knew Lois at all knew that she absolutely adored gardening. Through broken wrists, bad hips, sciatica, polymyalgia, canes and walkers, Lois never skipped a beat. Perennials from her garden probably reside in at least half of the flower gardens in the country. There was also not a day during summer months that you wouldn’t find some sort of canned home grown produce on her counter. Lois was a member of the Dutch Hollow Art Club for 50 years. Over this time, she enjoyed learning many different arts and crafts, one of these being wheat weaving where she developed a masterful skill of the art proven by her first place position at the Regina Agribition 3 years in a row.

In her final years, Lois and Larry enjoyed spending their time at the farm and at their condo in Moose Jaw as well as spending Tuesday afternoons with their eclectic tea and coffee group telling tall tales and big stories about their younger years.

In August of 2022, Lois ended up in long-term care. Her final days were spent in Grasslands Health Centre where she passed away peacefully on September 13, 2023 with her husband and son by her side. She was predeceased by her sister Jean (Jim) Paterson, her parents Elsie and Willis and her daughter Christine. She is survived by her loving husband Larry of 72 years, her son Les (Jasmine) and their children Cole and Devyn (Chris), her son-in-law Jean Lemieux and his children Dawn (Jeff), Curtis and Orrie (Stensen), her great-grandchildren Langston, Rhett and Wells and her brother Gordon (Ev).

Lois once said that if she could live her life over again she would take more time to stop and smell the roses but for any of you who knew Lois as well as I did, I think it is probably safe to say that there is no one who stopped to smell the roses more than she did.

Funeral Service was held Tuesday, September 19, 2023 at 11:00 am at Ross Funeral Chapel, with Gary K. Miller and Anette Pryce presided. Tribute delivered by grandson, Cole DeBlois. Granddaughters Dawn and Devyn read scripture. Hymns included Amazing Grace, In the Garden, Beyond the Sunset and The Lord’s Prayer led by granddaughter Orrie Lemieux. Pallbearers were Curtis Lemieux, Chris Ellert, Jeff Gold, Langston Gold, Stensen Loucks, Cole DeBlois. Interment at St. Ignace R.C. Cemetery, Willow Bunch, SK. Following the Funeral Service, friends joined the family in fellowship and lunch at the 55 Club. Donations in Memory of Lois, may be made to STARS Air Ambulance. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy for the DeBlois family may be shared at www.rossfuneralservice.com. Arrangements entrusted to Ross Funeral Service, Assiniboia, SK.