December 2, 1936 – September 4, 2025
Peacefully on September 4th 2025, Reginald Stanford Oigg passed away with family by his side at Gimli’s Johnson Memorial hospital.
Born December 2nd 1936 at Fisher River Cree Nation, where he lived until his parents pulled him from the residential school, and headed to Birch Point Mill.
What his brothers said started as a joke, Stan and the twins worked pushing the empty log carts up from the harbour back to the mill. The bosses quickly realized how hard the boys worked and actually hired them on.
Later on in his teen years, Stan would go to work at the fishing camp on Blackfox Island doing whatever it took to earn money from Bluestoning the nets and making wooden net boxes and boxing anchors for the fishermen.
Stan had many jobs in his life, from working the whitefish boats, boxing nets to reset, cutting pulp wood, and becoming a commercial fisherman.
The jobs he talked most fondly of were, helping Bill Whiteway by rowing the boat out to the nets daily, across at Barney’s point and other areas in the narrows region, and prospecting with Miles Bell and his father Hannes up and down the east side of Lake Winnipeg.
Stan got together with his future wife Brenda Lea of Matheson Island, where they raised their children Cameron and Samantha Nicole together, and also commercial fished until his retirement.
When Brenda’s health issues forced her to move to Winnipeg for treatment, Stan went with her to try his best to take care of her. As her condition worsened, she convinced him to move back home, so that seeing her declining health would not be so hard on him. Brenda passed in 2014.
Once back on the island he quickly adopted his sons dog Dutchess which he called Justice, who he spoiled for the rest of his time on the island.
Stan had many hobbies to keep himself busy. He enjoyed working with his hands. He created many beautiful miniature log cabins/houses. He was a skilled carver and could be found carving wooden and rock figures while sitting on his front deck.
Stan was eventually diagnosed with Dementia and early onset Alzheimer’s disease. This robbed him of his love for his hobbies, his memory for storytelling, but most of all, his independence. It led to his children making the difficult decision of placing him in the Arborg PCH, for the remainder of his life.
Stan is survived by his daughter Samantha Nicole (Rick), son Cameron (Ellen), and grandson Austin. He is predeceased by his parents Percy and Flora, brothers Robert, Roddy, Morris, Lawrence, Arthur, Victor, Stanley, Hubert and sisters Mabel and Elsie. Also predeceased by daughter in-law Crystal.
A special thank you to the staff at Johnson Memorial and Percy E. Moore hospitals for their care over the last month of Stan’s life, and to the Arborg PCH for his care over the last two years. Also, a huge thank you to Connie and Brent Smith, Cyndi and Pat Devaney for all of their assistance caring for Stan on the island.
Cremation has taken place and a Potluck Celebration of life will be held at the Matheson Island Community Hall on Sunday November 30th 2025 at 1pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba.
Family and friends are invited to share memories and condolences on Stan’s memorial page using the comment field below.
