RONALD PHILIP DEL BIGIO

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RONALD PHILIP DEL BIGIO

February 16, 1929 - May 5, 2023

How does one capture the life of a wonderful dad, our wonderful dad, in a brief notice such as this? This is our attempt to do so.

After 94 years, our dad, Ron, died on May 5. Ron was predeceased by his parents Philip and Bonita (Fogg), his wife Chloe (de Graaf), and his siblings, Grant and Beverley.



He is survived by son Marc (and Janice; children, Milo and Camille (and Rheis)), son Greg (and Charlotte; sons, Joseph and Matteo), daughter Jody (and Gordon; daughters, Samantha (and Karl) and Casey (and Colin)), and son Dean (and Kelsey; Dean's daughters, Bailey, Sadie, Clara, and Clara (and Hayden's) new daughter Lucia), along with several cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A lot goes on over 94 years, but what was constant was Ron's priority of family. Our dad was born into the North End in Winnipeg and grew up in Elmwood. Our dad was married in 1955 to our mom, Chloe, for 64 years. They had the four of us (Marc, Greg, Jody, Dean) and raised us in a house filled with the commotion that goes along with four kids and always an assortment of pets. As our families grew, so did the happiness of our parents. Through good fortune, our dad got to meet his first great-granddaughter shortly before he died. For the last week of his life, he had the pleasure of knowing there were four generations of family.

After graduation from high school in 1945, Ron began work at Del's Electric known to family simply as "the shop". The shop was founded by his father Phil in 1927. Our dad worked there with his father and younger brother Grant. After seven decades he finally stopped working at 88 years; however, up until recently he mused about going back to work, but only part-time. It was a great source of happiness and pride that the shop is now run by Dean and Jody; the family business will last 100 years and more.

As kids, we would spend the summers at the Betula Lake cottage with our mom and her parents. While our dad would join us on weekends, he would never walk barefoot, he only fished once and for decades after would tell us how he didn't like it, he didn't barbeque, he didn't enjoy going into the bush and picking berries, and he didn't like the bugs. But that is where his family was and that is where he wanted to be. The more kids and grandkids, and friends of kids and grandkids there were at the dock, the happier he was.

There were also family trips which began with four kids being piled into a car travelling to Minnesota, Michigan City (to visit Beverley), and even as far as Mexico. In later years, the trips with kids and grandkids were further afield. We rented a house in Antibes, France during a couple of springs. Ron and Chloe travelled to many places in North America and Europe. And, as kids moved here and there, our mom and dad would always travel to make sure they were participating in our lives and the lives of grandchildren.

When he was 54, Ron had a stroke that caused minor setbacks. However, he remained upbeat and resilient and undeterred. Adventure in later family trips occasionally required the assist of a wheelchair over long distances, through narrow passages, over bumps, and up and down steep hills. We pushed, he held on tight, and the family trips continued.

The past six years posed particular challenges. Our dad missed our mom terribly and he missed the family home. Despite that, he found happiness in family pictures and memories. Our dad's care home was just a few blocks from where he grew up. It gave him great happiness to reminisce about Elmwood, the Red River, and the Redwood Bridge. Our dad grew up in a house, that was perhaps too small, filled with generations of family. It is likely there that his love for and commitment to family began. The circle is now complete.

So, how do we conclude? Our dad was remarkably kind, generous, supportive, eternally optimistic. He cherished friends from the old neighbourhood and the lake, he loved to socialize and laugh, he was successful in business, and he was interested in the goings-on in the world. But mostly, he loved our mom, his kids, grandkids, and great-granddaughter; his death has created a hole in our lives.

We thank the friends and family who visited our dad in recent years and we thank the staff on the St. Mary's floor at the Holy Family Home who provided such wonderful care to him.



Private interment will occur at a later date. If desired, donations may be made to a charity of your choice.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jun 10, 2023