Joseph Louis Marchand

On Tuesday June 6th 2023, Louis cashed in the last of his 9 lives quite peacefully and without any fanfare at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital. The man who had dodged Covid, survived cancer twice, talked his way out of a double bypass surgery by promising to change his diet, and most recently survived the loss of his beloved wife, Carolyn, passed quietly in his sleep. While the last three years of his life were very emotionally difficult for him, he was fortunate to have excelled as a curler later in life, defended a better golf score than one of his son-in-law’s, and maintained his independence to the age of 93 (and oh how he loved to hear someone say, “You’re NOT 93, no way!”).

Being surrounded by his friends from the Carleah drive neighbourhood kept him going, and both he and Mom made some of their best memories there. He always joked, “I’m only leaving this place in a pine box!” From his lips to God’s ears….

Now, to understand the miracle of Dad’s 93 years you must go way back to his youth. While Dad was a worrier (he would end every interaction with a variety of “Love Yous” followed by either “Be careful”, “Drive safe” or “Take care of yourself”), it was because he wasn’t always the most careful person. He had good intentions, mostly of having fun while outside the watchful eye of his worrying parents, but losing someone he loved was definitely his worst fear.

When he was young and unattached, he loved to jump from party to party and learned that playing the guitar was the easiest way to get a date. Luckily, in his late 30’s Carolyn MacEachern was one of those girls. They quickly became inseparable at all future parties and Dad knew he had found “the one”. They made it official Thanksgiving of 1968 and a couple of years later gave birth to their first daughter, Michelle. She quickly won their hearts but sadly passed at 6 months of age at the IWK. He didn’t know it but that passing would have a powerful change in Dad’s faith. Instead of turning away, he leaned in and promised God that if he should have healthy children, he would promise to never go a day without prayer. He kept that promise, and in 1971 Denise was born. Thirteen months later Lysa was born “so that Denise wouldn’t be lonely”.

His family was complete; however, even though his prayer had been answered, he continued to amass a large collection of religious articles, novenas, candles, and prayers. He has a collection that would rival the Vatican’s!

Each day in their retirement, both he and Mom would take their favourite drive around South Bar, listening to the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy while watching for eagles in Dominion. Their favourite habits included meals out at the Bonnie – because of the people as much as for the food. After she passed, he would continue solo to take that drive, stopping in Dominion just before the beach to see if the eagle was in his nest. Dad often commented that the hurricane took down every tree on that bend, but the one that held the nest stood. He often wondered if Mom made sure it stayed put just for him.

Before his retirement, Dad held a variety of construction and industrial jobs and was happy when his father-in-law, Ben, stuck his neck out to get him a job at the Sydney Steel Plant (a highly coveted job back in the day). The work was gruelling and dangerous, but Dad respected Ben and did his best to make him proud. Dad had suffered a couple of harrowing incidents at the plant, and it left him with an appreciation for the friendships he had made on the job. In the last couple of years, he saw a former supervisor on the CTV Milestones and reached out to go visit him. (Dad loved watching the Milestones and marvelled at how someone could “make it” past 100 years of age. We always told him it could be him someday: he seemed to be invincible). Also, one of my favourite memories was when he made the walk at the opening of Open Hearth Park, and he marched from the Steel Workers Hall down to the field with all of his old work buddies. He laughed and joked and exchanged stories with the other fellas, as if they had just picked up where they had left off. The years seemed to melt away.

Yes, while making it to 93 was a great feat, it didn’t come without cost. In 93 years, you make a lot of friends and gain a lot of family: You also lose a lot of both as well. In addition to his daughter Michelle, lost in 1970, and his wife Carolyn, lost in 2020, Louis was predeceased by parents, Emanuel Miller and Laura; sisters, Margaret “Maggie” (James), Jennie (Cliff), Maude (Bernard), Mary (Martin), and Emma (Francis); and brothers, Joseph (Elizer), Adelard (Madeline), Elias (Joan), Bertrum (Mable), and Gerald (Rose).

Dad also lost many special nieces, nephews, friends and neighbours – far too many to list. All of whom, we are quite certain, helped keep him safe over the years and helped welcome him home.

Now to balance all his loss, God gave Dad one more gift: On April 23, 2004, twin grandchildren, Lauryn (puppy’s girl) and Ty (puppy’s boy) were born. They helped to remind him that with every passing, new life begins again. They both had a way of making him smile over the years – Lauryn teaching Dad secret handshakes and Ty teaching Dad how to play video games. Yes, as much as Dad loved to have a good cry (like when he picked out greeting cards), he loved a good laugh. Dad was also gifted with a gang of nephews who absolutely loved to prank their Uncle Lou, especially one nephew in particular. And if God has a sense of humour, Dad was chased through the pearly gates by a 4-foot-tall man dressed in a bear costume (yes Joey Marchand, we mean you!).

And of course, after he got winded from chasing Joey, we imagine he was greeted by his bride, Carolyn, and daughter, Michelle, who would have walked him through a field to a small but familiar home. One he thought he had left behind many years before. As they approach, he sees gathered inside the familiar faces of his brothers, sisters, father, and his mom at the stove making a big pot of soup. The family has gathered again --now complete-- to welcome him back home. His father greets him at the door and as he goes in he turns back thinking of those he has left behind. God says to him “It’s ok, I’ll let you see them whenever you want.” He relaxes and steps through the door and a new adventure begins…

We will watch for you in rainbows, butterflies, feathers and dimes. Thanks for all the great memories, Dad. We’ll see you soon enough!

“Love you. Be careful.”

~ Louis Marchand.

Visitation will be held on Friday, June 9th, from 5-8p.m. at T.W. Curry Parkview Chapel, 755 George Street, Sydney. The Funeral Mass will be officiated by Fr. Paul Murphy in Holy Redeemer Church, Whitney Pier, on Saturday at 10 a.m. followed by a reception back at T.W. Curry beginning at 11 a.m. For those unable to attend, the Funeral Mass will be livestreamed via the Holy Redeemer facebook page.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the IWK in honour of Michelle Marchand.

https://iwkfoundation.org/ways-to-give/in-memorium-tribute-giving