Keith Molyneaux

Keith Molyneaux

November 23, 1931 – November 12, 2023

Keith Molyneaux was born on Monday November 23, 1931 in Flin Flon, Manitoba to Philip and Elsie. He had an older brother Leonard and a younger brother Ronald.

                Keith's family moved to Wanless, MB in 1934 where Keith went to school and resided until 2014.

                Keith went to school in Wanless until the end of grade 8. He started working early in life for his father cutting pulp wood and building winter roads. He also commercial fished on Rocky Lake with his dad. At age 17 he started work on CNR. He was stationed at Root Lake, Atik and Sherridon, MB.

                In the fall of 1950 life changed. A new school teacher arrived in Wanless. Joyce (Butterfield) and Keith were engaged by February 1951 and married in June of the same year. Their marriage spanned 68 years and a lot of highways.

                Keith and Joyce started Kum Bac Kabins in 1954 and operated the lodge for 50 years. They loved to go on holidays to the USA after the lodge closed in the fall and before it opened in the spring. They visited with friends from the lodge and drove through about 45 states. They sold it to Arleigh & Ed in 2004 and totally retired.

                Running the lodge was seasonal, so Keith had a lot of winter jobs which ranged from exploration & road building in Thompson in the 50s to winter work projects for the government in Wanless in the 60s to working for Churchill Forest Industries in the late 60s and into the early 70s. He started working for the DOT at the airport in the 70s and early 80s. They spent a lot of time hauling drywood to The Pas in the winter months. He retired from the airport in his early 50s due to health issues.

                Retirement was good to Keith. He lived in Wanless for the summers where he gardened and hauled a bit of drywood for their wood stove. He enjoyed driving out to Carrot Valley to "check the crops" and trips to Flin Flon to go shopping. They spent their winters in Osoyoos, BC.

                Keith had many loves! There was Joyce, movie watching (Westerns), hunting, trapping, storytelling, laughing, visiting and having fun. Not sure which was #1! Everything in Keith's life revolved around his life in the great outdoors. Everywhere Keith went he made friends and had fun.

                Keith and Joyce moved to Pineview in The Pas in August of 2014. He lived there until Joyce passed in 2019. He then resided at St. Paul's Personal Care Home until his passing.

                Keith was predeceased by his parents Philip and Elsie; brother Leonard (Yvonne), Ronald; and grandson Tyler Tomchak.

                Keith is survived by his 4 children. Kim, Arleigh Tomchak (Ed), Erin Lagace (Gordie), Mark (Carrie).

                Grandchildren: David, Chancey, Justin, Wade (Danielle), Whitney Sharkey (Matt), Sarah Grambo (CJ), Cole, Brenda Conaty (Jerome), Garrett and Rachel. Great Grandchildren: Marshall, Rylan, Domonique, Tyrone, Jeremiah, Isaac, Mackenzie, Brette, Gavin, Casey, Jaedan, Aria, Kaela, Ethan, Maddex and Mika; sister-in-law Donna Molyneaux and numerous nieces and nephews.

                Celebration of Life was held Friday, November 24, 2023, 1:00 pm, at the Wanless Community Center, Wanless, Manitoba with James Hemauer presiding. Memories of the heart were shared by granddaughters Whitney and Sarah and daughter Arleigh. Readings were proclaimed by great grandson Isaac.