GARY WAYNE MCLAUGHLIN

With broken hearts, we announce the peacefully passing of Wayne McLaughlin, 76, at River East Personal Care Home, after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

Wayne was born in Transcona, MB on December 5,1949. He was the first born son of Rusty & Mela McLaughlin. He attended schools in Transcona, St. Joseph the Worker & Transcona Collegiate. He worked for Canada Packers, as well as a meat inspector for the Government of Canada and also as a taxi driver in Winnipeg, where when a customer didn’t have any money, Wayne allowed him to make payment by giving him his belt. His last & longest job was as a letter carrier for Canada Post, a job he truly thrived in. He really enjoyed meeting & talking to the home owners on his route. He also dabbled in other odd jobs of laying interlocking paving stone, wood cutting, and as a limousine driver. He once drove a customer by limousine all the way to Chicago, then turned around and drove right back to Winnipeg the next day. At the end of most days, Wayne would always enjoy the taste of a good beer, usually Lucky!

As a child & teenager, Wayne was a quiet guy with a very close group of friends. To this day, they are all still very close. He loved spending time with his best friend Ken & his family at their cottage at Dorothy Lake, so many good times with them. Wayne was a hardworking man, always up for a challenge, putting a lot of thought into the things he did or built. In the 80’s, he bought his own home on Yale Ave West. He turned it into his palace, building onto it and reconfiguring to make it like new. He was very proud of what he accomplished in his home— he even dug the foundation by himself. Wayne helped many family & friends with building or renovating their homes & cottages. He was a craftsman with his woodworking skills and all the right tools! He wasn’t scared to try building anything, always with plenty of screws. He was a collector of specialty tools, old things, photography and unique artifacts like old wood Kraft cheddar cheese boxes, old wood furnishings. He was a jokester and loved to play a good joke & be involved in it. He had a quiet laugh with a signature smirk, it was so endearing, usually turning him red in the face from holding his laugh in. Wayne was very generous and would rather give something to someone than sell it. He was a real animal lover, having many pets in his life, dogs, cats, a chinchilla & a ferret, all with unique names or people names like Luke, Betty & Klaws. But his most loved was Buddy, his chug (pug + chihuahua) that he took into his home when the owner passed away. Buddy was 3 years old and had separation anxiety, and he would squeeeeeal like a pig! Buddy could do no wrong and was always given the honour of cleaning up Wayne’s dishes after dinner, which made Buddy look like a little fat sausage. But Buddy got Wayne out for walks around his neighbourhood, which was so good for Wayne as this was the neighbourhood he loved.

Wayne loved fast cars and trucks and owned a silver ’71 Mustang Mach 1 as a young adult. In the 70’s, he took the Mach1 for a trip to California with his best friend Ken, which will always be the highlight of both his and Ken’s life. Wayne loved words, if we were ever puzzled on the meaning or pronunciation, just ask Wayne & if he didn’t know, he’d get his big red dictionary out to find the meaning. It was like a contest or challenge to see who had it right. The biggest word debate was how to say awry or a-rye. If asked he never denied his political opinion, he was always on the controversial side of politics and conspiracy theories. In Wayne’s lifetime, we never heard him swear in anger, call down another person or raise his voice. He was way too thoughtful about others, gentle and respectful.

Wayne will be forever missed by his family, friends and all those who knew him. His Mom will miss his daily visits to her room at River East when he would come to talk to her just 3 doors down from him. He was a good Son, Brother, Uncle & Friend and he cared deeply and loved his family & friends. He adored all his nieces & nephews especially his great-niece Charlotte, who became the child he never had when Leigh-Ann and Charlie moved in with Wayne. He called her “The Baby” (at all ages) and would light up when she came in the room. When his health declined, Wayne was able to stay in his own home for a few more precious months (before going to a Personal Care Home), all due to the 24/7 loving care of the wonderful care workers and by his family, but especially by his niece Leigh-Ann. Wayne had built a very close & loving bond with Leigh-Ann & Charlotte, and they had a LOT of fun living together.

Wayne will be reunited with his Dad, Charles E. Russell (Rusty), his great niece Lucy & his dog Buddy. Left to mourn Wayne’s passing are his mother Pamela (Mela), his sister Sharleen (Gerry), brothers Shawn (Sharon) & Kerry (Phyllis), Also his nieces & nephews Clayton, Jordan, Leigh-Ann, Tanner, Amanda, Kody, Brittney, Tyler, many Aunts, Uncles and extended family. His best friends Ken Stampnick & family, Rod Sazaki & family, Richard Malawski & family, Steve & Bill. Thank you all for visiting Wayne while he was in the care home.

Wayne endured many years with Parkinson’s & battled other health issues in the past couple years reducing his mobility greatly, but he never complained thru it all. Wayne is a King and a Legend.

Sincere thanks to the wonderful & caring staff at River East Personal Care Home for their care given to Wayne. Donations in Wayne’s memory can be made to Parkinson Canada or the Humane Society.

The family will celebrate his life this Spring.

Wayne gave more 

than he got in life!

You are free Wayne 

& will be so greatly missed.

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ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

1833 Portage Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

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