Richard Adam Joseph Blouin

Born January 19, 1947 in a small house in the town of St. Lazare, Manitoba.  He is the 4th in line of 12 children born to Laurent and Florence Blouin.

He was a fighter right from the start!  He was delivered by his father and grandfather prematurely and was put in a shoe box that acted as a bed.  He was then put in the warming oven of an old cook stove…..  And that was his beginning.

After going through his school years, at 16 years old, he decided that he would head out West to Alberta and work on the oil rigs.  After all, this was more exciting than schooling.  He often joked that mom and dad wrapped his lunch in a road map so he would get the “hint”.  He was offered an entry level position, and had to lie about his age to get hired.  That’s how things were done back in the day.  He worked hard and built up a stamina and strength of an Olympian – which was what he will always be remembered by.

After years of working out West, he decided to return to The Pas Manitoba to be with family.  He struck up various jobs while he was in The Pas.  One of which was a bouncer at a well known “rough” bar.  Richard excelled in this atmosphere.  He loved it!  He was able to display his strength and ability to fight.  He was also a “notorious” dog catcher, and owned his own cleaning business for awhile…. Imagine that.

After his father retired and moved to St. Lazare, he followed them and took the advice and applied for a position with PCS Rocanville (now known as Nutrien).  He succeeded and remained underground for the next 30 years as a heavy-duty mechanic.  He made plenty of friends and said he had the best colleagues one could ask for.

Richard has touched so many lives during his path on Earth.  Good and bad! Many spoke about his strength, his stubbornness. 

When people were asked to sum Richard’s personality up, there were plenty of responses that were strikingly similar. 

He was a good ol’ boy

He came off as a tough cookie, but he really had a heart of gold.  We sometimes couldn’t see it, but under that tough exterior it was there

He was a loving man with a pocket full of tricks

Children navigated to him.  Many nieces and nephews have so many memories of Uncle Richard.  Toe truck comes to mind.  Those who read this will understand!

Richard was a man who could inspire novels with his life stories and he was truly one of a kind.

His tattoo on his forearm, was as much of him as his zest for life.  He was the living embodiment of “my way or the highway”.  When we didn’t agree with his highway, you had to admire the scenery along the road.

He was born at home.  His greatest wish was to pass at home.  He achieved both.  He was always a tough guy, and at the end of his journey he said he really wasn’t a tough guy after all!

He leaves behind many family members and children who will smile when they think of him and all the antics that he did.  Heaven watch out!  He likely is running his tin cup along the pearly gates just for a tease and a laugh.  Richard – you were certainly one of a kind.  Miss you forever!