Charlie Piche
PICHE - It is with great love and sadness that the family of Charles Piche announce his passing at Unity and District Health Centre on February 17, 2023.
Charles Julien Piche was born the eldest of 6 children in the small town of Willow Bunch in southern Saskatchewan. He attended elementary school in Gravelbourg and completed grades 7 through 10 in Willow Bunch.
As a young man growing up on a farm, Charlie enjoyed many outdoor activities with family and cousins including hunting, riding motorcycles and tinkering with his cars. In his younger years, Charlie worked in construction as well as operating equipment for the Department of Highways before settling in to his lifelong career as a grain buyer.
In the spring of 1965 Charlie met Dorothy Gilchrist and by the summer of 1966 they were married in Assiniboia. They went on to have four beautiful children and lived in a few different small towns in rural Saskatchewan. Life was filled with incredible friendships and adventures, including Charlie obtaining his pilot’s license and flying his crew from here to there, visiting friends and family. Many fond memories would be made in that Cessna 150. In the 1980s, the Piches made their move northward to Denzil, for the final stretch of his 33 year career with the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool.
As a young father, Charlie enjoyed taking part in activities such as bowling, curling and disking. Being a loving family man, he was often found swimming with his children, and was always the last one out of the pool. Family vacations included camping every summer, a tradition that has continued through the generations. Everyone, including his beloved Cleo, looked forward to those camping trips. And let’s not forget that very memorable Christmas road trip to Disneyland, a once in a lifetime event that the whole family worked hard to achieve.
Around the house and yard, Charlie’s diverse skills in carpentry, electrical, plumbing and welding always kept everything in tip top shape; not to mention perfectly straight and level. You may have seen him on his Minneapolis, baling hay in the ditches to feed the horses and he was very thrilled to see this same tractor competing in the Denzil tractor pulls recently. Through his wisdom, Papa passed down so many valuable lessons to his children; whether it was on projects in the back yard or just hanging out with him at the elevator.
Ever the home body, you may have never seen Charlie in the coffee shop. However, he had always been available for that evening or weekend moisture test, so that you could keep on combining. Or, carefully cooking and carving you a slice of his famous roast beef. If you were one of the lucky one’s, you may have been a part of one of the amazing musical jam sessions in their home, accompanied by Charlie and his guitar.
All of us are going to miss the subtle and quiet teasing that came with having Papa Charlie around. From tickling your ear with a twig while sitting around the camp fire, to tossing pebbles at you while you were trying to nap in a lounge chair. He always made sure everyone knew they were loved in his own mischievous way.
I know for certain that we never lose the people we love, even to death. They continue to participate in every act, thought and decision we make. They leave an everlasting imprint on our memories, and remain a part of who we are.
A celebration of life was held for Charlie at the Denzil Sacred Heart Church on March 7, 2023 with many friends, family and community in attendance to send him off with much love and support.