Sorrow fills our hearts this sad moment, a sorrow that is deep and personal Leon has silently closed he door of life and departed from us.

Leon Leroy Augier was born in Dawson Creek on March 19, 1963, he was the eldest son, of Gil and Ida Augier.

For the majority of his life Leon lived in the South Peace area, around Dawson Creek, He grew up in Puggins Mountain, Arras area, and then 23 years in Toms Lake, he left the Peace area for about four years living in Alberta first in Edmonton where he worked as a bridge builder then in Grande Prairie where he studied welding.  In 1989, Toms Lake is where he would eventually make his permanent home.

Leon received his early education at Canata and Central Schools, he was a welder by trade, and used his skills working for Northland Machine for 16 years, he also worked a few years for Bearing and Hydraulics.

For the past year Leon worked with the younger generation at the Nawican Friendship Centre where he was employed as a youth worker, Leon was so good with the local youths and anyone that happened to stop by at the Centre, his presence is and will be greatly missed, his soft spoken voice, understanding and guidance will be long remembered by the kids that loved him and called him a friend.

Already an artist, Leon decided to pursue and expand on his natural talents, he first took an art course at the Northern Lights College for a few months, then went to the Grande Prairie Regional College, where he received the Outstanding Achievement Award for Arts. His artistic talents were not limited he could sketch, paint, photography, but the one he enjoyed the most was metal art, either etching of shaping metals. So today we also say good-bye to a local artist.

Leon had a deep love for nature and the outdoors, he was attuned to all the natural elements, he loved the feeling of the wind, he loved the water, weather it was an ocean, lake, river or a dug out, the sun, his favourite season was winter, he loved the sparkle of frost as it clung to everything.

Leon spent a lot of his time camping with his family; they would make week-end excursions to the local lakes, rivers or creeks, or packing up the trailer and heading down to the Okanogan or the coast. It was not surprising to the family if he took one of his kids and went on a jaunt to go kayaking, another of his favourite pastimes.

Leon’s greatest love was his Harley, there was nothing better than the feel of the wind on his face, he would go for long rides sometimes by himself or one of his family hugging his back, what started out a short ride could easily turn into an overnight trip,  one summer he took a trip on his motorcycle and went up north to Alaska till he simply ran out of road, a few years ago he toured the west coast of the United States to Mexico,  for seven weeks on his BMW.

Leon love to talk and was never short of words, it was nothing for him to walk up to a perfect stranger, start a conversation, and end up being a good friend, he was a socializing expert.

He had a very busy mind, he was not happy doing one thing at a time but rather had a few projects on the go at the same time, this is probably why he was always jotting down notes, you hardy caught him without pen and paper in hand.

In 1986 he met Tanya, whom would be his life partner, Leon and Tanya had three children, Thomas who was born in 1987, their daughter Allyssa was born in 1991, and in 1995 Brenegan completed the family, that is, until the light of his life, granddaughter Cadence was born in the summer of 2009. These are the ones he leaves to mourn along with uncles, cousins in laws and many friends too numerous to mention. Leon was predeceased by his Mother Ida, his Father Gil, and his Grandfather Robert.

Albert Einstein said “the value of a man should be seen what he gives and not what he is able to receive” In one word Leon was a man who gave, he gave much of his time to other people, that is why ladies and gentlemen as we are gathered here to say good-bye to him, here is a life that demanded notice, a life that burned so that others’ paths were lit.

Service was held on Saturday, March 26, 2011 at the Bergeron Funeral Chapel,
with Pastor Richard Hoard officiating. Leon was cremated following the service.

Memorial services entrusted to Bergeron Funeral Services & Crematorium Ltd.
250-782-2577 • Dawson Creek, BC • 800-577-4877