Roger Euclide Ducharme

With his bride of 63 years, Darlene (née Mandin), and his children at his side, Joseph Euclide Roger Ducharme slipped peacefully into Eternal Life on July 2nd. In addition to his wife, Roger is survived by his eleven children: five sons Bryan (Joanne), Bruce (Margaret), Brent (Christine), Rev. Jean-Pierre Ducharme, OFM, Robert (Mary), and six daughters Michelle (Theodore) Shaw, Liane (Denis) Bruneau, Colleen (Roland) Dubois, Sharon (Kenneth) Ngyou, Janine (Paul) Cosgrove, and Danielle (Tyler) Blakeman. Our beloved Patriarch is also grandfather to Randy, Danielle, Jessica, Jazmine, Chezne, Aizlee, Bliss, Pierre, Brother Joseph, OSB, Brother Bartholomew, OSB, Nadine, Paul, Brother John, OSB, Richard, Thomas, Taelor, Jackson, Raina, Marjia, Christopher, Alexa, Paula, Andrew, Adam, Isaac, Nicholas, Ella, Charles, Bibiana, Calvin, Genevieve, Caramia, Joaquin, Emanuela, William, Louis-Roch, John-Paul, Halle, Olivia, and Brixton. There are eleven who call him Great—or often “Big”—Grandpa. One of ten children, Roger is also survived by his brother Lloyd (Donna) and sisters Raymonde (Real) Gaudet, Annette (Elmer) Leib, Denise (Len) McSweyn, Germaine Romey, numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. Roger was predeceased by his parents Louis-Phillippe and Josephine (Dupuis), his brother Hubert (Patricia), sisters Irene (George+) Chernoff, Laurette (Edward) Chenier, Jeannine (Gilles) Hebert, and Genevieve, who died in infancy.

Born in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Roger was the eldest of his siblings. During his elementary school years, the family relocated—travelling by troop train—to the French-speaking community of Maillardville and into the parish Notre Dame de Lourdes. Roger and Darlene would marry in Notre Dame de Fatima.

Roger put all his children through Catholic schools and was a founding board member of Corpus Christi College. He and Darlene have been parishioners at Saint Joseph’s parish in Mission for over 20 years following their move to Silvermere Lake. They had called Saint Michael’s Parish in Burnaby home for 30 years.

Faith, and the example he set for his family, mattered to Roger. In 1979 Roger and Darlene independently sponsored a Vietnamese family of six, who immediately became part of their family. In 1984 they sang in the Abbotsford papal choir. In 1988, Roger accepted the invitation to chauffeur the would-be St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta around greater Vancouver.

He was a builder by trade who played hockey until age 63. In his later years, he learned to make wine. Roger loved travel and a good celebration.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Joseph’s Food Bank in Mission. Prayers will be held on Thursday, July 15, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. at Saint Joseph’s parish, in Mission. The Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, July 16, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. at Saint Joseph the Worker Parish, in Richmond (4451 Williams Road). Burial to follow at Hatzic Cemetery in Mission. All are welcome to attend or, alternatively, watch the Funeral Mass on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5R5uIJkfhf0