GILLES LEON PERREAUX
September 1, 1950 – January 30, 2016

Gilles was a proud papa, a painter and a pioneer in his own way. A kindhearted and gentle giant, he probably could have been a poet too, if the thought had struck him at the right moment.

Born in Antler, Sask., and raised in Bellegarde, Gilles attended Collège Mathieu in Gravelbourg, Sask., and dabbled in a series of jobs before completing a psychiatric nursing course in Selkirk, Man. In 1976, after marrying Linda Osterbeck and starting a family in Winnipeg, he returned with his family to the place he always belonged and was always dearest to him: Bellegarde. He always said he was lucky to arrive in Bellegarde at the moment SaskTel took over the rural telephone service run by his father, Jean (John). Both men built successful careers there that would see them to retirement. Gilles was proud of having travelled North America and Europe to build telecommunications networks, including one in the Channel Tunnel linking the United Kingdom and France, but this was not a man defined by his work.

In a small place like Bellegarde it’s hard to escape becoming a community activist, but Gilles embraced the role with gusto. Gilles revived minor hockey in Bellegarde in the late 1970s, starting with practices that included children aged 6 to 16. He played a key role in central institutions like the rink, the school and the church, working to keep them alive as they were failing in small towns across the Prairies. He coached baseball when his own children weren’t even playing.

Gilles was also something of a Renaissance man, educating himself in an array of interests, some of which seemed quirky in their time and place. He played guitar and loved to jam with his brother, Mick, instilling a love of music that spread in the family. He became a painter, creating landscapes that still adorn the walls of dozens of homes. He may have been the first person from Bellegarde to compete in a marathon back in 1984. He dabbled in living off the land, for several years growing a huge garden and raising enough pigs, cattle and chickens to feed a hungry family. He loved every sport he tried. An elegant writer, he wrote newspaper columns about his overseas trips. His eloquence and compassion made him the master of ceremony and eulogist of choice for many.

Retirement was followed quickly by illness that steadily sapped his strength, but he managed a few trips that thrilled him. An East Coast baseball tour and family beach vacation on Lake Huron – a first for his landlocked crew – created indelible memories for everyone.

Gilles died at home in his beloved Bellegarde at 65 from the combination of illnesses that plagued his later years. He was predeceased by his father Jean (John) Perreaux and his mother Albine (nee George) Perreaux. He will be missed by his dear wife of 45 years, Linda (Osterbeck), his brothers Mick and Mike, sisters Gisèle, Marilyne and Monique, sons Leslie, Denis, Jeremy and Jeffrey, his daughters (he refused to call them daughters-in-law) Kim, Annette, Susan and Nadine, and his nine grandchildren, Julieanne, Caleb, Sophie, Rowan, Megan, Jacob, George, Benjamin and Alexandre.

Donations in Gilles’ name can be made to the community organization of your choice.

A Funeral Liturgy was held on Wednesday, February 3, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Maurice R.C. Church, Bellegarde, SK, with Rev. Wilfred Calinawan presiding. Interment took place at the parish cemetery and a lunch gathering took place afterward at the Bellegarde Community Hall.

Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Hall Funeral Services, Redvers.