Jean-Louis Martel

Jean-Louis Martel passed away on April 4, 2023, after a brief illness. Jean-Louis, also known as John, Johnny and of course Little Daddy to a very special few, is survived by his loving wife of 64 years Pauline Laplante, his son Marc (Claire) and his adored grandchildren Tessa, Spencer and Mitchell. He is survived by his brother Pierre (Claire), his cousins Rita Martel, Jacques Martel and his special “cousins in-law” Franklin Roy and Elizabeth Guertin (David) and many nieces and nephews, especially Ginette Martel who always kept him up to date on the Martel family news.

Born on September 16, 1929, to the late Aldéi Martel & Rose Nadeau, Jean-Louis grew up with his six brothers and two sisters in Farnham, Quebec. He has told many fond stories of the family and friends he had growing up, including all the milk that would be delivered to the house and that they only had one bathroom for the entire family. The story he liked to tell most was bringing the pot of baked beans to the bakery on Saturday night so the cooked beans could be picked up Sunday after mass. As a young adult, Jean-Louis moved to Montreal for a few years, where he worked and continued his accounting studies, a time during which he was proud to say he saw Jean Beliveau’s first game at the Forum as a Canadian.

Later, moving to Cornwall he completed his accounting studies and met his wife Pauline, having been introduced by her mother who saw him walking by her house daily and thought he looked like a nice young gentleman and invited him over to play cards. Jean-Louis and Pauline had their first date on Valentine’s Day and were married in October 1958. Together they moved to Pointe Claire in 1964 and moved onto Rothbury Road in 1969 where he and Pauline developed wonderful friendships that last through to today.

Always an active person, he enjoyed badminton, tennis, backyard croquet, skiing (including skiing at Mont Sutton before there were lifts) and above-all golf. Marc now has possession of the scorecard from his hole-in-one from May 29, 1971, on the 4th hole at Cornwall Golf & Country Club. Together he and Pauline enjoyed many vacations in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the Adirondacks in Lake Placid and spring trips to Ogunquit. After all his professional accomplishments and personal interests, he became widely known across the West Island among his grandchildren’s teammates’ and classmates‘ parents as he did many drives to school and was always present at games and practices – with the annual highlight being the Kirkland Mini-Olympics weekend where he would be seen keeping score at all the games and often running from one activity to another – even after his grandchildren graduated from competing to become coaches.

The family will receive friends beginning at 10:00 on Saturday April 29 at St. Edward the Confessor Mission (98 Aurora Avenue, Pointe-Claire, Quebec, H9R 3G7) followed by a service at 11:00. Friends are welcome to stay for a reception following the service.

In lieu of flowers, we would appreciate donations be made in his name to Angela's Big Heart for Little Kids Endowment Fund at the Montreal Children’s Hospital

(https://fondationduchildren.com/en/fundraising/angela-big-heart-for-little-kids) or please spend a day playing golf with someone special.