A husband, father, grandfather, musician, pilot, and businessman, Lawrence Henri Racicot, passed away on April 11, 2025, in North Battleford, SK. He was 91 years old.
Lawrence is survived by his loving partner and wife, Adele Feschuk Racicot; children, Laurie (Dena) Racicot, Leslie (Terry) Racicot, Lauren (David) Racicot, and Sharon Ziegler; stepchildren, Marty (Cydne) Feschuk, Derek Feschuk; grandchildren, Tamara, Jorie, Kaitha, Cassandra, Justin, Kaden, Marchelle, Morrell; step grandchildren Denton, Kelsea, Dalen, Bree, Keely; twenty-one great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his loving wife of fifty-six years, Olga “Chirp” Racicot (d. 2009); his mother, Alma Racicot; his father, Thomas Racicot; stepmother, Kay Racicot; Aunt, Ella Dunk; sister, Jeanne Capnerhurst; brothers, Ed, Wallace, Gordon, Roy, and Stanley; and a baby sister.
Lawrence was born 11/22/33 (Nov 22, 1933) on a homestead by Elmhurst, SK, near Turtle Lake. At the age of three he went to live with his Auntie Ella in North Battleford where he attended local school. In 1952, he and Chirp married and settled in North Battleford where they raised their children. They later built a home on a tree lined acreage north of town, near Hamlin. They enjoyed rural life for 34 years along with a long line of cherished pets.
Once Lawrence got his sheet metal, plumbing, and gas fitting tickets, he joined General Plumbing as a serviceman. Always determined to set higher goals, he and his cousin and long-time business partner Don Chartier started Beaver Plumbing and Heating, which proved to be a successful business in the Battlefords’ community for over 25 years. Lawrence spent the last few years before retirement at ICG Propane conducting service calls. He enjoyed meeting new people and never turned down the opportunity for a coffee or lunch when it was generously offered during his call. Through his work, Lawrence spent hours travelling the roadways of Saskatchewan, listening to country music on the radio and thinking about new ventures.
In 1976 he helped to build the Beaver Brook Lodge Motel in North Battleford, and in the 1990’s he and a business partner invented and patented a lightweight support for large metal tanks. Lawrence’s love for flying was ignited when he moved to the acreage where there was a former RCAF airfield behind the property, literally in his backyard. He was proud to get his pilot’s license and one of his greatest thrills was flying with his sons. For over 60 years, Lawrence loved his lake front property at Moonlight Bay, Turtle Lake, not far from where he was born. He built two homes there, enjoyed fishing, watching the calm waters of the lake, soaking in the sun’s rays on the front patio, and visiting with family and friends who came to visit. Turtle Lake is where Lawrence and his second wife Adele enjoyed most of their life together before moving to Meota to embark on a new adventure and enjoy time with their extended family.
Music was a constant in Lawrence’s life. He taught himself to play the Alto, C melody, and Tenor saxophones. He and his brother Ed were members of The Swing Alongs band in the 1960s, playing fox trots and waltzes at local dances. In retirement he was happy to sing and play with friends at community events and senior centres, and he occasionally played on stage with his brother Gordon. Music brought Lawrence joy, and he was singing and tapping his hands to a polka days before he passed. Lawrence was creative, curious, hardworking, enjoyed a good story, the listening and the telling, and took pride in his family and their accomplishments.
Although he faced several illnesses later in life, he remained focused on the future, determined to move forward. The family would like to thank the compassionate and professional doctors, nurses and staff at the Battlefords Union Hospital who supported Lawrence during his lengthy stay there, and to thank all the friends who offered their prayers and support. A note of appreciation to the staff at River Heights Lodge for their assistance as well.
Please consider a donation to the Battlefords Union Hospital (BUH) Foundation (www.buhfoundation.com) in lieu of flowers. In loving memory of Lawrence, a Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at the Meota Community Complex, Meota, SK. Sallows and McDonald Funeral Home (https://www.sallowsandmcdonaldfuneralhome.com) will oversee arrangements.
