Mr. Emile Boily

With family by his side, Emile Boily passed away peacefully on Monday, September 19, 2011 at St. Boniface Hospital at the age of 97 years.

Emile will be lovingly remembered by his children: Dollard, Leon (Rose Recard), Angele (Raymond) Fournier, Hubert (Marie Bouliane), Gracia Bedard, Odile Bouliane, Jeannine, Armand, David, 26 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren, sisters in law: Marie-Louise and Fabiana.

Emile was predeceased by his beloved wife Lucienne (nee Deschenes), parents Roger and Alphonsine, brothers: Louis (Rosa), Camille, Oscar, Napoleon (Germaine), Arthur, sisters: Marie-Louise, Alice (Sr Veronique), Elise (Alexandre), Helene (Jean-Marie), daughters in-law: Lina, Eva, and grandchild Lily.

Prayers were held on Friday, September 23, 2011 from 7:00 to 8:00 pm at Green Acres Funeral Home.

Funeral Mass was celebrated at 10:00 am on Saturday, September 24, 2011 at St. Boniface Cathedrale with viewing one hour prior to service. Emile was laid to rest in Green Acres Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of one’s choice.

I decided to compose this in French, in honor of Dad and my French heritage.

For those who don't understand French, please bear with me. An English translation will be made available later. Please contact Leon Boily for a copy. Thank you.

23 Septembre 2011

Eulogie pour Emile Boily

Merci beaucoups a touts qui s'ont venus aujourd'hui.

Nous apprecions votre presence ici puis qu'on peu partager la celebration de la vie d'Emile, sois qu'il est pour nous notre pere, et pour vous votre beau frere, oncle, grand pere, grand grand pere , cousin ou ami.

Papa est ne le 28 mai 1914, fils de Roger, fils de Camille, fils de Joseph. Il est le huitième de sa famille de dix, comprisant de six filles et quatre fils........ Ah, la ons a votre attention.... et pendent qu'ons l'a, on veux reconnaitre avec la generation de papa, le passage de quatre generations de pioniers Boily ici au Manitoba. Papa, avec sa famille et leurs cousins on experiencer la transition de la vie pionierre a la vie qu'on connais aujourd'hui avec tous nos luxes et technologies.

Papa a passer sa jeunesse sur la ferme paternelle au proche de La Broquerie. Il apris les metiers de pionier, donc de fermier et chantier de bois.

A l'age de 26 il a fait connaissance avec une belle fille, aussi de La Broquerie, Lucienne Deschenes. Ils s'ont fiancer et leurs marriage a prie place le 11 novembre 1940 a La Broquerie, juste en temps pour une grande tempete de neige. Aujourd'hui ca poserait peutetre un probleme avec nos pneus de “toute saisons”. Mais pour les pionier c'etais seulement un autre jour sur la prairie. Ils ons enchainer les roux du camion d'Arthur et pousant les banc de neiges, sont rendu a l'eglise.

En 1941 et durnat les 25 ans suivants, Papa et Maman on etablis leurs famille sur leur ferme a l'est de La Broquerie, ainsi le “terrain 27”. Avec 9 enfants la vie etais biens occuper. Ons travaillait la terre et parfoit en hiver Papa allait au chantier.

Enfins en 1966 Papa a vendu la ferme et a demenager a Trail, en Colombie Britanique ou il a travailler sur un moulin a scie pour 5 ans.

Ensuit, l'ocassion de travailler avec son frere Napoleon au couvent des Soeurs Oblates a St. Boniface, c'est presenter. Papa a prie avantage et ons a demenager sur la Rue De La Morenie a St. Boniface.

En 1980 Papa c'est retirer et commenca la vie de pensionaire avec Maman.

C'est durand ces annees la quand j'etais jeune adult que j'ai venue a apprecier exactement comment prodigeuse est la memoire de Papa. Dans ma jeunesse, souvant j'atendais Papa chanter des chanson, citer des dictons, des poemes et meme declamer des grands histoires. Et aussi melanger avec tout ca peutetre une plaisantrie, ou deux. Rendu adult je me demandais; ou est ce qu'il trouvait et conservait tout son repetoire? Encore de plus, il composait des poemes. C'est etonnant!

