Fernand Cyrenne

Fernand Barnabe Cyrenne, late of Ponteix, Saskatchewan, passed away peacefully at the Foyer St. Joseph in Ponteix on April 12, 2024.

Fernand is survived by his sister Diane (John) Dureault; his children: Gerald Cyrenne, Solange (Guy) Laverdiere, Monique (Denis) Prud’homme, Joel (Nicky) Cyrenne, Marc (Lesley) Cyrenne, Michel (Sacha) Cyrenne; his grandchildren: Clinton, Terra (Lowell), Carrie, Jason (Danitra), Joel, Teaka (Curtis), Elizabeth (Perry), Caleb, Christine (Darren), Jane (Kris), Kim (Adam), Chad (Georgia), Nick (Nicki), Erin (Steve), Sheldon (Candace), Ethan, Aidan and Rowyn; as well as several great grandchildren.

He is predeceased by his wife Jeanne, daughter Solange, and siblings; Romeo, Armand, Florence, Roger, Berthe, Marcel, Cecile, Annette, Bernadette, Omer, Robert, Madeleine and Lionel.

Fern was born in Ponteix, Saskatchewan on June 11, 1929.  Raised on a farm northeast of Ponteix by Louis and Marie Anne Cyrenne, he was the 11th of 15 children.  He attended a one room schoolhouse through grade 9, then at 16 years old, he left school to farm fulltime along with his brother Omer.  In 1951, Fern travelled to B.C. and spent time installing power lines in the Rocky Mountains.  A year after returning back to the farm, at a spring dance in Cadillac, he met Jeanne Entem; Fern and Jeanne would marry in November of 1953.

Fern and Jeanne started to raise their six children, at first on the original Cyrenne homestead.  In 1959, they bought a parcel of land east of Ponteix, and hiring a team of horses, moved a house they’d bought and brought the family there in 1960.  Fern ran a mixed farm, growing wheat, barley and oats and raising cattle, pigs and chickens.  His greatest passion in farming was always his horses and the cattle; in the early years, he’d calve upwards of 100 cows and as the years went on closer to retirement, he pared down the farm, but always kept a small herd of cows that he watched over with great care.  Fern loved having the grandkids come to the farm; not only did he get some ‘help‘ with the chores, but he got to watch the kids riding the quad or ski doo, climbing in the bales, shooting pool or playing in the hot tub.

Fern and Jeanne made their second home at the cabin at Lac Pelletier, which they’d bought in 1971.

Fern loved to host, especially at the cabin – friends and extended family were always welcomed with a boat tour around the lake and letting their kid’s access to the fishing dock.  Friends with everyone, Fern would spend many mornings at the golf course or on the front pad at the cabin chatting with all the regulars and welcoming any new guests.  So many of the great family memories were spent surrounding dad (grandpa) at the lake; all the kids, grandkids and family friends spent hours learning to ski, fishing off the dock, having bonfires and playing cards.  It was always a pretty big deal if one of the grandkids could ever beat the provincial champ at a game of crib.  In addition to summers at the cabin, Fern and Jeanne also enjoyed travelling together, having taken trips to visit family in France and many other adventures including a tour of the Holy Lands in Israel.

Throughout his farming and retired life, Fern was an avid outdoorsman, passionate about nature and land preservation.  He loved to hunt, with one of his fondest memories being the opportunity to go bear hunting in northern Saskatchewan.  Through his farming days, he maintained “Acres for Wildlife” and when he retired, kept a 33 acre parcel dubbed the Ponderosa, where he planted hundreds of trees and provided habitat for birds at risk.  As a member of the Lac Pelletier Golf Club, he volunteered hours also planting trees and assisting where he could with fairway maintenance, his .22 iron usually on hand. 

Always active in the community, Fern knew and was friends with, it seemed, pretty much everybody.  He volunteered his time for the Knights of Columbus and Roman Catholic Parish in both Ponteix and Lac Pelletier.  He spent many years as a member of the Elks of Canada, serving as President of the Aneroid club in the late 1980’s, and also with the Lac Pelletier board of directors, again serving as President from 1978-1981.  Fern and Jeanne loved to both host and go out with friends and family, playing cards, pool, shuffleboard, and bowling (Fern still holds the high score of 435 at the Ponteix alley).  Always a big sports fan, Fern loved to watch the Leafs, Blue Jays, Riders and the Ponteix Penguins, and also spent years on the curling rink and golf course.

Fern spent his last nearly seven years at the Foyer St. Joseph in Ponteix.  He always spoke so well of the care he received and we’d like to extend a sincere Thank-You to all the care aids and staff at the Foyer who helped take care of Fern these past years.  In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to be made to the Foyer St. Joseph Safe Garden Spring Flower Planting.

The prayer service will be held at the Notre Dame d' Auvergne Roman Catholic Church in Ponteix, Saskatchewan with prayers on Thursday, April 18, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.  The funeral mass will take place on Friday, April 19, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. from the Notre Dame d' Auvergne Roman Catholic Church with Father Jules Adator officiating.

Lemieux Funeral Home in care of arrangements.  For further information please call 1-306-625-3925, or visit our website at www.lemieuxfuneralhome.com and express your sympathy to the family in our book of condolence.

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