André Marchand

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of André on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, at the age of 78, following a brief illness. He is now reunited with his late wife Elaine, his sweetheart of 55 years. He was a devoted family man and a loving father to Céline Gagnon (Carl), and Alain (Katrina), and a proud grandfather to Alexa and Corinne Gagnon, and Audrey Marchand. Born in St-Isidore, André was the loving son of the late Lucien and the late Jeanne D’Arc (Gauthier), and brother to François (Claudette). A proud and committed educator for more than 30 years, André touched the lives of all who had the privilege of knowing him, whether at General Vanier or at La Citadelle. His warmth, compassion, and empathy were evident and always his guiding forces. Whether he was offering words of encouragement or simply lending a compassionate ear, André took great pride in helping his students.

Following his retirement, André joined the team at Lahaie & Sullivan, where he established and cherished lasting friendships with colleagues. André also leaves behind extended family and many great friends in both Cornwall and Delray Beach, Florida, where he and Elaine spent their winters. André will be remembered for his infectious smile, his quick wit, and his willingness to always help others.

Resting at Lahaie and Sullivan Cornwall Funeral Homes, 20 Seventh St. West from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday, November 4, 2024 and from 10:30 a.m. until the time of Funeral on Tuesday. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 at 1 p.m. at St- Félix de Valois Church, 620 Glengarry Boulevard, Cornwall. Cremation to follow. Interment will be at a later date. If so desired, donations to the Cornwall Community Hospital, (Critical Care Unit) can be made in André’s name and memory. Messages of Condolence may be left at www.lahaiesullivan.ca

C'est avec tristesse que nous annonçons le décès d'André, le mercredi 23 octobre 2024, à l'âge de 78 ans, suite d'une brève maladie. Il retrouve désormais sa défunte épouse Elaine, sa chérie de 55 ans. André était le père aimant de Céline Gagnon (Carl) et Alain (Katrina), et le fier grand-père d'Alexa et Corinne Gagnon, ainsi que d'Audrey Marchand. Né à St-Isidore, André était le fils bien-aimé de feu Lucien et Jeanne D'Arc (Gauthier), et le frère de François (Claudette). Pendant plus de 30 ans, André a été un éducateur dévoué. Son empathie et sa sensibilité lui ont aidé à tisser des liens avec les élèves et le personnel à General Vanier et à La Citadelle. Après sa retraite, André s'est joint à l'équipe de Lahaie & Sullivan, où il a formé des amitiés spéciales avec ses collègues. André laisse également dans le deuil sa belle famille, ses nièces et son neveu, ainsi que de nombreux amis à Cornwall et à Delray Beach, en Floride. On se souviendra d'André pour son sens de l'humour, sa volonté de toujours aider les autres, et de son beau sourire. La famille accueillera parents et amis au salon funéraire Lahaie and Sullivan West Branch au 20, Septième Rue Ouest de 14h à 16h et de 19h à 21h le lundi 4 novembre 2024 et de 10h30 jusqu'à l'heure des funérailles mardi 5 novembre 2024. Les funérailles auront lieu le mardi 5 novembre 2024 à 13h à l'église St-Félix de Valois, 620, boulevard Glengarry, Cornwall. Crémation à suivre. L'inhumation aura lieu à une date ultérieure. Si vous le souhaitez, des dons à l’hôpital communautaire de Cornwall (unité de soins intensifs) peuvent être faits au nom et à la mémoire d’André. Vous pouvez également transmettre vos messages de sympathie à la famille au www.lahaiesullivan.ca

Eulogy

Bonjour, On behalf of our families, my sister and I would like to thank you all for joining us today to celebrate the life of our wonderful father, a man who was very special to us and to all those that knew him.

Dad was a great father who took pride in his children and was always the first to defend or stand up for us. He taught us to work hard and persevere as life is not always easy and doesn’t always unfold the way we planned. He taught us the importance of setting goals and never giving up in the face of challenges. He often told us “Make sure to have integrity and to be honest in all that you do because it will follow you throughout your life”.

As we look back on his journey, we are reminded of his love for connecting with others, for making people feel seen and valued. We believe this is why he was so loved at La Citadelle. As a vice-principal, he had an ability to connect and empathize with teenagers, which isn’t easy to do on a good day. You could tell that Dad loved his job. He loved the kids, the challenge, and the rewards it brought. It wasn’t out of the ordinary for Dad to be out and about and have a former student stop and say hello to him. Dad would often remember that student’s name and even their parents. They would always reiterate that Dad always took the time to listen to them and their side of the story. We strongly believe that this is what made him so loved by the students.

