Obituary of Alex Janvier

NOTE VENUE CHANGE - Funeral Service will now be held at the Cold Lake Energy Centre

Alexan Simeon Janvier 

February 28, 1935 - July 10, 2024

On the morning of Wednesday, July 10, 2024, Alex Janvier of Cold Lake First Nations, peacefully journeyed on at the age of 89 years.

Alex will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 56 years, Jacqueline, his children, Dean (Jolain), Tricia, Duane (Amanda), Kyle (Charmaine), Jill (Tyrone) and Brett.

His grandchildren Chania, Tristan, Tyesha, Sierra, Alejandra, Talon, Noelani, Ty, Talia, Cayden, Dayshen, Aria, Connor, Azara, Austin, Deneyou, Kalea, Shaunte, Ben, Bryson, Hunter and Kiefer.  His great grandchildren: RosaBell, Savanna, and Okiniy and his sister, Elsie Winnipeg as well as many nieces and nephews, friends and relatives.

Alex will be welcomed with the Creator by his parents, Mari and Harry and his siblings, Caroline, Francis, Virgina, Paul, Scholastique, John, Delema, Delema-Bernadette.

Alex graduated with honours from Alberta College of Art in 1960.  He worked several jobs before he began painting professionally in 1971. He earned many accolades and honourary degrees over the years, including the Order of Canada.  He moved back to Cold Lake First Nations in 1977, where he lived and created phenomenally for the rest of his life.

 Alex is known to many as a trailblazing artist “who happened to be Indigenous”, as many of his vivid and ethereal works grace many places locally to internationally.  His work told our Indigenous stories with passion and biting truth, and somehow left you with the responsibility to be a better person. Alex is also known as a humble, kind and quick witted man who would delight in visiting and food, preferably together. He worked almost every day of his life and he loved adventure, as he was always dreaming of the next trip or the next series he was going to paint.  Despite his traumatic residential school experience, he was able to transcend people into his world- as we believe his feet didn’t often touch the ground like the rest of us.

Wake will be held at the English Bay Community Center on Tuesday, July 16 and Funeral will be on Wednesday, July 17 at 11 am, at the Cold Lake Energy Centre followed by a private burial. A larger Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.  Donations can be made to Hearts for Healthcare in Cold Lake or to a charity of your choice.