The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
We celebrate the life of Joseph Rex Benoit who was born on November 13, 1953 to Emmanuel Francois and Annie Mae Benoit in Cape St. George, Newfoundland. He grew up at Marches Point with nine brothers and four sisters who all attended church and was raised to believe in God. While growing up he shared in all the family chores and learned many skills and had a lot of fun. On October 21, 1972 Rex's first daughter Jennifer Lainey was born. Rex loved his mom and dad and brothers and sisters dearly, but he was itching to go and find work which he did find in 1974 in Flin Flon, Manitoba. He met and married his first wife Sharon Stevens. They had three wonderful children; Joey whom he called Champ, Chelsey whom he called Princess, and Kali whom he called Tuddy. Rex and Sharon separated in June 1995. Rex and I spent a lot of time talking and getting to know each other and became very good friends before we started dating. The more we got to know each other the more in love we fell. Rex gave his life to Christ Jesus that summer. We were definitely soul mates and began our new life together in October 1995. We had a lot of common interests and talents, we both loved to study the Bible and prayed daily for all our friends and family, we enjoyed going on picnics, fishing, hunting, gardening, camping, swimming, drawing, music and loved to sing together as he loved to play the guitar and most of all we both had a great love for children and family. Rex and I were married at our home at Schist Lake on April 17, 1999, with Pastor Dale Warkentin officiating. We became one big happy family as his children Joey, Chelsey, Kali, and {Jennifer whom I never met until August 2008} became mine and my children Trevor and Billy Thompson became his, along with them we still have two foster children through World Vision. The kids were very happy for us as they could see that we were so happy together and we made a great team. We loved to work and play together. Rex was baptized soon after at Denare Beach by Pastor Dale Warkentin on June 27. Rex was a supervisor of 23 men at the Machine Shop for Hudson Bay Mining & Smelting Company Ltd. It was a very stressful job, but he loved the crew he had as each one was special which made the challenges easier to handle. Rex was a certified welder and boiler maker by trade, but really he was a jack of all trades, there wasn't anything he wouldn't tackle with enthusiasm. We both loved the old basic ways of life and he always wanted to learn how to make bread, so I taught him and what a good bread maker he was, as well as a good cook. We learned how to tan deer hides and some of the good mushrooms to go hunting for. Rex even taught me how to do body work and paint vehicles, lift weights, and operate a chainsaw and the rototiller. Rex and I loved to spend time with our children so we would drop whatever we were doing to spend time with them. We each took time to spend some good one on one time with all our children that lived in Flin Flon. Rex was an awesome father, husband, and grandfather. Rex and I became grandparents on February 24 when Joey and Tamson had their son Zayne. It was very exciting to have a new baby among us. The family has endured several hardships, one of them was the passing of Kali, whom he always called Tuddy, on April 16, 2000 at the young age of 14. Tuddy was a lot like Rex, who was quick witted and were both practical jokers and peace makers and always tried to make everybody happy. For several years Rex would always take a double look at any young blond girl, just in case it was Tuddy. We were so thankful for all the support we received from family and friends. God carried us through one step and one day at a time. We were very blessed to have our one-year-old grandson Zayne to spend time with which eased the pain of loss and kept us very busy. In June 2003 Joey and Tamson had a little girl, Emma. We now had two wonderful grandchildren whom were a big part of our lives and we thoroughly enjoyed. Rex and I both lost our mothers six weeks apart from each other on April 29 and June 16, 2007 whom we loved more than words can say and miss dearly. On July 10, 2008 Chelsey and Joe had a son, Jayce, our third grandchild, just before Rex flew to go home to Newfoundland on the 15th for the last time. We had purchased our semi retirement home at Marches Point and I drove our van there so we could be set up for the future. Our world was shattered when Rex turned sick shortly