Obituary of Lee Donison

Lee Donison The family of Lee Donison announces with great sorrow that Lee left this earth on Saturday, October 20, 2012. Predeceased by his parents Sebastian and Mary (Yorga); brothers George, Pete, Nick, and John; and daughter-in-Law Emma Donison. He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Joan; sons Brian (Pamela), Gary (Leslie), Ross (Shari); daughter Joanne; foster son Kevin (Cory) Brown; grandchildren Stacie Donison, Melissa Donison, Stefanie Sweeney, Jill Donison; and Melissa Daw, Christine McKenzie, Lacey Brown, Parker Brown, and five great-grandchildren; brothers Danny and Sebastian (Butch), and sisters Eleanor Sparrow, Jean Bistritan, Marina Friesen, and Mary Faul. Lee was born March 9, 1928 at home on the family farm near Avonlea, SK; the sixth of eleven children. His first language was Romanian, and he kept that language throughout his life. Growing up on the farm he learned the value of hard work, and he also learned to love nature and to understand animals. The family attended Crystal Hill School. He loved playing ball in the summer and hockey in the winter, and the teams travelled miles for games and tournaments. His first love was hockey, and his dream was to play big league hockey. He was invited to try out, but was unable get away from the farm work. When he moved to Regina he began boxing and wrestling. He won the Provincial Heavyweight Wrestling Championship four consecutive years between 1953 and 1956. Lee also won the Most Outstanding Wrestler Award at the Provincial Championships in 1954. As a boxer, he won seven provincial titles between 1952 and 1963; as a light-heavyweight in 1952 and a heavyweight in 1953 to 1957. After a five-year absence, he returned to win both the Provincial and National Light-heavyweight Championships in 1963. He is the first athlete in Canada to have won provincial titles in both boxing and wrestling four times. In 1982 he was proud and honoured to be inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame for his boxing and for wrestling accomplishments, along with his brothers Danny and Butch for wrestling. After moving to Regina, Lee worked as a cook at the General Hospital and at the Regina Jail, first as a guard, then as a cooking instructor; he also worked at Safeway as a butcher. In 1955 he met the love of his life at the hospital; Joan was a student nurse working in the diet kitchen. They were married in 1956 on his birthday. In June 1956 he began selling life insurance for a local company, Family Life, and quickly became their top salesman. A few years later he thought that he would like to handle general insurance as well. The rules were that one could sell life or general insurance, but could not have a license for both. He persuaded the insurance council to change their rules, and started Lee Donison Insurance. The business grew quickly due to Lees values of integrity, service, and hard work. In 1970 we doubled the size of our home by adding a second storey while we were still living and working there. It was an extremely hectic year. In 1976 we were very lucky when Brian began working with us in the family business. In 1982 we moved the office from our home to a house on McIntyre Street which we had renovated. Each fall Lee relaxed by getting away on hunting trips, often with one or more of our boys, and built some great memories. Our family was raised on game meat, and the kids didnt have beef or pork until they were on their own. Every fall he would fill the freezers with meat for the family. Part of the hunting experience was cutting up the animals. The boys, especially Brian and Kevin, learned to cut and package the meat, and to make the best sausage ever. Lee wanted to be involved in their activities, and became a Cub leader, and coached Joannes softball team. He knew that the best way to instill his values and ethics was to live them, and to teach by example. Lee was a jack of all trades and a talented carpenter and woodworker. He was a self-taught, self-made man who valued independence and hard work. He was very generous and always ready and willing to help others. Lee was a member of Central Lions Club for more than forty years, and worked on many projects and committees. The one closest to his heart was the Lions Ball Park on Quebec St and 4th Avenue. In 1961 the city gave the club the plot of land, which was being used as a junk yard. For 37 years he was chairman of the committee which included representatives from each of the clubs, and they cleared the land, and over the years, built at least six diamonds, bleachers and a clubhouse. He was honored by having the meeting room in the clubhouse named for him. Lee is probably best known as a healer. When he was a child, he found that he could help his mother with her headaches and the aches and pains that she had from working too hard. When he started working out at the gym in Regina, he learned to listen to his own aches and pains, and to determine how to relieve them. He found that he could also tell what was wrong with others, and knew what he needed to do to help. He joked that he had little x-rays in his fingertips. He didnt talk about what he did, but word got around, and soon he was overwhelmed by people needing help. We had room in the basement of our office building, so he began working there, and soon he was working full time with healing, leaving Brian and Joan to look after the insurance business. His favourite thing was to help young athletes with sports injuries, and he also had success with deafness, blindness, migraines and pretty much every joint and muscle. He felt that much of the healing was done through him, by a higher power. He could never say no to anyone who was hurting, and as his reputation as a healer grew, he worked 14 hours days or longer. We realized that in order to rest, we had to get out of town. After a long search we found a quarter section of land with water and trees and hills and began building our get-away. It is a healing and regenerating place and he loved to be there on weekends. Over the last few years he had to slow down, but he was still working four days before he was hospitalized in July. Even while in the hospital during his final days, he still wanted to be of service, always ready to get up and get to work. Lee has had a full and amazing life of loving service to others. His family came first, and he was a loving and caring husband, father and grandfather. Lee was also blessed with good friends who loved him dearly. He kept his sense of humor right to the end, and appreciated everything that was done to help him, never failing to say thank you, or merci beaucoup. He is and will be greatly missed. We would like to thank everyone who sent him prayers and healing, and for the many kindnesses to him, and to Joan and family. The staff at Home Care and at Elmview Extendicare Quick Response Unit went above and beyond to help him; with compassion, cheerfulness and dignity. We will always remember them with gratitude. Lee loved helping to keep kids in sports, and so in lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to KidSport Saskatchewan: www.reginakidsport.com ; or to the charity of your choice. A Celebration of Lees life will be held at Speers Funeral Chapel 2136 College Avenue Regina, SK on Saturday October 27 at 1:00 p.m.