À LA MÉMOIRE DE 7999 PAUL BOURGET
Depuis plus d`un an notre ami 7999 Paul Bourget, entrée CMR 64 et gradué RMC 69, nous a quittés à l`âge de 62 ans suite à un bref cancer. Ce fut pour sa famille et ses amis un choc et une perte irremplaçable. Paul était ce genre de personne qui laisse sur son entourage une impression mémorable par sa jovialité, sa grande écoute des autres et sa générosité naturelle.
Avec sa voie profonde et son éternelle moustache Paul était comme le¨ Brassens des copains d`abord¨ un être authentique. Il était toujours disponible pour aider ses voisins et amis mais également pour participer à des aventures de voyages ou de pêche. À titre d`exemple il fut directeur bénévole durant plus de 20 ans d`un atelier d`intégration pour personnes handicapées à St-Jean.
Paul a eu une carrière très variée. Il a été Aide de Camp du gouverneur général, officier de télécommunication au Lac St-Denis, professeur en administration au CMR suite à son MBA à McGill et Directeur des Opérations pour plusieurs entreprises dans le domaine effervescent de l`imprimerie. Au cours des dernières années il était conseiller en Recherche et Développement et le sentiment d`aider ses clients et amis était très valorisant. Ce fut pour lui le summum de sa carrière.
Avec Francine Gagnon, sa fille Amélie et son fils Antoine, il a réalisé le projet de sa vie de restaurer une vielle maison canadienne en pierre à l`Acadie et son projet lui survivra.
Un mois avant sa mort j`ai eu le privilège de réaliser l`un de ses derniers souhaits soit de faire une croisière en catamaran aux Iles Vierges. Il en a profité pour se remplir les yeux et l`esprit de ciel bleu et nous espérons qu`il y baigne maintenant dans le bonheur.
L`ami de Paul, 7895 André Rouette
TO THE MEMORY OF 7999 PAUL BOURGET
For over a year now our friend 7999 Paul Bourget, CMR entry 64 and RMC graduation 69, passed away at age 62 following a brief cancer. It was a chock for his family and friends and an irreplaceable loss. Paul was the kind of person who leaves to his circle a memorable impression by his joviality, his great listening to others and his natural generosity.
With his deep voice and eternal moustache Paul was the “Brassens des copains d`abord¨, an authentic human being. He was always available to help his neighbors and friends but also to participate in travel adventures or fishing trips. As an example, he was a volunteer director for over 20 years to an integration workshop for handicap persons in St-Jean.
Paul had a varied career. He was Aide de Camp to a Governor General, telecommunications officer in Lac St-Denis, teacher in administration at CMR Saint-Jean following the obtention of his MBA from McGill and Operations Director for many enterprises in the printing business. During the last years he was consultant in Research and development and the feeling of helping his clients and friends was very fulfilling. It has been for him the summum of his career. With Francine Gagnon, his daughter Amélie and his son Antoine, Paul realized the dream of his life to restore an old Canadian stone house in l`Acadie and his project will survive him.
One month before his death I had the privilege of realizing one of his wishes that is a catamaran cruise in the Virgin Islands. He took advantage of that time to fill his eyes and spirit of the blue sky and we wish that he is now bathed in happiness.
A friend of Paul, 7895 André Rouette
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I regret to report the passing of one of our members, RCNC84 John Hertzberg, a member of the first RCNC class at HMCS Royal Roads. I believe John was a Life Member of the RMC Club of Canada as well.
The customary “In Memoriam” donation of $100 has been sent to the RRU Foundation Military Heritage Fund.
Dave Wightman, Secretary Treasurer
Vancouver Island Ex-Cadet Club
4363 Emily Carr Drive
Victoria BC V8X 5E3
250-727-3416
HERTZBERG, John Sumner Born October 31st, 1924 in Toronto. Died in Victoria July 26th of heart failure following a heart attack a few days earlier. His penultimate” illness was Alzheimer’s-like dementia. John, the son of Major General C.S.L. Hertzberg and Jessie Todd (nee Alexander), is survived by his brother Peter of Toronto, predeceased by his first wife Deborah (nee Harrison) and his second wife June (Swenson). His partner for the past few years of his life, Penny Furnes, will greatly miss his loving companionship. Dad leaves his three children, Anne Christensen of Victoria, Ian of Sooke and Peter (Susan M’Gonigle) of Nanaimo. Grandpa also leaves his three grandchildren, Maggie, Adrian and Hillary. He is survived by June’s children, Leonard (Marilyn) Forscutt of Edmonton, Jennifer Dawson of Kamloops, Lynelle Gehrels (Marien) of Toronto and Robyn (Michael) Flemming of Victoria.
John retired as a Commander in the RCN in 1969, founded The Toy Shop on Oak Bay Avenue with Deborah the same year and rebuilt it after a devastating gas explosion (he hated natural gas). After his retirement, he traveled widely with June. He loved his walks with Penny and Oreo. He was a gentle and loving husband, father, granddad and friend. He had perhaps the driest sense of humour imaginable, often mistaken for inscrutability.
For years, John volunteered at the Unitarian Church of Victoria, making many friends along the way. He also served with The Upper Room soup kitchen (now Our Place) where he was known as Professor”. He loved garage sales, Bridge and Tim Horton’s. He disliked arbitrary authority, and government meddling in our affairs. Dad loved playing with words, especially the word-game Quiddler, which he let others win occasionally. He was a stickler for grammar: few got it right, but none was humiliated by him for it.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer Society. No funeral by request. There will be a Celebration of Life on Sunday, August 22nd at 1:30 PM at the First Unitarian Church of Victoria, 5575 West Saanich Road. 599076
Published in the Victoria Times-Colonist on 8/7/2010
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2661 Captain Douglas Gordon (Bill) Purdy (RMC 1938-40) died on August 19, 1942 at 22 years of age. He was born in Calgary, Alberta. He was the son of Gordon Stanley Purdy and Margaret Lundrigan Purdy of White Rock, British Columbia.
He attended the Royal Military College, Kingston from 1938-40. He commissioned in the Calgary Regiment, R.C.A.C., 14th Army Tank Regiment. He was killed during the Dieppe Raid on 19 Aug. 42.
He was buried in the Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery (Hautot-Sur-Mer) in Seine-Maritime, France (A. 23). The College motto `Truth, Duty, Valor` is visible on a photo of his gravemarker. He is commemorated on Page 108 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. His RMC pillbox cap is in the collection of Glenbow Museum Catalogue Number: C-41169.
Researched by E3161 Victoria Edwards (RMC 2003)