Eugene Dedio

Eugene Dedio of Gilbert Plains, Manitoba passed away on Thursday, March 9, 2023 at the age of 77 years.

Prayers will be offered on Friday, March 24, 2023 at 5:00 pm from the Sneath-Strilchuk Family Care Centre in Dauphin.

A Funeral Mass will be held for Eugene on Saturday, March 25, 2023 at 11:00 am from the St. Viator's Roman Catholic Church in Dauphin with Fr. Michel Nault officiating.  

Interment will follow in the Riverside Cemetery - Dauphin.

Flowers are gratefully declined. Should friends so desire, donations in memory of Eugene may be made to: 

The Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, 186 Spadina Avenue, Units 1‑5, Toronto, ON M5T 3B2, Phone: 1-877-755-1595

Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind, P.O. Box 280, Manotick, Ontario  K4M 1A3, Phone: +1 (613) 692-7777, Email: info@guidedogs.ca

or to a charity of one's choice.

Obituary

Eugene (Gene) Dedio of Gilbert Plains, MB passed away suddenly on March 9, 2023 at the age of 77.

Eugene was born on September 30, 1945 on the family farm NW of Arran, SK to Alex Dedio and Julia (Veeblay). He was the youngest of 5 children. He attended Evadale School and Arran School in Saskatchewan. He lived at the farm until he left for university in Saskatoon where he earned his Bachelor of Arts and Diploma in Education from the University of Saskatchewan. It was his early years on the farm that fostered a love of the outdoors including photography, fishing, canoeing, and carpentry.

His first job as a physical education teacher was at Rose Valley High School in Rose Valley, SK. It was here that he met his wife, Sandra and was married in January of 1969. Over the course of the next 7 years, Eugene and Sandra taught in various locations including Grand Prairie, AB, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Chaplin, SK, and Gilbert Plains, MB. They settled in Gilbert Plains following the purchase of a grocery store that was known as Dedio’s IGA, which they managed together for 18 years.

In Gilbert Plains, Eugene built a home in which to raise their family of three children. With the house came a big garden where he spent many hours cultivating fruits and vegetables and lots of flowers and trees. This provided hours of cooking for Sandra. He also later built a cabin at Singush Lake as an outdoor oasis for the family.

In school he played soft ball, baseball and soccer. As a young adult he played hockey and tennis. He loved curling, and golfing became his passion after retirement. Summer found him either on the golf course or in the garden. He loved watching all kinds of sports and was a dedicated Saskatchewan Roughrider fan. When he became a grandparent, he took in many of his grandchildren’s sporting and artistic events.

Community and volunteering were a large part of Eugene’s life. Notably he was a school trustee for the Intermountain School Board. He was a charter member of the Gilbert Plains Lions Club who were integral to the initial establishment of the Negrych Pioneer Homestead site before the Gilbert Plains Historical Society was formed. He worked many hours out at the site, doing paperwork, and researching the history of the Negrych family. It was an opportunity for Eugene to reconnect with his roots. In addition to his own volunteer work, he was an avid supporter for all the projects Sandra volunteered in.

Eugene’s faith was a huge part of his life and who he was and what he stood for. He was active in his church and with the Knights of Columbus and was a very positive person. His values permeated the family and together, family and faith, were what he held close to his heart.

Eugene is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Sandra, his children Denise (Adam), Kevin, and Sharon (Mike), his 7 grandchildren, Monica, Kaitlin, Kaden, Anya, Theá, Tessa, and Luke, and 2 great grandchildren, Jaxon and Addisyn. He also is survived by his siblings, Walter, Willie, Addie and Orest. 
 

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