Gerard "Jake" Jerome DeGagne
March 3rd, 2018
It is with great sorrow the family of Jake DeGagne announces his sudden passing on Saturday, March 3, 2018, one day after attending his brother Raymond’s funeral in Fort Francis, Ontario, near where Jake was born and raised on the farm near Devlin.
A celebration of Jake’s life will be held at 1:00 pm on Friday, March 16th at The Red Deer Legion, 2810 Bremner Ave.
He was born on March 29, 1947 to Ulysse and Emilia DeGagne, seventh of their 12 children.
He worked hard all of his life, coming west to Alberta in 1967 to seek his fortune, making good use of his many mechanical and construction skills.
Jake and Betty Watson of Delburne were married on September 27th, 1968, enjoying nearly 50 years together.
Not long after they were married they returned to Ontario where Jake qualified as a certified millwright while working in a paper mill. After a decade there, they returned to live in the Delburne and Red Deer areas. Jake used his millwright skills at Ipsco, as it was known then, until his retirement.
He enjoyed building or renovating multiple houses, both in Central Alberta and in Arizona too, many times flipping them for a tidy profit.
Other retirement hobbies were fishing, playing horseshoes, and restoring and showing antique vehicles par excellence. His favorite use of these antique vehicles was taking his grandchildren and Jadyn to the Dairy Queen. He thoroughly enjoyed his family and friends.
In later years he and Betty wintered in Arizona with Jake’s brothers and cousins, among other travels.
Jake leaves behind his two sons Kevin (special friend Heather Wall) and Dion (special friend Faye Van Humbeck); grandchildren Christopher Robb, Alexander and Melissa DeGagne; favorite great-granddaughter Jadyn; siblings Roger (Doris), Vinton (Arlene), Paul (Jan), Ed (Karen), Marcel (Valdean), Louise (Roy) Cull, Emily (Bob) Bishop, and Yvonne Smelt, sister-in-law Janis DeGagne-Nelson and many nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his parents, brothers Raymond and Leo, sister Aurise and her husband Armand Manaigre, sisters-in-law Susan and Janice, and brother-in-law Richard Smelt.
In lieu of flowers in Jake’s memory, donations can be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Alberta.
Messages:
Betty - I've been trying to phone you but the number I have is no longer in service. I'm back home now. Please email me or call me. I hope you are doing okay - I think that it is really hard to be "okay". My thoughts are with you and of course my love, Jeanette Shewchuk
Hi Betty and family it was a shock to here about Jakes passing our thoughts andprayers are with you and your family at this tme. We will miss seeing him at the car shows Dennis Barkley
Betty we are so sorry to hear about Jake's sudden passing. I just cannot believe Leo, Ray and now Jake have left us all behind. I know one day we will all be together again but in the meantime it is very, very hard to understand and cope with. Our thoughts and prayers are with you Betty at this time.
So sorry for your loss Betty. We're praying for you and the boys. The world will be a lot quieter without him. He was so alive. You are on our hearts. <3
Betty & family, My heart goes out to you at this time.I lost Bob a yr. a go and know it leaves a big hole .We have to be so greatful to have had our loved ones as long as we did and go on helping and serving as Gods purpose for us is.
Hi Betty and boys I was so sorry to hear of Jake’s sudden passing. What a terrible shock for all of you. My thoughts and sympathy are with you at this very sad and stressful time. Colleen Butler
Dear Betty and family. We were so sorry to hear of Jake's sudden passing! Our thoughts and prayers are with you in your loss. We will not be able to attend the service as we are in Arizona. Sincerely, Fred and Linda La Grange.
Betty, I just got this from my daughter as she saw this very sad news. Sorry lost track of you and Jake after you moved. Just want to offer my condolences, he was such a wonderful soul mate and you were a wonderful couple I missed very very much when you moved away...my thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family Hugs Anita