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Maurice (Mo) Renaud helped Manitobans ride ferris wheels and know what was happening during a Winnipeg Blue Bombers game.
That’s because Mo, who was 94 when he died on Nov. 14, was both the longtime general manager of the Red River Exhibition, and the longtime voice of the Bombers.
Mo was born on Christmas Day back in 1929 and had three brothers.
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While going to school at St. James Collegiate he played lacrosse with the Border Athletic Club. It was a sport he stayed in for years. He became a referee and finally referee-in-chief while he was Lacrosse Manitoba’s press officer.
Mo worked at Manitoba Telephone System, and then at Greater Winnipeg Gas as a general sales manager. He installed the city’s first concrete in-ground swimming pool in his backyard which, for years, was where the Miss Manitoba pageant’s swimsuit competition was held.
Mo became the voice of the Bombers in 1962 and went on to announce a total of 582 consecutive games including the 1991 Grey Cup. He went on to become the dean of Canadian public address announcers before retiring in 1997.
During that run of announcing, Mo was also executive director of Winnipeg’s centennial celebrations in 1974, helping host Princess Margaret and her husband, Lord Snowdon, before becoming general manager of the Red River Exhibition a year later.
At the time, the Ex was more akin to a country fair, but through the years Mo turned it into a multi-million dollar event.
Mo was also president of the St. Vital Bulldogs Senior Football organization in the late 1960s, as well as president of the St. Boniface Football Association.
For everything Mo did for various sports, he was not only inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, but also the Football Manitoba Hall of Fame and the Manitoba Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
Earlier in life, Mo married his wife, Irene, a dental nurse who went on to become CEO of the company she co-owned: Welcome Wagon of Canada. They were married 61 years before her death in 2015.
The voice may have gone silent, but many still remember the fun Mo brought to them at the exhibition and at football games.
Mo is survived by three sons, three grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.
Read more about Mo.
How They Lived
Alyson Shane was a writer and prolific blogger.
A decade ago, Alyson, who was 36 when she died on Nov. 6, decided to create Starling Social, a digital marketing agency.
She also believed in giving back, so she sponsored events and volunteered her time and, because of all she did, she was honoured with Volunteer Manitoba’s SPARK Pro Bono Consultant Award.
Read more about Alyson.
Bob Niblock may have helped you buy your dream home.
Bob, who died on Nov. 6 at 80 years of age, first sold new homes for what became part of Ladco Homes in 1968.
He did that until he joined Delbro Real Estate in 1980. His wife joined him there and he was one of the city’s top realtors through the 1980s.
The family says real estate truly became a family business when his two sons joined their parents as realtors.
Bob also loved antique cars, was a member of the Manitoba Classic and Antique Auto Club and the Fabulous ’50s Club, and through the years had a 1936 Ford, a 1951 Lincoln, a 1947 Mercury convertible and a 1965 Mustang convertible.
Read more about Bob.
Alisa Ramrattan was hired by the provincial government when she was only 19.
Alisa, who was 48 when she died on Nov. 9, had graduated from the University of Winnipeg with a Bachelor of Science when she was hired.
She rose to become assistant deputy minister of public health — and, as her family says — one of the few women of colour in a government leadership role.
Read more about Alisa.
Even at his young age, Ian McCorrister was already helping the world.
Ian, who was 19 when he died on Nov. 3, helped in the creation of stories at the Manitoba Theatre for Young People, mentored youth through Scouts, volunteered with Thunderbirdz to help unhoused people, and assisted in the creation of a reconciliation mural on the outer wall of Harrow United Church.
He died in an accident while going to university in Norway.
Read more about Ian.
Winnie Warkentin was a nurse who wanted to train other nurses.
Winnie, who was 88 when she died on Nov. 8, graduated from the St. Boniface Hospital’s School of Nursing and then received a Bachelor of Nursing degree at McGill University.
Right after graduating, she began working on nursing education initiatives with the World Health Organization and the Canadian International Development Agency.
She was appointed the first director of Aga Khan University’s nursing school in Pakistan in 1979. The school’s current dean said during Winnie’s time there, she influenced thousands of lives.
Read more about Winnie.
Mary Rybak was working as a clerk in the accounting department at Eaton’s when she decided to apply for another job.
Mary, who was 92 when she died on Nov. 9, applied to work at the federal department of external affairs, and she was accepted.
She spent the next three decades posted with Canadian Embassies in Bonn, Cairo and the United Nations in New York City before returning here to retire.
Read more about Mary.
A Life’s Story
They say an apple a day will keep the doctor away, but Richard (Dick) LaPage figured a walk a day was good for not just the body, but the mind.
Dick continued to take a walk every day until shortly before he died at age 90 on Sept. 30.
He grew up in International Falls, Minnesota, where he was quarterback for his high school football team. He was even named to the Scholastic Coach All American football team along with future NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr.
Richard and Marilyn on their wedding day, March 19, 1955 in Rolla, Miss. (Supplied)
Dick met his wife, who was from Winnipeg, while he was studying at Bemidji State University. A few years after marrying, they moved here. He was hired by the East Kildonan School Division as its physical education supervisor to explore new physical education initiatives.
He started physical education programs in elementary schools — before that they were only in junior and high schools.
“(He) inspired both new and experienced teachers with his expertise and progressive thinking on physical education,” said former colleague Linda Boughton.
“His influence was widespread in the division and beyond.”
Read more about Dick here.
Until next time, I hope you continue to write your own life’s story.
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