Saskatoon philanthropist, business woman Irene Dubé dead at 89

A Saskatchewan philanthropist who spoke out about the importance of mental health care, knitted afghans for hospital patients and donated millions of dollars to Saskatchewan charities and hospitals over the years has died.

Irene Dubé passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday at the age of 89, according to her son, David.

Read more:

• Saskatoon philanthropist Les Dubé dead at age 91
• Saskatoon food bank gets ‘monumental’ boost from Dubé Foundation
• Lithotripter donated to St. Paul’s Hospital from Dubé family

Dubé and her late husband Les, were well known for their many philanthropic contributions. They made innumerable financial gifts to hospitals, food banks and charities in Saskatoon and North Battleford, even establishing their own charity, the Leslie & Irene Dubé Foundation Inc.

David said it was the end of an era, of sorts, for the community and a big loss for their family.

He said his mother ran her own businesses but when she and her husband retired, philanthropy became their passion, and mental health was a focus for Irene.

“She was courageous back in the day to openly talk about her mental health challenges when it wasn’t common to do that. It’s much more common today because of people like her,” David shared.

The couple donated millions of dollars to the Royal University Hospital Foundation, including $3 million to help establish the Irene and Leslie Dubé Centre for Mental Health.

David said while the couple was well known in Saskatchewan for their gifts of monies, Irene was also “tough,” and there was no job she wouldn’t do.

He recalled an instance when he showed up for work and saw his mother scrubbing out a grease vent at a restaurant at an old Idylwyld Drive Hotel.

“It changed my life. Made me realize that you’ve gotta get in there and do anything and everything – before you can ask someone else to do it,” he said.

One of the most important lessons David learned from his mother was compassion. In the 1970s, he said his mother, Irene, helped young women when many were at their most vulnerable.

“Oftentimes, we would have pregnant young girls live in our home, who had been ostracized by their family. They (Irene and Les) would take them in and they’d stay there until they had their babies,” he recalled.

“They believed everyone deserved a chance, and most often they deserved a second chance.”

Irene was also a prolific knitter, crafting hundreds of afghans that were delivered and distributed at Christmastime to hospital patients and those in need.

“Those people never knew who she was, they just know that they got a warm blanket,” said David.

The couple received honourary Doctor of Law degrees from the University of Saskatchewan in 2007, and the Saskatchewan Order of Merit the following year. In 2017, the couple was also appointed to the Order of Canada.

“They were flattered an humbled by (those accolades), but you would never see them wearing their medals. That just wasn’t their nature,” David said.

A funeral mass for Irene will be held on Fri, June 19 at St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Co-Cathedral at 2 p.m.