after we returned home to Flin Flon on September 7, 2008. Rex had a ct scan done in December that showed a spot on the liver and on his pancreas, his last day of work was December 10. Rex was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer on February 26 during a surgery which the doctors terminated as they said there was nothing that they could do. The doctors gave him six to nine months. Rex's faith grew stronger as we prayed for a miracle of healing for him. Many friends and family were praying for Rex. He tried several natural healing diets that did not work. Rex never gave up and he would joke around when the heavy sad feeling of us being apart would come. Rex was very sick in June last year when we lost his dad on the 15th. Our great consolation was that they were all in heaven and Rex was looking forward to being with them all again. Rex was not afraid to die as he knew that his last breath here on earth was to be his first breath in heaven with our Lord and those in the family that predeceased him. I praise God for the 14 wonderful years we spent together, and the last 6 months that we spent totally together appreciating every moment. Rex said he had no regrets and left this world at peace on August 26, 2009. Thank you Leanne for this very appropriate poem - He Only Takes The Best - God saw you getting tired and a cure was not to be, so He put His arms around you and whispered "Come With Me". With tear filled eyes we watched as you suffered and faded away, although we loved you deeply we could not let you stay. A golden heart stopped beating, hard working hands at rest, God broke our hearts to show us, "He Only Takes The Best." To be absent from the body is to be present with Our Lord. THANK YOU Nicole, Trevor, Bill, Joe and Tamson (Zayne and Emma), Chelsey and Joe (Jayce), Jennifer, Rene Roy and the Benoit and Roy families wish to express our sincere gratitude to everyone that offered us comfort and support through our times of great hurt. We would also like to say a special heartfelt thank you to Rex's doctors and nurses for their passionate care and to all our friends and family who visited, phoned, sent cards, gave donations to the Cancer Society and to World Vision and the abundance of food that we received, for all who served and helped with the funeral service held for Rex on September 1, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. at the Flin Flon Pentecostal Assembly with Pastor Dale Warkentin officiating along with Pastor Scott Koop and Pastor Lorne Moorhead. Thank you so much once again to the honourary pallbearers; Lee Raye Schiltroth, Pat Chaisson, Earl Benoit, Marcel Roy, Darren Kerfont, Bruce Joyner, Isaac Peters, Ted Hryhoruk, Colin Dubie, as well as Rex's friends and family who bravely spoke on Rex's behalf, and to the urn bearer, Rex's son Joe Benoit, who also did his eulogy, to the ushers Gerry Martin and Rod Kerfont, to the memorial register attendants Henry and Dola Chaisson and Gervais and Lori Simon, to the ones who did the special music; Kevin Imrie played "Because He Lives", Debbie Senyk sang and played "Salt Water Joys", and for Colin who recorded Rex's chosen Christian songs sung by brother Jeff and Nicole and Teaky (First Step to Heaven and Lord I've Been Ready for Years), Rene Roy sang (He Took Our Place) that was played at the service. A big thank you to the Cornerstone Community Church, Northern Fellowship Chapel and Pentecostal Assembly Ladies for the wonderful lunch you provided after the service. We also extend a big thank you to Father Anthony at the "Our Lady Of The Cape Parish" who officiated the memorial service that we held in Newfoundland for Rex on July 10, 2010 and all the friends and family who helped and attended. Rex is survived by his wife Nicole; son Joey (Tamsen), grandchildren Zayne and Emma; daughter Chelsey (Joe) and grandson Jayce; daughter Jennifer; stepsons Trevor and Bill; first wife Sharon; brothers and sisters Percy (Helen), Brendan (Blanche), Joey (Bonnie), Winnie (Gerard), Claude (Yvette) Cornelious (Joyce), Joanna (Steven), Sheila (Lyle), Jeff (Pam), Kevin (Doreen), Roddie (Adrian), Sandra (Ricki), Douglas (Lillian), as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Rex was predeceased by parents Emmanuel and Annie; daughter Kali Dawn; brothers Richard and George; sister Wanita and nephew Jeff, and mothers in-law Dagmar and Francoise. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE ONGOING SUPPORT FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
