Following a head-on collision lives that claimed the lives of four men, waves of shock rippled through Elk Point, where two long-time residents and active community members were among those killed.
Jody Lecopoy and Jeff Classen, from Elk Point, Omer Gamache, 64, from St. Paul, and 42-year-old Colin Peripelitza, from Cold Lake, were killed in the Wednesday night accident. A fifth victim, 39-year-old Todd Wilkins, was transported to Edmonton for treatment of unknown injuries.
“It’s just really tough to take,” said Elk Point Mayor Parrish Tung, of how the news hit home in Elk Point, where many residents set their profile pictures online to dark blue hearts in mourning.
He noted that the community feels for the families that lost a loved one – a son, a brother, a father - and for local business Hahn’s Welding & Oilfield Services, where four of the men worked as part of what Tung called a “close-knit” crew.
“When you have a small town, everybody knows everybody. It affects everybody more than it would in Edmonton. It’s not a statistic to us – we lost two community members.”
In the midst of Wednesday’s storm, with high winds and rain, the group of co-workers was traveling west-bound on a Ford truck on Highway 29 between St. Paul and Elk Point, just before 7 p.m. The driver, Peripelitza, moved to pass a vehicle, colliding with Gamache’s Dodge truck, with both drivers pronounced dead on the scene, according to an RCMP press release. Lecopoy and Classen also succumbed to their injuries while on the scene.
Lecopoy, 46, was not only a long-time Elk Point resident, but one that was heavily involved in the community, whether it was volunteering to build sets for Elk Point Theatre projects or opening his property to the Elk Point R/C Flyers.
“He was extremely helpful – everything he did, he put his whole heart into,” remembered LoAnne Smith, who knew Lecopoy for more than two decades. She met him through her husband who had grown up with him, and the two men both had daughters around the same age, with Lecopoy leaving behind a wife and a 10-year-old daughter.
When the Elk Point Theatre Project put on the show Annie, Lecopoy was there to help with production of sets, and with his daughter getting involved in the show as part of the cast of the Wizard of Oz, he too got involved as a volunteer.
“His creativity was unmatched. When he was given the task of the windmill and the wizard’s chamber, he took time to think about the project and then made it happen and you could tell that he really enjoyed being involved,” said Smith, noting he got the rest of the welders at Hahn’s to help build the elaborate, remarkable sets that graced the production, with Wilkins, Classen, and Peripelitza all helping in the project.
Lecopoy was also a long-time flying enthusiast, flying remote control airplanes, and was the one that initially set up the Elk Point R/C Flyers’ field.
Frank Mayer, president of the club, said that while Lecopoy initially started the field, it kept evolving, with members adding fire-pits, a windmill, water fountain, mini-golf, and camping areas, and more to the location over the years. Lecopoy was part of building the flying club into what it is today, he said.
“He could never say no; he would give his shirt off his back to help anybody to succeed,” said Mayer, adding when it came to the flying club, Lecopoy’s attitude was never - ‘We can’t do that, that’s impossible’ – but ‘Let’s see what we can do, let’s make it happen.’
Lecopoy invited schools to come for aviation day, making it a field trip for several, but also a place for adults to come and enjoy like kids too.
“He wanted it to be a place where adults could come where they feel like they were going to Disneyland,” Smith said, recalling the sign at the field welcomed people with the words - “Where your dreams may take flight.”
“He will leave a huge hole and will be truly missed.”
Lecopoy’s younger co-worker, 28-year-old Jeff Classen, was also remembered as a kind and helpful man by those who knew him. Elk Point Baptist Church pastor Jim MacLellan said he had known Classen since he was a small two-year-old boy, meeting him after the family moved to Elk Point.
“Jeff and his family are active members in the church - I said to someone just yesterday, he had a quiet but very real faith in Christ,” said MacLellan, noting that as a young person, Classen was involved in the church’s youth ministries.
“He was one of the humblest and kindest men I’ve known. I say humble - although he was a welder, when he couldn’t get work as a welder, he would do anything, he would literally do anything to keep working, to keep helping.”
MacLellan said he saw multiple instances of Classen’s kindness, of being willing to help others if they needed a ride, or if they needed some help even in the middle of the night. MacLellan’s own daughter had worked with Classen and been helped and supported him during their time as working partners.
“He was just constantly giving to people.”
The Elk Point Baptist Church family has been reaching out to try and help and support Classen’s immediate family, but MacLellan said, “We’re well aware many are grieving in our town, and aware of the incredible loss this is. We’re constantly praying for all the families that are grieving.”
Among those loved ones left reeling from the sudden and unexpected news was the family of Omer Gamache, that recalled him as being a “kind and big-hearted person.
“You were sure to always leave a conversation with him smiling and laughing,” the family wrote, in a statement to the Journal, describing him as an “amazing husband, dad, papa, brother, uncle and friend. If you ever needed a hand, there was never any hesitation. Big Guy would be there to help. We were all truly blessed to have him in our lives, and he will be so sadly missed by all.”
The family noted they appreciated the moments they had with Gamache, and the memories they had made together, adding, “We thank everyone for all your support during this difficult time.” The family has requested any donations made in memory of Gamache go towards the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation.
