PAUL DAVID MACKIN

With heavy hearts, we announce that Paul passed away peacefully on February 28 surrounded by family and friends in the comfort of his home at the age of 61.

Paul was predeceased by his grandparents, (James and Charlotte) and his dad (Norman). He is survived by his mother, June; his brothers, Norman (Stephanie), and Roy (Michele); his nephews, Jonathan and Andrew (Samantha, children Noah and Mason); his niece Alyssa; extended family and many friends, too numerous to mention.

Born in Liverpool, England, Paul spent the first 5 years of his life in the land of the Beatles, which may have influenced his later love for music. Depending on who you ask, the reason for the move to Canada was either for the opportunities provided to them by this new country, as per our mom and Aunt Margaret, or because they had an awful week of camping, according to our dad and Uncle Frank. No matter what the reason, Norman, June, Roy, Paul along with Margaret and Frank set sail and arrived in Winnipeg Easter weekend in 1968. Expecting any governmental help on a long weekend was the first of many missteps by the recent immigrants. The first 5 days were spent in a boarding house behind the Occidental Hotel, which makes it all the more surprising that they actually stayed. 

The families moved to the North End where they met many dear friends, none more so than the Meiers. With young boys of similar ages, Paul and Roy became fast friends with Randall, Russell and Dean. Later in life, the boys would always find themselves remembering their adventures in the North End or at the cabin. Paul and Roy lived 2 doors away from Faraday School, which made it very easy for them to run home at lunch to be with their new little brother Norman, the first official Canadian in the family. After many wonderful years in the area, Margaret and Frank moved to St. James while Norman, June and the boys moved to Ste. Anne, Manitoba, joined by grandparents Jimmy and Lottie who had also immigrated in 1969. Yes, a family with thick English accents thought that the best move was to set up shop in a small French-speaking community.

What a brilliant move it ended up being! Neighbours to lovely families with very attractive daughters, the Joyals and Lajoies, Paul got to hone his Casanova skills. Although not yet diagnosed, it was while living on Desautels Street that the news came of Paul’s situation, Muscular Dystrophy. Despite this diagnosis, Paul was unstoppable. He attended Ste. Anne School with friends and teachers who made his experience as “normal” as anyone else. His disability did not stop him from being one of Jude Boulianne’s best Phys. Ed. students. His positive attitude and support from his parents meant that he tried things that many would have thought impossible: snowmobiling, canoeing and capsizing on the Seine (and losing his glasses), getting run over not once but twice by the same guy (you would have thought he had really big feet), driving his green Camaro to Sherwood Park, Alberta to see a girl. All the ridiculous things young men might do. How did he support these endeavours? He worked for many years in our parents’ store, saying later that they were some of the happiest years of his life. He was living responsibility free and was flush with cash thanks to the slurpee machine. Access to these funds is what allowed him to drive to Winnipeg on a whim to have fast food, watch movies, buy records then CDs and cruise for the ladies with his pre-teen brother Norman and best buddy Gilbert Ragot in tow. Not exactly the best wing men! Once he made the decision to attend university and put his big brain to use for good rather than mischief, the Society for Manitobans with Disabilities provided him with a power wheelchair, and he never looked back. Trading in the sleek Camaro for the STX GMC van was a tough pill to swallow, but it opened doors to even more fun times and freedom.

With university in the rear view, Paul embarked on his career as a civil servant with the Province of Manitoba. During his near 30 years of dedicated service, Paul worked for and with some incredible people surviving numerous changes of department names and parties in power. Although the family still doesn’t know what he did everyday between 8 and 5, we are aware that he was a leader in Wellness before it was in vogue. He was a vital cog in the social committee machine planning holiday and Christmas lunches, introducing popcorn Fridays, panini lunches and the weekly NFL pool and subsequent wind-up dinner at Bombolini’s (his favourite restaurant of all time).

All good things must come to an end, and at 55 years old, Paul chose to retire because the daily grind was getting more difficult. Many thanks to Tam Nguyen, a dear friend, whose assistance allowed Paul to continue working much longer than initially thought possible. Retirement was not spent globe trotting but rather at home doing what he loved most, watching TV and following his teams: the Dolphins, the Jets and Liverpool F.C. 

Paul continued to enjoy dining with friends and having visitors. Sadly, the pandemic affected everyone, and Paul’s social network inevitably became a much smaller circle of friends. For those who had been unable to visit with Paul, cherish the memories of your time together when he was able share his wisdom, wit, humour and overall love of life. To those who continued to come, we thank you for breaking up his days with some laughter and banter. It truly meant the world to him to see you and reminisce. 

They say that you never stop being a parent. This is never truer than when you are the parent of a child living with a disability. Our mom was dedicated to making sure Paul was looked after with an unwavering love and commitment. The last 15 months were difficult as Muscular Dystrophy had taken its toll on Paul, both physically and emotionally. Our mother was thrust back into a reality that involved round the clock supervision. Graciously, our brother Roy selflessly uprooted his life to join in Paul’s care during the most difficult time of his life. The family would also like to express our deepest appreciation for VIP Homecare and its caregivers (Ola, Jaffe, Harsh, Emanuel, to name a few) for their kindness, dedication and compassion shown to our beloved Paulie when he needed it the most. 

On a personal note, Paul was the most impactful and important person in my life. I often bugged him that he was an evil genius because he could see his future and it was only going to work if I was on board. He recruited me early on with mid-week movies and fast-food, and I was hooked. We lived together for my entire life. We bought a house together. We traveled together. We laughed together. We quoted silly movies together. We often said that we shared a brain, which is why I didn’t ace my calculus exam. Paul was everybody’s friend and made a lasting impression on all who had the pleasure to meet and spend time with him. He was the best person I knew, and I am the person I am today because of him. There is no greater honour than to be known to most as Paul’s brother Norm. I love you.

In Accordance with Paul’s wishes, cremation has taken place and a celebration of life will take place at 2PM on May 15, 2024, at 603 Wellington Crescent, when the weather is more to his liking. Man, he hated the cold. 

In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to honour Paul’s memory by inviting someone you love out for a meal at a local restaurant or out to a movie or concert, as these activities best reflect what Paul enjoyed most in life. If you wish to honour Paul with a donation, his two favourite charities were Manitoba Possible (previously Society for Manitobans with Disabilities) and the Humane Society (for Justin, the most gentle dog ever). 

Paul’s family kindly requests that all of his friends and relatives take a few minutes to honour his memory by watching the photo-biography above. Please, also consider sharing your own photos, memories, and stories by making use of the comment section on this page.

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ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

530 St. Mary Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

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