Paul Lafleur

To Watch Recording of Service click this link
https://video.ibm.com/embed/recorded/134605198

Paul Phillipe Lafleur, born in Wallaceburg, Ontario in 1928 has passed away peacefully on November 15th, 2025, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan with his family by his side.

He is predeceased by his beloved parents, Odile and Ernest Lafleur, his cherished brother Jacques, dear sister Yvette, his wife Ruth (née Klinke) just this year, and his wife Fay (née Ternier) in 1971.

Paul will be greatly missed by his daughters Pauline, Michèle (grandson Findley) and Danielle (Randy) as well as his friends and colleagues.

Paul graduated from Merici Catholic High School where he developed a lifelong love of learning and tremendous respect for the Gray Nuns who taught science using scant supplies from a cardboard box. His childhood was idyllic despite the Great Depression and World War II - filled with wonderful times helping his father with the garden that sustained them, swimming in the St. Clair River and playing hockey on frozen ponds. As a teen, he worked for the Farmer Benedict, the Dominion Glass Factory, and the Heinz Tomato Factory. Later, Paul graduated first from Assumption College and then with Honours from the Colorado School of Mines where he earned a degree as a Geological Engineer.

His vast career spanned prospecting in the Wilds of the Canadian North, the American West, and Louisiana. Then working for mining concerns building railroad tunnels through mountains, working for companies involved in both hard rock and petroleum developments, and a long career in the Federal Government.

He began that phase of his life in 1967 at the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources (Now part of the Ministry of Natural Resources) and was seconded to Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (Now Global Affairs). The highlights were his diplomatic services at the Canadian Embassies of Tokyo 1976-1979, and Washington D.C. 1982-1986.

Although officially retired in 1995, Paul proved that you can take the man out of the field, but not the field out of the man.

After moving his young family to Saskatoon from Ottawa, he formed two companies - Petro Find and Mine Find from which he developed his innovative technologies for geological exploration. He did not neglect other pursuits. He was a terrific chef who delighted his family with delicious dishes. Paul also became an accomplished water colourist, and enjoyed growing amazing tomatoes in his beautiful flower garden and was experimenting with grafting roses.

Paul loved entertaining, sharing stories and laughter and creating new memories with his family and friends. He was a person larger than life possessing the most generous, loving, heart, the sharpest of minds, and the capacity to envision the biggest of dreams.

He is greatly missed.

In lieu of flowers, people may make a donation to the charity of their choice.

The Funeral for Paul will be at 3:00 PM Saturday, November 22, 2025 at Saskatoon Funeral Home.