Gingras, Raymond Gilles

Raymond Gilles Gingras, of Garson, ON, passed away on 23 January 2026, just six days shy of his 92^nd birthday. Born on 29 January 1934 in Cache Bay, ON, he was a devoted spouse to Noreen Lynds and a loving father to sons Normand, Pierre, Richard, daughter Louise, son Raymond Jr and to daughter Marie.

Dad was hard-working and a tinkerer. For 39 years, he worked at Falconbridge Nickel Mines in the smelter where he became a highly skilled skimmer and was instrumental in helping other smelters of the company and in guiding engineers in their endeavours at automating the skimming process of today.  For several decades, he built houses under contract for Muttart Homes.  He was a passionate fisherman, always eager to sail the Manitoulin Island waters for salmon in the summer and sled the River Valley lakes for trout during the winter.  He would spend countless hours in his shed repairing or improving his numerous man-toys:  snowmobile, four-wheeler, fishing tent-sleigh, fishing boat…. you name it.  And while he often dragged us in to assist him with these projects, he was always ready to lend a hand with our own:  building a new house, re-flooring, plumbing, moving walls, installing a roof over a deck….  He knew it all and we benefitted from his can-do attitude and his willingness to share his expertise. 

According to 1934 historical notes on aerial weather observations in the North Bay/Cache Bay region, the area experienced consistent severe winter conditions, with regular snow cover and temperatures often falling to -50 or lower in those years. This may explain his toughness when it came to working and playing in the frigid outdoors.

Dad loved to recount detailed stories of his myriad adventures where most times he painted himself as the unsung hero saving the day, coming to the rescue of the distressed and the unfortunate.   We all learned to be wary as once he started his story telling rants, he was unstoppable… and deftly changing the subject was a skill you were forced to master otherwise you were doomed….

Dad's hobbies and interests helped define who he was. He shared these willingly, leaving a mark on us that will never fade.  He found the perfect partner in his spouse Noreen, who shared his passion for fishing and the outdoors and who cared for him without respite in his later years.  In this she was assisted by her grand-daughter Meaghan, by her daughters Joannie, Wendy, Beverly and son-in-law Don; we are grateful to them for their unwavering support.

He is survived by his spouse Noreen, his sisters Jeannot, Margot, Marthe, his sister-in-law Theresa, his sons Normand (Chantale), Pierre (Hanie), Richard (Jillian), Raymond Jr (Virginia), his daughters Louise (Marc), Marie (Mike), his grandchildren Marc-Antoine, Steven, Andrew (Jennifer), Julie (Kyle), Emma, Myles, Stephenie, Emma, Matthieu, Nickolas, Josée (Stewart), Ray-Ray, Julien, and his great grandchildren Jordan, Léo, Olivier, Sam, Luc, Luka and Axel, as well as many friends and extended family members who will miss him dearly. 

A Celebration of Life ceremony will be held at a later date.

We find comfort in knowing that Dad's legacy lives on through the lessons he taught us, the passions he shared, and the memories we will cherish forever.  We sincerely hope he is sailing the heavenly waters, where the lakes are crystal clear and the fish always biting.