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Billy McLeod had what many would call a regular childhood.
It was Billy’s adulthood that became a tragedy, and his family wants to prevent what happened to him from happening to anyone else.
Billy, who died on July 4 just days before his 31st birthday, was born in Slave Lake, Alberta and raised in Winnipeg.
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He went to Sargent Park School, Our Lady of Victory School, St. Paul’s High School and Daniel McIntyre Collegiate before graduating from Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Saskatchewan. He went on to work on oil rigs in that province.
Throughout his life, Billy took jazz, tap, ballet and musical theatre at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and was one of the young performers in the RWB’s annual Nutcracker production in 2001. He also attended theatre classes at Manitoba Theatre for Young People.
As his family says, “Billy was smart, outgoing, a born performer, a natural athlete, funny and fun to be with.”
But he struggled with addiction later in life, a circumstance his family says resulted in his early death.
Billy sent a final message to his family and friends which said, in part:
“I have experienced love and have been very blessed to have amazing people in my life. To everyone, who cares to listen, no matter what happens always take it as a blessing that has come directly from God. It may seem like you’re in hell, but that’s only to make you strong enough to fly with the Angels.”
To help others, Billy’s family is asking donations, in lieu of flowers, be made to Moms Stop The Harm, which describes itself as a network of Canadian families impacted by substance-use-related harms and deaths, or to another charity of choice.
Billy was predeceased by his mother and sister. He is survived by his father.
Read more about Billy.
How They Lived
Maria Danakas was born in Greece and came to Canada to join her fiancé in 1958. Maria, who was 91 when she died on Sept. 13, and her husband married that same year and soon began raising their family.
The couple went on to found what has become a Transcona and Winnipeg institution: Dal’s Restaurant. Maria worked hard and supported local philanthropic efforts while helping in the kitchen.
Read more about Maria.
Bud Irving was an all-star football player and lawyer.
Bud, who died on Sept. 7 at 98 years of age, was the oldest living Winnipeg Blue Bomber and Canadian Football League player.
After retiring from professional sports, he became a lawyer and was named president of the Manitoba Bar Association, while keeping a toe in football as a referee.
Bud, who played in four Grey Cups, was also past president of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and counsel for the Shriners Hospital of Canada for 45 years, a position he held without ever wanting payment.
Read more about Bud.
Emily Markiw trained to be a teacher twice.
Emily, who was 81 when she died on Sept. 8, was born in the Slovak Republic. There, she trained and worked as a teacher until coming to Canada in 1968.
To become a teacher again, Emily first had to learn English and then go back to university to be certified as a teacher once more.
She began teaching in northern Manitoba and later came to Winnipeg, where she taught until retiring in 1996.
Read more about Emily.
Jim Collins was both a golfer and a builder of the sport.
Jim, who died on Sept. 10, was the head golf pro at St. Charles Country Club for 37 years.
Known by the nickname “Gentleman,” he also played competitively, winning the Manitoba PGA championship three times and being crowned Manitoba PGA senior champion five times.
When Jim was inducted into the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame, he was the first to be honored as both an athlete and a builder. He was also inducted into the PGA of Canada Golf Hall Of Fame.
Read more about Jim.
Uve Loleit helped many people have chicken dinners.
Uve, who died on Aug. 19 at 75, was known as the “Hatcheryman who sleeps at the Hatchery” because he was so diligent in looking after baby chicks at Miller Hatcheries and, later, Granny’s Poultry.
As hatchery foreman, he was also instrumental in helping to build a state-of-the-art facility for Granny’s in the early 2000s, incorporating green geothermal technology in the building’s heating and cooling system.
Read more about Uve.
A Life’s Story
Lorraine Shirley Woods-Bavasah raised two children on her own during an era when there was societal stigma against single mothers.
But Lorraine, who was 91 when she died on Jan. 22, overcame many challenges. She finished her home economics degree and went back to night and summer school to get her education diploma, enabling her to teach in Dauphin and Winnipeg schools for years.
Lorraine Woods-Bavasah, who raised two children on her own while working and pursuing higher education, was remembered for her strength, resilience and caring nature. (Supplied)
“The strength of her character and resilience did not let her situation stand in her way of what she wanted to do,” her daughter Jody Reaburn said.
Read more about Lorraine’s life here.
Until next time, I hope you continue to write your own life’s story.
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