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Francis “Frank” LECLAIR Obituary
Francis Joseph LeClair (Frank) passed away on February 3, 2025, at the East Kootenay Regional Hospital. Frank was born on March 26, 1956, in Birtle, Manitoba, and grew up on a farm near St. Lazare with his parents, Yvonne and Fred LeClair, and eight brothers and sisters: Richard, Andrew, Fabian, Joanne, Mary Lou, Barbara, Teddy, and Therese.
He was an active child, always looking for adventure. At age 17, he earned his private pilot license with his friend Lionel and often crossed the border into North Dakota to see what kind of fun they could get into. When he was twenty, he cruised to Fernie in his brand-new Trans Am. He walked onto the showroom floor in a Winnipeg dealership, and paid cash for it. He was so proud of this. He ended up settling down in Fernie, B.C. and got a job at the coal mine, where he worked for many years in many different positions, including president of the union, and was active in mine rescue. He went on to work at Suncor in Fort McMurray and eventually retired. In Fernie, he met his wife Debbie, and they had two beautiful children, Kirk, and Crystal. Frank was so proud of them both.
He spent many hours at the Fernie arena watching Crystal figure skating and Kirk play hockey. He often bragged about Crystal’s many talents including being an avid trail runner and equestrian, Kirk’s athletic abilities, and love of cars and trucks. They all shared a love of the outdoors. They spent many weekends camping at the lake. Frank was so happy to be a part of Kirk marrying Juli at the Bull River Guest Ranch and Crystal marrying KoBie at St. Eugene Golf Resort and Casino, both near Cranbrook. He welcomed Juli and KoBie with open arms and treated them like his own children.
Frank was an extremely talented carpenter/engineer and outdoorsman. He was always making new plans for his next project. Building things was his passion, and you will see the houses he built still standing in Fernie today. He renovated his fourplexes in Jaffray to make them safe and cozy for the locals to enjoy living in. He also loved to hunt and fish, often going out with his father-in-law, John, and Kirk. Frank was well liked and respected in the community. He was a long time Elks member, and a member of the Metis Organization. He was very proud of his heritage and put effort into learning more about it in his later years. He was always generous with his time and talents and spent many hours working on projects with his friends. You could always find him having coffee with the boys, Lorenzo, Cam, Tony, Tim, Gary, Les, Dale, and many other amazing people who became a part of his life.
As the years went by, Frank suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and battled several staph infections. He was such a strong man. When he was in his wheelchair, he was still doing carpentry work and building things he was capable of. He also participated in many fun outings such as concerts, car shows and riding his scooter on the dike in the summer with friends on their bikes. He always faced adversity head on and worked so hard not to let it get him down. He was so fortunate to have so many loving friends and family to support him through the many challenges he faced in his life. Frank’s legacy lives on through his three grandsons, Liam (12), Luke (10) and Logan (7). Their favorite times with Frank were roasting hot dogs and marshmallows and exploring his properties. We are all going to miss his loving heart, gentle nature, and Dad jokes.
We would like to thank the nurses and doctors in Fernie, Cranbrook and Kelowna for their care of Frank. We would also like to extend a very special thanks to all of Frank’s friends in the Elk Valley who helped him over the years. You are forever in our hearts.
The world lost a great man, but the heavens gained a true angel.
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March 26 1956 February 3 2025 68 Years Old

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Death notice for the town of: Fernie, Province: Colombie britanique

death notice Francis Frank LECLAIR March 26 1956 February 3 2025 68 Years Old

obituaries notice Francis Frank LECLAIR March 26 1956 February 3 2025 68 Years Old

We offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Francis Frank LECLAIR March 26 1956 February 3 2025 68 Years Old  and hope that their memory may be a source of comfort during this difficult time. Your thoughts and kind words are greatly appreciated.