Une chose que j’ai toujours aimé était de voir Dad en habit tous les jours pour le travail. Je le trouvais tellement distingué et beau. À l’époque de son travail comme directeur adjoint à La Citadelle, beaucoup de gens nous questionnaient par rapport à comment on se sentait, Alain et moi, avoir un parent comme administrateur. C’est quelque chose qui aurait pu sans doute créer du stress ou de l’inconfort pour nous tous, surtout qu’il était chargé de la discipline. Mais on voyait sa présence à l’école comme un avantage plus que d’autres choses. On arrêtait jaser dans son bureau, on pouvait aller chercher une caresse lorqu’on était stressé ou découragé, ou on pouvait aller partager des bonnes nouvelles au lieu d’attendre de se rendre à la maison. Sa porte était toujours ouverte. Oh, et, on avait aussi accès à la voiture durant l’heure du dîner.

C’est même Dad qui disait à Mom que l’on méritait une certaine liberté comme adolescents. Mom nous disait, “vous direz merci à votre père” si nous avions la permission d’aller au party, ou de sortir tard avec nos amis. Et quel honneur pour Alain et moi que ce soit Dad qui nous aie donné chacun notre diplôme du secondaire.

Dad was a very knowledgeable man and always seized an opportunity to teach my sister and I. Growing up, he took great joy in sharing his passion for geography. On numerous occasions, while the entire family was driving somewhere, if Dad saw something cool, he would take the opportunity to explain it to us. He would talk about erosion that was visible on passing rock formations and would tell us that it was formed by glacier movements or the displacement of tectonic plates. After instilling his knowledge, Mom would often say “Y’er dont bain smart mon chum!” and we all laughed together. Even during the past year, I often saw myself texting pictures of unique cloud formations from my backyard. Since he wasn’t a big texter, I would quickly get a phone call from him in which he would tell me “Al, those are stratus clouds, and they are forming because the cold air is being trapped due to the low atmospheric pressure.” He just loved instilling knowledge, which I always welcomed.

Dad a toujours encouragé mon amour de la lecture et des mots. Lorsque j’étais très jeune, j’avais toujours hâte que Dad finisse de lire son Journal de Montréal car il coupait par la suite le mot caché pour moi. Je m’assoyais à la table de la cuisine où j'encerclais les lettres avec détermination. Je devais attendre au lendemain pour voir si j’avais eu le mot mystère du jour; Dad le vérifiait avec moi avec patience. J’ai tellement de bons souvenirs de lui qui me donnait des high-five (“C’est beau, catin”) ou des explications par rapport à mes erreurs. Il était enseignant dévoué à la maison, aussi.

Au courant de sa vie professionnelle, outre son rôle d’éducateur, Dad était tellement fier de faire partie de l’équipe de la Commission de police et, par la suite, de l’équipe de Lahaie et Sullivan. La transition entre ces postes se faisait bien et était facile, en grande partie parce que Dad voulait tout simplement le bien de tout le monde, peu importe l’environnement. Il voulait faire une différence dans la vie de ceux autour de lui. Il était social, empathique, et sensible, toutes des qualités qui l'ont aidé à trouver du succès dans différents rôles.

One of my favourite childhood memories took place when dad brought me to my first NHL game at the Forum in Montreal. I remember the excitement in my stomach, the cheering of the passionate fans and just the overwhelming size of the arena once we walked in. I remember standing in line with him to buy a game program and of course some hot-dogs! This alone was a great memory in itself but what made it truly unforgettable was when a game puck landed close to dad in the stands. I never saw him move so quickly in an attempt to grab it. I remember asking him “did you get it?”. When he turned around he had the biggest smile on his face because he was so proud that he got it for his son. I remember I held that puck in my hand for the rest of the game and even during the entire ride back home. That puck remains a cherished memento of that special day and it still hangs displayed on the wall in my childhood bedroom.

