Donald Edward Joyal

February 21/1946 – October 25/2021

Don was born February 21/1946 in The Pas, MB to June and Claude Joyal. As a young infant he got very ill and my grandmother said they weren’t sure he was going to make it. The Doctor in Winnipeg said there was a new drug called “Sulfa” they could try as a last resort. Obviously it worked because he grew up to be the big strong man we all knew him to be.

Don grew up on Bignell avenue where you could find him hanging around with his dear friend Jack Ashley.  He was joined by siblings Miki, Gary and Renee.  As a young boy Don almost had a second home at his cousin Ron Lauze’s as they spent hours hanging out together.  Don enjoyed all sports and was a member of The Pas Huskies, slow pitch league, darts, football, bowling and he enjoyed reading.  Don had every Louie L’ Amour book he ever wrote.

Don wasn’t what you would call an angel when it came to school.  He had a touch of trouble first at The Sacred Heart Catholic School (Donald refused to bow down to anyone), also at The Red Brick School so he finished his education in Hudson Bay, SK.

Don’s first job was at Smiths grocery then Western Grocers.  He then went to Winnipeg and took power engineering at Red River Community College and began his career at “The Mill” where he worked as a labourer in stores and then purchasing where he retired from in 2004.

Don married Cynthia Bestland in 1968 and they had 2 children Bobby in 1969 followed by Penny in 1973, and 2 Grandchildren Kirsten and Alex.

Don loved to travel and took many family trips in Canada and the USA, he took 15 cruises in his lifetime all with Kathy.  Many of these trips were joined by good friends Murray and Chris, Ted and Sass and Ken and Barb McGillivary. 

Don enjoyed hunting, fishing and sledding and had many enjoyable fishing and hunting trips with close friend Mike Hopper.  He built a wonderful home in Cormorant, MB where he enjoyed the outdoors and made many wonderful lifelong friends. He was known as Mr. Don to the younger children and you could find him hanging out with Mitchell Myers and family or having a rum with Doreen.

Don resided in Cormorant until 2005 when he moved south to Treherne to be with Kathy and her 2 sons Kris and Kevin. He bought a church and renovated it into a workshop. He was an avid golfer and was in the bowling and cribbage league. 

Don enjoyed visiting with friends and that was usually accompanied by a white Bacardi rum.  He loved to dance and for a big man he was very light on his feet.  He liked to have fun and was famous for giving out a thumb bar or the claw where he would pinch your shoulder and if you were on the receiving end you would be surely on your knees with a squeal.

Dons health began to slow him down in 2016 and eventually he would move into the Treherne personal care home in 2019 where he resided until his passing.

Don is survived by Spouse Kathy Boyd and her children Kris and Kevin. Kathy’s grandchildren Connor and Jordyn. Son Bobby, Daughter Penny. Grandchildren Kirsten (Chris), Alex (Gabriella), Siblings Miki Martin (Bob), Gary Joyal (Kathy), Renee Castonguay (Daniel) and numerous nieces and Nephews.

Don was predeceased by his parents June and Claude Joyal, niece Jill Joyal, cousin Ron Lauze, brother in laws Earl, Puddy, John and Roy Bestland and close friends Mike Hopper and Jim Hauze.

A Celebration of life will be held at The Pas Royal Canadian Legion,  Thursday November 25, 2021 at 6:00 PM.  Honorary pallbearers will be Jack Ashley, Murray Anderson, Mitchell Myers, Larry Buchberger and Ken McGillivary.

Friends that so desire, memorial donations can be made in Donald’s memory to the Delahunt Golf and Country Club, PO Box 149, Treherne MB, R0G 2V0. 

Online condolences may be sent to the Joyal family by visiting www.willmorchapel.com.  Jamieson’s Funeral Services of Holland, MB, in care of arrangements.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Donald Edward Joyal, please visit our floral store.