Obituary of Richard Christian Piat

PIAT, Richard Christian It is with great sadness that the family of Richard Christian Piat announces his passing on January 4th, 2020. He died peacefully at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton, surrounded by those who loved him the most. Richard's life began far from the town of Vegreville where he would one day meet his wife Gayle and raise his family. He was born in Brazil and spent his childhood in Uruguay. He had fond memories of life by the ocean, and the beach remained one of his favourite places to be for the rest of his life. As a teenager, Richard's family moved to Montreal where he went on to become a certified pastry chef. It was also here that he became a lifelong fan of the Montreal Canadiens. Richard worked as a pastry chef before moving to Vegreville and teaching food preparation at Vegreville Composite High School. As a teacher, Richard was beloved and greatly respected by his students. He also quickly became a valued member of the Vegreville community - known for his calm and kind presence, his quick wit, and generous spirit. Richard was very active in his community and was a member of the Vegreville Legion and several arts groups, and also volunteered his time freely with organizations such as Victim Services. He was an avid athlete throughout his entire life. He especially loved playing tennis, racquetball, football, and golf. After teaching, Richard put his knowledge of three languages - English, French and Spanish - to good use at the Immigration Case Processing Centre in Vegreville where he worked for many years. As part of his work, Richard travelled to Sri Lanka, Columbia, Guatemala, and Ghana. He loved to travel and came home from these trips with many stories, new friendships, and a collection of beautiful masks. Richard retired in 2013 and was able to enjoy painting in his studio, working in the yard, cuddling with his dog Lucy, and spending time at the lake with family and friends. Richard brought beauty to the world in many ways. As a father, he was unconditionally loving and supportive. As Gayle's husband for over 30 years, he was an endless source of joy, comfort and friendship. Richard brightened rooms with his paintings, photography, and pottery. He warmed every family gathering with the gift of his excellent food, and inspired his children to explore the artistry of cooking. He inspired others with the abundance of kindness he showed to friends and strangers alike. Richard shared many gifts with the world, but above all, he blessed his friends and family with his unconditional love and loyalty. Richard will be dearly missed by all who knew him. Richard will be especially missed by his loving wife Gayle, his children Christopher (Pola Wolanski) and Chantal (Ashton Burns), his grandson Felix, and his beloved dog Lucy. He is predeceased by his father Robert, father-in-law Harold, and mother-in-law Elsie. He is also survived by his brothers-in-law Garry (Joy) Campbell, Daryl Campbell, and Blair (Bonnie) Campbell, many nieces and nephews, his mother Marguerite, and sister Christine. A Memorial Service for Richard will be held at Autumn Rose Funeral Home in Vegreville on Monday January 13th, at 11:00 am. A reception for family, friends, and community members will follow at the Vegreville Legion. Memorial donations in Richard's honour can be made to The Alberta Cancer Foundation. (710-10123 99 St NW Edmonton, Alberta. 780-643-4400)