Nous avons de bons souvenirs aussi de nos rides en autos avec Mom et Dad. Dad a toujours aimé conduire, et disait souvent qu’il trouvait ça relaxant. Il aimait même conduire pour se rendre en Floride avec Mom, même si elle voulait écouter de la musique et il préférait le silence. Il aimait tellement ça conduire qu’il prenait des détours, surtout en revenant d’Ottawa. Dad était mordu du fromage St-Albert, et se retrouvait là de temps en temps. Selon lui, le fromage est bien meilleur si on l'achète directement à la fromagerie. Et à chaque fois qu’il arrêtait, il ramenait une brique de fromage pour moi et ma famille, et une brique pour Alain et la sienne.

Dad often did little things to show us how much he cared. He was always the first one to come over and help around the house. Even if it was to hold up a ladder, Dad just loved being around family. If my sister and I highlighted in passing an issue that we were dealing with, Dad wouldn’t tell us, but in the backend, he would dedicate hours in trying to come up with a potential solution. Though it wasn’t his problem, it became his problem because it impacted his kids and they were his number one priority. I can still see all of the hand-written notes he had on a note pad beside his chair. Pros and Cons lists, scribbles and key words. He would wait for us to call back and then would nonchalantly say, “ T’sai Al, je pensais à ton affaire et peut-être que tu pourrais faire ceci…”. It meant a lot that he took so much time to make sure that all options were explored before we moved forward with our decision in hopes that we don’t get hurt in the process.

Il aimait tellement ça être le grandpapa d’Alexa, Corinne et Audrey. Il est tombé en amour avec chacune d’elle immédiatement. Dès leur naissance, chacune d’elle avait un allié qui les défendait– même contre leurs parents. Dad les gâtait, les questionnait par rapport à l’école ou leurs études, leurs amis et leurs chums, leurs intérêts; il voulait toujours être au courant de ce qui se passait dans leur vie. Il voulait tellement leur bien, nous demandant toujours: “Comment vont les filles? Les filles sont-elles correctes?” Lorsqu’elles vivaient des moments difficiles, il essayait de les guider de son mieux. Il était toujours là. Par exemple, lorsque nos deux filles ont chacune eu des chirurgies, Dad est venu les visiter tous les jours pendant leur récupération. Parfois il restait seulement une vingtaine de minutes, parfois deux heures. L’important pour lui était de s’assurer qu’elles se sentaient appuyées et aimées.

Some of you might not know that Dad was also a foodie, always willing to try crazy things to eat. He loved exploring new restaurants. Although it was fun for him, it was sometimes painstaking for us because it took him forever to decide what to have in restaurants. But he was always happy when he tried something new. He’d often say: “I love this stuff!” and on many occasions, he was so excited about it that he’d say, “Elaine, on devrait faire ça chez nous!”. Mom would simply chuckle and playfully roll her eyes.

So, here are some life lessons to remember, à la André:

1- always make sure you have a full tank of gas (it drove him nuts that Mom had a tendency to ride near empty)

2- you can never own too many measuring tapes

3- ne conduisez pas trop vite sur la 138 parce qu’il “y'a toujours bin des polices”

4- always keep important papers, even if they are thirty years old or more (Dad a famous filing cabinet that still stored some of his university notes, just in case we might need them one day; we teased him relentlessly for this)

5- You can never go wrong with St-Albert curds, a couple of hot dogs and a Coke

6- Stella beer is the best. Hands down.

7- Do your homework before making any big decision.

8- and remember to take time to “relax, and kick your feet up”

I will definitely miss having him in my corner advocating for me and trying to come up with potential solutions. I will miss our daily phone calls, which often turned into him asking for my help in reminding him how to send a photo via text message or how to forward an email. I will miss him saying “this darn phone… there’s something wrong with it… every time I try, oh wait…now it’s working. Thanks Al”. I will miss him telling me that he cut the grass yet again because for some reason the grass on Ross Ave grows extremely quick but most of all, I will miss the hugs, the laughs and the “Moi aussi J’t’aime beaucoup Al”. Although its hard for all of us to come to the realization that dad is gone, we must remember to continue to share the great stories, laughs and memories that we made with him over the years. Thanks for being a great father, a guiding light and a cherished friend. We will greatly miss you and your infectious smile.

So now begins our all-too-familiar journey of holding on and letting go at the same time. Nous avons été bénis de t’avoir eu comme père.

On t’aime fort, Dad. Please give Mom a big hug for us.