Donald L. Provost

Donald Lawrence (Don) Provost, 92, of Grant Park, died Monday, August 29, 2011 at Provena Our Lady of Victory Nursing Home. Don was born November 29, 1918 to parents Nelda (Bouchard) and Lawrence Provost in Kankakee. He married the former Viola Bertrand, December 26, 1942. He was a second generation farmer primarily farming in the St George area. Don enjoyed hunting, farming and raising cattle with his sons and grandchildren. He loved to ballroom dance with his wife and to watch his grandchildren show their cattle at the local county fairs and attend their sporting events. He and his wife grew a large garden each year and would can endless amounts of tomatoes and cucumbers. He enjoyed telling stories of all the adventures in his life typically dating them by how the crop fared that particular year. He was an avid Chicago White Sox and Blackhawk fan. He was a good, kind, honest man and was strong in his faith of the Lord. He was satisfied with the simple things in life, a good cold beer with salt, a hearty meal prepared by his wife with his children and grandkids at his side and a crop that would provide for the next year. Don was a member of the Moose Lodge, Knight of Columbus, AMPI, National Farmers Organization, Farm Bureau, Angus Association, Pheasants Forever and Ducks Unlimited. He volunteered at his church; St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Manteno and was involved for years with the Bingo program at Bishop McNamara High School where his children and grandchildren attended. Don is survived by his five sons and their wives: Garry and Carol Provost of Apache Junction, Arizona, Darwyn and Carol Provost of Kankakee, Wendell and Deb Provost of Grant Park, Warren and Mary Provost of Normal and Karl and Beth Provost of Kankakee. Also surviving is one daughter-in-law Judith Provost, 3 sisters; Lenore Langellier, Delores Ruder (Ray), Lois Kirchman (Gerry), sister-in-law Evelyn Provost and brother-in-law Lloyd Boone. He is also survived by 23 grandchildren and 45 great grandchildren. Don was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Viola, son Wesley, daughter Brenda Allen, son-in-law Denny Allen, 4 grandchildren Jeff, Jody, Casey and Jason Allen, granddaughter-in-law Amy Provost, brothers Virgil and Delmar Provost and sister Dorene Boone. Visitation will be at the Bourbonnais Clancy Gernon Funeral Home Thursday, September 1 from 4 - 8 pm. A funeral mass will be held at Maternity BVM Catholic Church at 11 am Friday, September 2. Memorial donations can be made to Provena Our Lady of Victory Nursing Home, Hospice of Kankakee Valley, Maternity BVM Catholic Grade School and Bishop McNamara Catholic High School. Memorials may be made to Bishop McNamara Catholic High School, 500 W. Brookmont, Kankakee, IL 60901; www.bishopmac.com/ Maternity B.V.M. Catholic Grade School, 324 S. Marsile, Bourbonnais, IL 60914; http://www.mbvm.org/ Hospice of Kankakee Valley, 482 Main St. NW, Bourbonnais, IL 60914; www.hkvcares.org/ or Provena Our Lady of Victory, 20 Briarcliff Lane, Bourbonnais, IL 60914. www.provena.org/ourlady/

Donald L. Provost

November 29, 1918 - August 29, 2011