Al Werpny, age 91, resident of Thunder Bay, passed away suddenly at home on June 17th, 2024. He was born on October 2nd, 1932, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and at age 5 moved to Fort William where he attended Drew Street Public School and later Fort William Vocational School. He worked for Federal Grain for eight years and the Board of Grain Commissioners for 24 years, then became self-employed as the owner/operator of Victoria Park variety store for 20 years before retiring in 2006. Al has been active in the Royal Masonic Lodge since 1960 and the Masonic Scottish rite since 1990. He was a member since 1993 of the Khartum and Lakehead Shrine Club and served as the LSC president in 2000. Al started a much-anticipated Sunday morning Pancake breakfast fundraiser with his wife Joan. He was an avid outdoorsman, spending many adventures fishing, hunting, and camping. Some of his favourite memories were of travel to Europe with family, South Padre Island, Texas and to Prince Edward Island.
Al is predeceased by his wife Joan. Survived by sons Brian (Dawn), Gary (Michelle), grandchildren Dana (Bogdan), Shawn, Robert, Jessica and Nova, great-grandchildren Isabella and Sebastian, nieces Susan Crocker and Rhonda Crocker-Ellacott (Rob), nephew Dan Crocker and sister-in-law Diane Crocker.
Special Thank You from family to Flo Werpny, staff at Chartwell Isabella and Crystal Kaukinen of the Lakehead Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic.
Cremation has taken place. A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, July 12th, 2024, from 3:00pm – 5:00pm at the Slovak Legion, 801 Atlantic Ave. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lakehead Shrine Club for the Transportation of Sick Children.
