1927-2024
Adelard Ouimet died peacefully in Winnipeg on July 28th, 2024. He was 97.
He was predeceased by his wife of 71 years Simone Robert Ouimet and by his daughter Madeleine Ouimet. He is survived by his son Robert, grandchildren Toni, Matthew and Garnet, and great-grandchildren Riley, Sophia and Kaylin.
Adelard was born in 1927 on a homestead farm at Union Point in the Red River Valley. He was one of ten children of John Ouimet and Celina Hebert. He was the last surviving member of his immediate family.
During the 1950 Red River flood, many families in the valley were evacuated to cottages at Dauphin Beach, including Adelard and his soon to be wife Simone Robert. They married in 1952 and would later return to make their home in Dauphin.
In their early married life, the Adelard and Simone lived in Headingley, Manitoba, where Adelard taught school on the Sturgeon Creek Hutterite Colony. From there they moved to Duck Bay, Manitoba.
In 1959 Adelard was offered a position teaching in Dauphin. He taught a variety of shop classes including metal work, electrical, and power mechanics. In his first few years in Dauphin he coached the high school football team, the Dauphin Aristocrats. He was also a Drivers’ Education teacher for many years.
Before buying a house on Kraim Avenue, the family lived in a basement suite of a home owned by the Ewanchyshyn family, then owners of the Towers Hotel. The Ewanchyshyn family also owned a cottage at Clear Lake and let the young family use the cottage for summer vacations. This nurtured Adelard and Simone’s life-long love for Riding Mountain National Park.
In the 1960s, in order to upgrade his teaching credentials, Adelard spent most summers taking Industrial Arts courses at US colleges in Illinois, Missouri and North Dakota.
Adelard continued teaching in Dauphin until he retired. He and Simone could often be seen driving out to Moon Lake and Clear Lake, and in the winter snowshoeing trails in Riding Mountain National Park. Adelard was an accomplished wood carver, and many of his family and friends are recipients of his intricately detailed wood duck carvings. He was actively involved in the church choir as well as a member of the Dauphin chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society.
His nephews and nieces remember him as a kind and funny uncle. Always happy to lend a hand (or weld something) Adelard could often be found in or under a piece of machinery on one of his brother’s farms.
In his later years Adelard was lovingly cared for by his granddaughter Toni and her family.
We welcome your reminiscences of Adelard.
Use the form at the bottom of this page to submit your memories, and you can also upload photos. Please understand that comments will be moderated by the family, so there will be a slight delay before they are published.
See memories shared by: Ronald | Marcel | Aurore | Patty
Other Photos
Memories from Family and Friends
From Ronald Mailhot, nephew
Mon Oncle was always the comedian. I remember when he and Matante Simone would stay at my Mom’s place. He had just bought a small compact car, a Pontiac Firefly I believe and MonOncle Jean Leon and I were checking it out. He opened the hood to show the engine and he pointed to the windshield washer fluid reservoir and said; “Looky here, there’s the gas tank”
From Marcel Doucet, nephew
Mon Oncle Adelard was very special for me, he was there in our times of need, as a young boy in St-Boniface, one event sticks out. This was around 1951-52, him and Uncle Cyrille picked us up on a Saturday morning and we went to the Kids show, live and with a cowboy movie. After a hot dog or something to eat we then went to an afternoon matinee, followed by supper (don’t remember what or where) then decided to go to the Penbina Drive-In for the late night show, that was in the 41 chevy coupe painted pink and cream. All that to give our mom a break!!! Throughout my adolescent years, I could count on his advice. During our tough years when mom was diagnosed for cancer, he and ma tante spent a few summers working in Edmonton to be there for us. I will always have these memories to treasure. Our weekends in Dauphin… working together in construction in St- Albert, so many good memories!!! Now he is with ma Tante and his family and I’m sure they are having a few laughs together . Our prayers are with you all!!!
Aurore, sister-in-law
So many happy times I spent in Dauphin having a few good laughs while Adelard was doing his famous barbecue steak!
Patty Hawkins, driver ed student
Mr. Ouimet taught me how to drive. I purposely delayed getting my Learner’s Permit in the Spring of 1974 immediately after I turned 16 because the next Driver’s Ed session wasn’t until the Fall. Mr. Ouimet’s reputation as a great driving teacher was accurate. I took my test on a snowy February day the following year and in spite of having to honk at a flock of of pigeons in front of the Allied Arts Centre, and slipping slightly while parallel parking, I passed on the first try. Mr. Ouimet was an excellent teacher! I still recall things he taught me even to this day and am happy to say that I have a pretty good driving record. What an amazing gift he gave me – and the many others he patiently got safely onto the road!
Share your memories of Adelard
We welcome your reminiscences of Adelard.
Use this form submit your memories. You may also upload photos.
If you are more comfortable sending an email, you can reach Adelard’s son at memories@robertouimet.com
Please understand that comments will be moderated by the family, so there will be a slight delay before they are published.