Russell Thomas

Russ completed his journey on Mother Earth just before sunrise on April 30th, 2026. He was born on September 2nd, 1977, in Portage la Prairie, MB and grew up in Winnipeg where he was raised by his mom, Lynne and dad, Andrew and his grandparents Sally and Louie. He was the brother of Craig, Monica, Lita, Marcel, and Andrew; father of Claudia, Nathan, Cody, Sabrina, Elisha, Heavyn, and Sallyanne; uncle of Chelsey, Charley, Shane, Jessica, Benjamin, Bradley, and Marqus; nephew of Anna, Trey, Kevin, and Dean (Yolanda); loving partner of Joanna and friend to many. Russ was predeceased by his mom, uncle Dean and aunt Yolanda, grandparents, and several relatives.

If you knew Russ, you would know that family played a big part in who he was. It was at the core of how he moved through the world and how he showed up for others. No matter which part of his family he was with, he could always be counted on to show up.

Russ would also be the first to tell you that his life was not easy and rather complicated at times, yet it was the life he embraced and did his best to navigate no matter what came his way; not always perfectly, and not always legally. In recent years, he spent time reclaiming and reconnecting with his Indigenous identity and culture. Being a shkaabe at ceremonies was one of Russ’ greatest joys, as was spending time with Elders and Knowledge Carriers learning teachings, ceremonies, and practices that helped guide him toward living “the good life.”

We are deeply grateful to all the doctors, nurses, and specialists who took such great care of Russ in his unexpected final days even though the outcome was not what any of us expected or wanted.

Russ’ life will be celebrated on Tuesday June 30th, 2026, from 7:00pm - 10:00pm, at Eternal Grace Funerals (10-1111 Logan Ave. Winnipeg, MB). Potluck feast to follow the service.

Should you wish to honour Russ and his life, we encourage you to head to the gym for a workout, watch a horror movie, blast some heavy metal tunes, spend time outdoors soaking up the sun, cook and share a meal with the people you love, or channel your inner artist and create something - all things that brought Russ joy throughout his life.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Russell Thomas, please visit our floral store.