FRANK DECOCK

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FRANK DECOCK

Francis (Frank) DeCock, passed away peacefully at his home, while surrounded by his loving family, in Winnipeg in November 2024, at the age of 86.

Frank was a uniquely gentle, personable and very intelligent man, who never stopped increasing the size of his social circle. Frank's love for his wife Eleanor was boundless, and the two of them have been inseparable since they met. Frank and Eleanor married in 1988 in Winnipeg where they continued to live in Westwood while they both continued to pursue their careers and take time out to vacation with friends and family - as Eleanor often said, as soon as Frank suggested that they might go on a trip she would react with "I'll pack a bag!" without a second thought.

Born in 1938, Frank grew up in Langenburg, Saskatchewan, the second youngest of five boys, brothers, Jack, Jim, Harvey and Les.

After high school, Frank studied to be a lab technician at the University of Saskatchewan as his interests lay in the healthcare field. After becoming a lab tech, Frank went on to study Hospital Administration.

Hospital administration took Frank to Rosthern and Swan River, where he undertook all the challenges of managing rural and small city hospitals.

Frank joined the Manitoba Health Services Commission in 1975. Frank's strategic thinking coupled with his strong technical and interpersonal skills earned him a series of increasingly responsible roles in the Health Commission.

Frank spent several years as Associate Deputy Minister of Health for the Province of Manitoba, serving with a number of Health Ministers. Premier Gary Filmon announced the appointment of Frank DeCock as Deputy Minister of Health, effective April 1, 1997.

After retiring from government in 1998, Frank and Eleanor pursued their travel interests, going to Europe and enjoying cruises to the Caribbean, Hawaii and Alaska. Frank and Eleanor hosted many family members and friends in their winter home in Palm Springs. From there, they took trips to Las Vegas, San Diego, Temecula, Catalina Island, and Los Algadones, Baha, Mexico.

Frank was asked to leave retirement to act as a consultant to project manage a new health system support facility for Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, which he gladly accepted in the early 2000s.

Frank acted as interim CEO at Jocelyn House, in the later 2000s, to support the continuity of the valued community institution.

After retirement Frank worked as a volunteer with an organization that connected senior executives with First Nation businesses. He had happy memories of travelling to a First Nation community and working with the people there to set up an accounting system for a general store and assist with identifying key operational goals.

Frank loved keeping up with the activities of grandchildren, Ryan, Tyler and Heather (Landon) of Regina and Sonny and Peyton of Winnipeg. Frank also enjoyed being in the company of nieces, Kerry (Brian), Carla, Gina, Allison, and nephews, Claire, Darren, George, Dean and Daniel.

At their home on Assiniboine Avenue, Frank turned the front and backyards into a landscaped haven that saw many river-side hot-dog barbecues and family reunions, where the sound of laughter floated up the river bank to their screened in sunroom. That sunroom was the center of all daily and social activity for Frank and Eleanor and was quite often filled with family and friends. At that same home, Frank pursued wine making and converted a previously uninhabitable cellar space to a wine cellar.

Frank was a uniquely loved man by all who knew him, due to his openness, self-deprecating sense of humour, and his generosity of spirit. Personal connection was so important to him that he continued the monthly visits to the St. James Legion to lunch with other retired Commission staff from the time he retired up to his death.

Having Muscular Dystrophy from his teenage years, Frank would often fall unexpectedly, always saying "but I fall real well". He never let MD stop him from trying or doing anything, including travel, skiing, gardening, and garden construction work.

Frank loved to laugh, and always found the humour in his own foibles. Frank had no fear of electricity and would often construct elaborate, frightening multi-plug upon multi-plug connections to power his devices for which he was often scolded. Frank and Eleanor have enjoyed 'happy hour' on a daily basis for decades. He was especially averse to eating vegetables and didn't like white cheeses or sauces of any kind, "because bugs lived in them".

During Frank's working life he worked long days, starting early, often starting at five o'clock in the morning. To maintain a social life, Frank had an uncanny ability to grab a short nap any place in almost any position. This became known as Frank "watching a little TV".

Frank is mourned by wife Eleanor, daughters, Lisa and Paula (Dave), sister-in-law Alberta (Terry), brother-in-law Jeep, brother-in-law Jack (Irene), brother-in-law Bill (Fran), daughter-in-law Donna (Derek), grandchildren, Ryan, Tyler, Heather (Landon), Sonny and Peyton and great-grandchildren, Ruby and Stella. Frank was predeceased by son Derek (Donna) and daughter Peggy (Paul), brothers, Les (Susan), Jack (Darlene) and Harvey (Louis), sister-in-law Nancy (Bob) and Margaret (Jeep).

In honour of Frank's wishes there will not be a memorial service.

In lieu of flowers, friends and family may donate to Muscular Dystrophy Canada or CancerCare Manitoba.

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As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 25, 2025