Aussi, Papa aimait s'occuper dans le garage. Etant fermier il posedait des habiliters pour faire des reparages et de patenter. Des fois il modifiait et installait des armoires dans la mainson pour Maman. Ca, c'est si Maman le faisait pas elle meme.

Mais en 1999, apres 59 ans de vie marrier, Papa a perdu son epouse Lucienne, qui a subit de complications de la diabete.

En 2001 quand le menage de sa residence devenu trops ardueux, Papa est rentre au Chez Nous, sur la rue Cathedrale. Papa s'arrangais assez bien la, meme si lentment il affaiblisait et parfait la vue. Certainment ons visitais tous et rendais aide quand ons pouvais. Mais il y a une qui c'est devouer a prendre soins de Papa plus en plus. A mesure de sa capaciter et malgree une operation pour enlever une partie d'un poumon, elle accompagait Papa a ces appointments, préparait ses repas, cherchait ses prescriptions et le visitait chaque jour. Pour ca et beaucoups d'autre acts de servitude, Jeannine on te remerci, infiniment.

Enfin, apres 10 ans au Chez Nous, Papa a tombe et on l'a trouver sans connaissance. Rendu a l'hopitale il etais en une condition critique. Malgree d'etre bien soingee, sa condition a ameliorer seulement un peu. Les docteurs ons dits que les reins fonctionais presque plus et il n'y avait pas de chance d'en revenire cette fois. C'etais seulement une question de comment longtemps.

Pendent que nous s'assemblais, Papa a eu 3 jours ou il etait lucide. On a rejouis qu'ons a pu visiter et paler avec lui. Il pu prendre du jus et aussi son favorit, de la crème glacee. Malgree qu'on lui disait de se reposer, il insistait de chanter quelue chansons et meme a reciter l'histoire de Napoleon Boneparte, deux fois! En passant, cette annee 2011 ca fais 200 ans depuis la premiere phrase qui dit “Mille huit cent onze!”

Les prochain jours il a continuer a baisser. Enfin, lundi septembre le 19 a 5:44 p.m., avec Leon et sa femme Rose a son cote, Papa prie son dernier soufle.

Je crois que son esprit est avec Jesus au paradis avec Maman et sa famille. Je dis je crois, parceque Papa disais que la raison qu'il est rester sure terre si longtemps, c'est que ni Dieu, ni le diable le voulait. Mais enfin c'est Jesus qui est venue le chercher.

Et de plus, je dis je croix parce que Papa est une personne qui a choisi, malgree ses fautes, d'assayer de vivre dans la claireter de la lumiere de Dieu. Il s'agisait avec un esprit d'humilite et de bonte. Il s'avait occuper avec la servitude de provision pour sa famille. Il se faisait pas pour les chose pas immportante. Il avait les jeux sur le grand portrait. Et meme quand il etait devenue aveugle il disait, “Je suis chanceu, j'ai deux jambres pour macher.” En efet, sa foie et sa devotion vers Dieu etait la source de son attitude positive. Il a tennue jusqu'a la fins sa relation personelle avec son Seigneur.

Ons peut pas finir sans remarquer que Papa avais toujours sa bonne humeur, malgree les contrairieters. Nous sommes fiere de Papa et ons remerci le bon Dieu pour lui.

Mois, j'espere avec la grace de Dieu, d'incorporrer dans ma vie l'influence des vertues de Papa. Donc, peut etre, un peu d'Emile continura avec mois.

Certainment, meme si ons dis “au revoir, Papa”, on l'oubliras pas.

Merci

23 September 2011

Eullogy for Emile Boily

Thank you to everyone here today.

We appreciate you being here with us to share in the celebration of Emile's life, being to us our father, and for you, your grand father, great grand father, father in-law, brother in-law, uncle,cousin, or friend.

