Robert Joseph Phillip Ricard
Dad was born Jan 18, 1945 in Flin Flon to Phillipe & Agnes Ricard. They lived in a few different homes as Dad was growing up and over the years more than a few of his friends became like family. One family in particular, Ted and Marge Rumbal, in particular took Bob in, and treated him as a son and brother. Dad shared many stories about the shenanigans he and Ted would get up to as young men.
Dad left home and moved to Winnipeg where he attended Red River College taking electrical & carpentry. This was when he met his good friend, Paul Reinhardt. Bob and Uncle Paul were fast friends, who clicked immediately and remained friends for life. The two were always up for a few drinks, or a road trip to a dance the next town over. Over the years as wives and then children became part of their circle, their friendship only became stronger.
Paul & his wife Delories introduced Bob to Susan & it was love at first sight. Mom wanted to live a little before settling down, so she went to BC for a time. Bob called her many a night and asked her to marry him, and eventually she agreed, moving back to Winnipeg in 1971 so they could wed. Recently on a hospital visit to see Dad, he introduced her to a nurse as the woman he was going to marry, thanks to his Dementia. Mom just took it in stride and said “How about we marry on August 7?” This would have been their 51st anniversary.
They lived in Winnipeg after the wedding while Bob worked construction & their daughter Shannon was born in 1972.
In 1973 they moved to Churchill where Bob took a job building houses & then became supervisor of maintenance with the Churchill Housing Authority. While there, he & Susan were able to spend time with and grow closer to his sister Bernadette, her husband John and their family. Also during this time Bob & Susan welcomed their son Shawn in 1975 to complete their little family.
In 1978, Bob had the opportunity to come back home and work at HBM&S on the carpenter crew until he retired. In his time on the carpenter crew, he could often be heard complaining about the guys who complained too much or offering someone a chunk of cheese to go with their whine.
Flin Flon is where they raised their kids and built a life together. Bob was involved in the community, becoming a leader with Scouts Canada and volunteering on the Flin Flon Parks & Recreation Commission. He was also a proud member of the 21st Field Squadron Engineers with the reserves, a Legion member & a proud member of the local Carpenter Union.
Dad instilled a love of the outdoors in Shawn & I and an appreciation for hard work in a job well done & relaxation earned after a hard day’s work. We spent many a weekend camping or out on the lake in the boat. Dad could always be found sitting in the shade in the yard of their home, listening to the birds and watching the world go by.
He always made you feel welcomed & loved, the door was always open and he always had an ear to listen, or would just sit by your side in the yard and just let you be. He loved to argue his point passionately when he felt he was right with no sign of giving up. His great nephews & nieces and grand-daughters brought him pure joy. He loved watching them grow and become the good humans he taught his family to be.
Bob was predeceased by his sister Joyce, his mother Agnes, his sister Mary, sister Bernadette, his father Phillipe & his sister Phyllis.
He is survived by his wife Susan, daughter Shannon (Michael), son Shawn (Jodie), Grand-daughters Cera, Emma, Aysha & Dara, his brother Don (Marlene), sister Jane, brother Maurice (Sharon), brother Phillip, brother Dan(Alison) & many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.
Dad’s early days on this earth weren’t an easy time for him, but the end was rather beautiful – special thank you to Drs. Lone & Akintunde & the nurses of the 3rd floor in Flin Flon Hospital for giving Dad such good care this last time he was in hospital and for sharing him and his family such kindness & grace.Bob Ricard of Flin Flon, Manitoba passed away Thursday, June 30, 2022 at the Flin Flon General Hospital at the age of 77 years.