The family of Louis Roy is remembering him.
Roy, passed away at the age of 101 at a care home in Île-à-la-Crosse last week. Roy, was the first Métis veteran to receive a recognition payment from the federal government in 2019 for his service during World War II.
Like many Indigenous veterans Roy had been denied the benefits made available by the federal government to veterans after they returned home from their service.
Jennifer Maurice one of Roy’s grandchildren said when it comes to remembering her grandfather some of the first memories that come to mind will be the holidays at his house in Beauval.
“We always remember Christmas time [because] that’s where all of us, we all used to gather there at Christmas time,” she said.
Since his passing Glenda Burnouf another of Roy’s grandchildren, said the family has been receiving an outpouring of support from a range of people. She added it is nice to know that her grandfather touched so many people’s lives.
“There’s just been so many people that have reached out, friends from a far and they all have stories to share and memories of running in to him or seeing him here, or something that he’s taught them,” she said.
Commemorations of Roy’s life were held in Beauval last week with a few days of wake services during the week and a memorial service on Saturday. As part of the memorial service the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) did a fly past and representatives from veterans associations were also on hand.
When it came to being the first Métis veteran to receive a recognition payment from the federal government, Maurice explained her grandfather was ‘old fashioned,’ and was also a man of few words who generally didn’t speak much.
“Stuff like that I don’t think meant a lot to him,” she said.
In regards to not being provided equal veterans benefits, Burnouf said her grandfather never expressed any feelings of anger to her about not receiving the same benefits as most veterans.
“I think he was just proud of what he did for our country, he never complained or anything,” added Maurice.
Roy spent nearly all of his life in Beauval where he married and raised 10 children. During his life he worked as a commercial fisherman and a trapper to support his family. He eventually became a carpenter working for northern housing and then the Northern Lights School Division before retiring. Burnouf said Beauval was truly home for Roy.
“He built so many little cabins and he built two homes and this was just his homestead,” she said.
Reflecting on her grandfather’s life, Burnouf said he got to see a lot of changes in the world and in his own family, where he got to see the birth of great, great grandchildren.
“He’s seen all the changes in the world,” she said.
(Photo Courtesy of Canadian Forces in the United States Twitter)