Camille Bernard Van Den Bosch

Passed away at the Lorne Memorial Hospital on Tuesday March 21, 2023 at the age of 85 years, Camille Bernard Van Den Bosch, of Swan Lake, MB.

Camille leaves to mourn his loving wife of 56 years, Lucille (nee Labossiere), son Hubert (Sarah), daughters Lisanne (Bob) Stanwick, Marcie (Tony) Carels, Carol Van Den Bosch; ten grandchildren Maveric, Shania, Zachary & Tyler Van Den Bosch, Breanna (Denis) Delaquis, Cassidy (Anthony) Florentino, Lakeisha†, Elijah, Jacob (Amber Heirman), Zander (Jasper DeVloo) and Gracie (Sam Delaquis) Carels; great grandchildren Cade, Isaac and Scottie Delaquis and Ryker Florentino.

He is also survived by his siblings: twin brother Gaston (Donna), Louise Goderis, Arthur (Rose-Marie), Henry (Juliette), Rosa Conrad, Bernard (Margie), in-laws Oscar Van De Kerckhove, Martial Labossiere, Dollard Boily, Alfred (Grace) Labossiere, Marc (Anita) Labossiere, Jules (Carole) Labossiere, and Clemence Labossiere as well as numerous extended relatives & friends.

Camille was predeceased by his parents Francis & Alphonsine (nee Haegeman), brothers Edward (Jeanne) & Joseph (Helen), sister Marie Van De Kerckhove, in-laws Rene and Emma Labossiere, Emile Goderis, Paul Conrad, Marielle Labossiere, Lina Boily, and Gerard Labossiere in infancy.

Camille was born at the farm homestead of Francis and Alphonsine Van Den Bosch in Swan Lake, Mb.  He arrived into this world on November 25, 1937 with his twin brother Gaston. He was the fourth of ten children.

Through the years he walked a mile WEST down the road to attend Oakhill school with siblings and special friends.  When he completed grade eight, he had a serious conversation with his dad and at the age of 13 it was time to work full time and help with all the labour at the farm.  He helped to milk cows and attend to all the other farm animals. He also cut wood in the winter as there was no hydro or running water.  As Camille grew a little older and stronger he soon started taking on many new experiences.

One of his first work ventures outside of the farm was using a CAT bulldozer to clear and develop the land, clean feedlots and perform numerous landscaping jobs. From there he went on to dig and widen many water wells by hand!

 It was at a dance in Mariapolis that he first met the love of his life, Lucille.  Camille and Lucille were married on June 25, 1966….they welcomed four children through the years, Hubert, Lisanne, Marcie and Carol. 

 In the spring of 1966 he had bought the farm where his son Hubert and family reside today. He did his first small burial in the fall of 1966 for his sister’s infant son Timothy Goderis that started him in what would become his lifelong work of interment services. Camille’s burials were all done with a spade shovel in the beginning. Each of Camille’s kids remembers helping with a few burials through the years including his wife Lucille. Camille`s role with the interments eventually changed to superviser in his much later years as he went along with Hubert or a grandson, long after his eightieth birthday.

The kids remember their father welding in the shop for hours, fencing, picking stones and pulling out of the yard with his CAT dozer for the next job.  Memories also include Hockey night in Canada every Saturday on the old tube T.V., listening to the polka party hour and many Sunday beer bottle picking adventures.

Camille and Lucille did some travelling to go see relatives or with relatives in tow. Some of the highlights are a trip to Arizona, Edmonton, BC, LA and Branson along with good company!

Camille loved meeting new friends - striking up conversations with any random people far and wide.

Dad was proud to be on the Knights of Columbus and helping  at community projects, fall suppers, the church council and cemetery board. 

Another strong notable mention was Belgium dancing and the Gathering of Nations, he loved doing the polka and two step waltz’s and had fond memories of those years.

There are so many special memories and stories to share “Most of all Camille loved family, family and more family"– and the more his family was growing the prouder he became!  He would often quote “Money doesn’t make you rich, family does”.

Viewing will be held in Swan Lake from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Prayers and Eulogy following with Mass of Christian Burial following Prayers at 11:00 a.m. at St. Martin of Tours Parish in Swan Lake, MB on Saturday, March 25, 2023. Interment to take place in the St. Martin of Tours Parish Cemetery. 

Friends that so wish, memorial donations can be made in Camille’s memory to the Lorne Memorial Hospital Foundation, Box 40, Swan Lake, MB, R0G 2S0 or to the Heart & Stroke Foundation, 1379 Kenaston Blvd, Winnipeg, MB, R3P 2T5.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Camille Bernard Van Den Bosch, please visit our floral store.