Joseph "Lee" Gionet

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the sudden and unexpected passing of Joseph Lee Gionet on February 14, 2023, at the Saint John Regional Hospital with his loving family by his side.  He was born in Saint John, NB on March 25, 1954, to the late August and Pauline (Thibodeau) Gionet. 

Lee was a jack of all trade’s kind of guy and had varying careers over the years.  He worked on the manufacturing line for the De Havilland Aircraft Company, he was a driving instructor for years, but he mostly tended to work in sales positions, most recently at Tip Top.  Lee was an outgoing, chatty and lovable guy who was made for careers that helped him to interact with people.  When he was in a room of people and told a story to a group, if he felt that someone in the group wasn’t listening or didn’t hear, he’d go up to them alone and tell them the exact same story, word for word, to be sure they heard him.  He was a comedian – he told both the best and the worst jokes you’d have ever heard.  To say he had a different sense of humor was sort of an understatement.  He struggled a lot, but you would never know it because he wasn’t going to show it.  Lee was an interesting man to say the least.  He’d give you the shirt off his back and was very friendly to everyone.  To know Lee was to love Lee, but his family was his everything.  He lived with his son and valued the relationships he had with all of his children and grandchildren.  He always made a point to say “I love you” when they parted ways because he wanted to make sure, that no matter what happens, that would be the last thing you said to each other.  He’d randomly message his kids with “Love Ya” texts, just so that they didn’t forget how much he loved them.  While there is so much that can be said about this wonderful man, the sheer love and adoration that his children and grandchildren have for him and how much they are going to miss him, says it all. 

He is survived by his children, Shawn (Josee) Gionet, Melissa (Craig) Paw, Dan and Chris Gionet; 6 adored grandchildren, Megan, Chloe, Deanna, Tre, Breyanne and Cole; his brothers, Eddie (Carol), Gerry (Janice) and Denis Gionet; his sisters, Pat Patterson and Liz (Trevor) Waite; his first wife and Shawn’s and Melissa’s mother, Elizabeth “Beth” O’Neill, his second wife, and the mother to Dan and Chris, Michelle Gionet; as well as several nieces, nephews, cousins and so many friends. 

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his sisters, Cecile “Cis” Cyr and Edna Cormier. 

Arrangements are entrusted to Fundy Funeral Home, 230 Westmorland Road (646-2424) where visitation will be held on Sunday from 2-8pm.  A Celebration of his Life will take place on Monday, February 20, 2023, at 10am from the Fundy Funeral Home Chapel.  For those who wish, donations in Lee’s memory can be made to his Living Memorial or to the charity of the donor’s choice.  Those unable to attend the funeral service are welcome to watch the service at the following:  https://event.forgetmenotceremonies.com/ceremony?c=0e47ea2b-e03a-4db7-be66-1e3b571d26af

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