Dad was born in 1914 on May 28, the son of Roger, son of Camille, son of Joseph. He is the eighth of his family of ten, comprising of 'six' daughters and 'four' sons…… Ah now we really have your attention….. and while we do, we wish to point out that with Dad's generation, there have passed four generations of Boily pioneers here in Manitoba. Dad and his family and his cousins experienced the transition from the pioneer life to the life we know today with our material wealth and technologies.

Dad grew up on his father's farm near La Broquerie. He learned the skills of pioneering, mostly of farming and logging.

At the age of 26 he met a pretty lady, also from La Broquerie, Lucienne Deschenes. They were engaged and married in 1940 on November 11, just when there was a huge blizzard. Today that would be a problem with our "all season tires". But for the pioneers it was just another day on the prairie. They chained up the wheels of uncle Arthur's truck and pushing through snow banks, arrived at the church.

In 1941 and for the next 25 years, Dad and Mom established their family on their farm east of La Broquerie, known as "land block 27". With 9 children life was very busy. We worked the land and some winters Dad worked on a sawmill.

Then in 1966 Dad sold the farm and we moved to Trail B.C. where he worked on a sawmill for 5 years. Then the opportunity to work with his brother Napoleon at the convent of the Oblate Sisters in St. Boniface presented itself, Dad took advantage and moved to De La Morenie Street in St. Boniface.

In 1980 Dad retired and began his senior years with Mom.

It is during those years as a young adult that I came to appreciate just how extensive Dad's memory is. In my childhood I had heard Dad sing songs, recite poems and sayings, and even recount grand stories. And, mixed in with that a "few" jokes. As an adult I'd ask myself, where did he find and where does he keep his repertoire? Even more, he composed poems also. How astounding!

Also, Dad liked to work in the garage. Being a farmer he possessed skills for repairing and tinkering. Sometimes he modified and installed cupboards in the house for Mom. That's if Mom didn't do it herself!

But in 1999, after 59 years of married life, Dad lost his spouse Lucienne, who passed away from complications of diabetes.

In 2001 when maintaining the house became too difficult, Dad moved into the Chez Nous, on Rue Cathedrale. Dad managed well there, even though he was weakening and his vision was slowly deteriorating. We all visited and helped when we could. But there is one who supported Dad more than the rest. To the best of her ability and despite a surgery that removed part of a lung, she accompanied Dad to his appointments, got his prescriptions filled, helped with cleaning and visited every day. For this and many other acts of kindness, Jeannine we thank you so much!

Finally, after 10 years at the "Chez Nous", Dad fell and was found unconscious. In the hospital he was in critical condition and despite being well cared for, there was little improvement. His kidneys were failing so there was no chance of recovery. It was only a matter of time.

While we assembled, Dad had 3 days where he was lucid. We rejoiced that we could visit and converse with him. We could give him juice and his favorite, ice cream. We encouraged him to rest but he insisted on singing songs and even recite the story of Napoleon Boneparte, two times! Interesting to note that this year 2011 marks 200 years after the first line that says "One thousand eight hundred eleven!".

The following days Dad continued to weaken until September 19 at a 5:44 pm., with Leon and his wife Rose at his side, Dad took his last breath.

I believe that his spirit is with Jesus in paradise with Mom and his family. I say I believe because Dad said the reason he stayed on earth so long is that neither God nor the devil wanted him. In the end it was Jesus that came for him.

What's more, I say I believe because Dad is a person who chose despite his faults, to strive to live in the clarity of the light of God. He lived with a spirit of humility and goodness. He occupied his life with providing for his family. He wasn't distracted by unimportant things. He had his gaze on the big picture. Even when he had become totally blind he would say, "I'm fortunate, I have two legs to walk on". In fact his faith and his devotion for God was the source of his positive attitude. He held until the end, his personal relationship with his Saviour.

We can't finish without mentioning that Dad always had a sense of humor, despite life's misfortunes. We are proud of our father and we thank God for him.

Me, I hope with God's grace that Dad's virtues would influence my life. Then hopefully, a little bit of Emile will continue with me.

Certainly, even though we say "good bye, father", we will not forget him.

Thank you