Cyrille Etienne St. Cyr

CYRILLE ETIENNE ST.CYR

JANUARY 18, 1939 – JULY 25, 2017

Peacefully on Tuesday, July 25, 2017 at the Portage District General Hospital, Cyrille Etienne St.Cyr, passed away at the young age of 78 years.

Viewing will be held in the Chapel of the Omega Funeral Home on Sunday July 30, 2017 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. A celebration of life and prayer services will begin at 7:00 PM.

 Funeral Mass will be held at the Good Shepherd Roman Catholic Church at 1125 Saskatchewan Avenue East in Portage la Prairie on Monday July 31, 2017 at 11:00 AM. Interment will follow at Hillside Cemetery.
Cyrille was born in St.Eustache, M.B., son of the late Theophile and Marie-Mathilda St.Cyr He grew up in Portage la Prairie where he went to school, worked many jobs and raised two amazing families. Cyrille married Pearl Laquette and had a beautiful daughter, Beverley Bird and two simply amazing step children, Maxine Bird and Nelson “Bimbo” Bird.  In 1977, Cyrille met Bernadette St.Cyr and had three handsome sons, Joseph and Jason St.Cyr (“The Twins”), and John St.Cyr. Cyrille married Bernadette in 1988 and lived a happy life with all of his children. In 1991, Cyrille moved his family to Winnipeg, Manitoba where he took watch over his younger grandchildren, Tannis and Megan Bird. Cyrille would eventually remarry in 2006 to Sybil Wilson of Peguis, MB, but chose to move back to Winnipeg a short time later as single man once again.

Dad worked many jobs, with the Albion Hotel being one of his most memorable workplaces. There he met most of the people who remember him today, giving many of them access to the bar perhaps sooner than they expected. Dad also worked many construction jobs in Portage, where he would bring a daily chocolate bar for a snack. This would stick to dad’s legacy because soon after, his nickname, “Chocolate Bar” would become how people would know and recognize him. Dad also worked for Portage Housing and took care of the “Chicken Coops.” There he would bring joy to many children’s eyes as he would create “slip and slides,” give rides on his riding mower, and keep the “bad seeds” out of the area. I even believe that dad worked with the local RCMP detachment in some fashion, but the covertness of his involvement there is said to be hush, hush. Dad loved to take his three boys riding around Portage on his bicycle. Johnny always in the front and the twins in the back. He would also be seen taking the boys and many other children out to Island Park for a day of adventure. Sneaking into Mayfair Farms to pick strawberries, gaining access to the not-so-secure windmill, teaching his sons to pee off the top of the old grandstand, working odd jobs with the boys, and many, many other epic encounters. There was always fun to be had with dad. Fun, yes, but he was a strict man as well. Heaven help those who caught his fury. His discipline was on point and lessons were learned quickly. Even the principal at North Memorial School use to take an early lunch when he saw dad storming across the field with a complaint. There are so many wonderful memories to share of dad and not nearly enough time to hear them all. This is testament to his legacy and the hero that he was to me and many others. 

Left to mourn his passing are his loving children, Nelson Bird, Maxine Bird, Beverley Bird, Joseph St.Cyr, Jason St.Cyr, and John St.Cyr; his wives and mothers of his children, Pearl Laquette and Bernadette St.Cyr; his sister, Rose Kreutzer of Winnipeg; grand-children, Penny Bird, Megan Bird, and Winter Armstrong; many great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and countless friends and acquaintances. Cyrille was predeceased by his parents, many brothers and sisters, his special angel and grand-daughter Tannis Bird, several nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles, and friends.

If family and friends so wish, donations of any sort can be made to Siloam Mission under Cyrille’s name at 300 Princess Street, Winnipeg, MB, R3B 1M3, 204-956-4344 www.siloam.ca under donate and dedicate. 

 Service Information