Rest in Peace Raymond!

This morning we woke up to the news that Gilles' dad passed away overnight. He is no longer suffering from cancer.  I spoke with him on Saturday. His voice was weak and frail. It did not sound like him at all. We all knew the end was near and no one wanted him to suffer, yet the news is not any easier. we can be thankful for several things: his suffering did not last long, he died at home in the house he built and loved so much and he died surrounded by love.

My heart goes out to Gilles, Michel,  Richard, Suzanne,  Sara and Ghislaine.  I am especially thinking of Odette as well who was by his side until the end. I wish there was something I could do to help, but only time will heal.

Not knowing what to say, I decided to look up some pictures of the family with Raymond and have included them in this post. Most are a bit old but they depict a bit of his life, his travels to Vancouver and time spent with family. I remember fondly having a beer with him at the Cochon Dingue in Quebec City when I spent my first summer in Canada. He was charming and interested in so many things. I loved how welcoming he was with me. He was not perfect and even politically incorrect  at times, but he was Gilles' loving dad.  He was thrilled to hear about our house building adventures. I often would try to catch him on skype to show him the most recent pictures. He was eager to come visit. Unfortunately, he was not able to make the trip to Sutton. I am sure he will be with Gilles in spirit as Gilles carries forward with the house.

I am thankful we moved to be closer to family. Life is to short to not enjoy all these precious moments. Hopefully, we can spend time together over the holidays and be thankful to have one another!