RAY PICHE

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RAY PICHE

We are deeply saddened to announce the loss of Dr. Raymond Ernest Piché who passed away on October 24, 2025, at 97 years of age in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Ray was born on August 31, 1928, in Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan to Conrad and Yvonne Piché. After finishing high school and obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree at Collège Mathieu in Gravelbourg, he went on to study dentistry at the Université de Montreal in Montreal, Quebec where he graduated as a Dentist in 1954. Ray practiced for a few years in Edmonton, Alberta and Shaunavon, Saskatchewan before establishing his dental practice in 1959 in Gravelbourg.

In 1974, he and his family moved to Winnipeg where he eventually specialized in disorders of the temporomandibular joint until he retired in 1992. He volunteered his time with the Manitoba Dental Society, served as the President of the Winnipeg Dental Society (1986-87) and taught at the University of Manitoba's faculty of Dentistry. During his 38-year career, he was widely recognized as a caring, highly skilled and compassionate dentist who earned the respect of his peers and the gratitude of his patients, who fondly referred to him as "painless-Piché." Throughout his long career, he remained keenly interested in learning more about his chosen profession and attended numerous dentistry conferences in Canada and the US.

In 1956, Ray married Brigitte Deshaye and the couple had four children. Brigitte passed away in 1991. Ray married Laurianne Fournier in 1992, and the couple lived in Novato, California until Laurianne's death in 2008. Ray married Annabelle Black in 2010, and they lived in Aurora, Ontario until Ray returned to live in Winnipeg in 2017.

Ray was an avid golfer and a long-time fan of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Montreal Canadiens. He was also community-minded and was very involved in the local school board and the Knights of Columbus.

Ray is survived and sadly missed by his four children, Claude (Diane Lacoste), Carmen, Jean (Pamela Piché) and Mylène (Daryl Zerr), his grandchildren Katelyn, Patrick and Dominique Piché, Thomas (Alissa Farhner) and Ryan Zerr, Kyle Rubenok, and Maxim (Anna Zaifman) and Kristen (Skyler Eastman) Piché. He is also survived by his wife Annabelle Black, his sister Monique Piché, his brother Camille Piché, his brother-in-law Aimé Fournier, his sister-in-law Henriette Piché, as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his first wife Brigitte (Deshaye), his second wife Laurianne (Fournier), his parents Conrad and Yvonne (Gauthier), his brothers Alain, Gilles and François and his sisters Thérèse (Fournier) and Denise.

The family wishes to express our profound gratitude to the Sisters and the entire care team at Holy Family Home and to Dr. Jeanne Young for their compassionate care of our father.

A ceremony of remembrance will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his honour to the Holy Family Home in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Oct 28, 2025