BERNARD CONNOLLY

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BERNARD CONNOLLY

November 20, 1931 – May 3, 2025

Bernie passed away peacefully in the St. Boniface General Hospital Hospice Area after a very short but expected Heart issue.

He was diagnosed with Heart failure in 2016. He was born in Montreal to Lillian & Henry Connolly and was the eldest and last survivor of 3 other siblings.

Dad was a lover of Hockey and excelled at playing it. He played with and against such future greats as Dickie Moore, Bernie Geoffrion, and Jean Beliveau. In 1950, he left a chance to go professional to fight in the Korean War. On his return he was introduced by his Mother to his future wife Mary in 1952, marrying on May 9, 1953. Their marriage of just shy of 64 years produced sons Donald Allan & Terrence Grant, who would be taken away suddenly in a tragic accident at the age of 6.

Dad held several jobs throughout his life: Accountant with Trans Canada Airlines (Air Canada), owning his own cab with Unicity, working as a security guard with the Royal Canadian Mint, and then as a supervisor of Security at the Mint. In 1986, Bernie and Mary purchase a cottage at Lakeshore Heights on Lake Winnipeg and this became his bastion of peace. Dad was forced to retire in 1993 because of developing a neurological disease, dystonia. This allowed him to spend even more time at the Lake, where he enjoyed having his grandchildren (Dallas & Shannon) come out every weekend and for summer vacation. Family was everything to him, Dallas catching frogs in the ditches and Shannon (Stinky) his little shadow, glued to his side.

After Mary passed away, he moved from Selkirk Manitoba where they lived since 1975 into River Ridge Retirement home in 2017. Dad loved it here and made numerous friends. I thank the staff there for making Dad's last year's ones of enjoyment.

Outside of the cabin and Grand Children, his biggest joy in life was Hockey. He would watch as many games as humanly possible on TV and his biggest hope was to see the Jets hoist the cup before he passed away.

Dad was predeceased by his wife Mary, son Terry, siblings Pat Cross, Leonard Connolly, Ron Connolly, and parents Henry and Lillian Connolly. Also gone were inlaws, Alex Cross, Jill Connolly, Julie Henderson, Dennis Fedorowich, Eddie Fedorowich, June Fedorowich, mother in law Anna Taras, and nephews Fred and James Fedorowich.

Dad leaves to mourn him son Don (Lynne), Grandchildren Dallas & Shannon, Sister in laws Patsy McNabb, Rose Fedorowich, and Vera Connolly, and numerous nephews and nieces.

I would like to thank the staff at St. Boniface hospital for making Dad's final couple of days comfortable ones.

As per Dad's wishes, there was no formal funeral service and he was cremated and buried at Glen Eden Funeral Home on May 14, 2025.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jun 28, 2025