Robert Carl Laurier

Bob grew up in St-Lambert, Qc, went to the local public schools until grade 8 and then left home to attend Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass. Bob returned to Canada and graduated from McGill with a B.A. Politics & History and then followed this degree with graduate studies at the University of Fribourg and Trent University in Peterborough.

Bob was able to apply his passion for politics when he went to Ottawa to work for the Liberal Party Caucus. Bob thrived during his 6 years in the collegial environment of the prime minister’s office where he initially did opposition research and moved on to be a legislative assistant for Senators Bud Olsen, Ray Perrault and Alan MacEachen. After his time in Ottawa, Bob returned to Montreal where he used his talents as a communications consultant.

Bob had a sharp mind and took a keen interest in a broad range of subjects outside of politics including history, current events, sports and gourmet cooking. Bob loved dogs, especially German Shepherds and had a preference for Siamese and Maine Coon cats. Bob was a big fan of both the Canadiens and Alouettes but fell in love with the Montreal Expos as soon as they arrived in Montreal in 1969. He would meticulously fill out a score card whenever he attended a game. Bob also practised a variety of sports but ended up focusing mostly on hockey from the time he learned to skate right up to his years at McGill where he played for the J.V hockey team. Bob was also an avid skier and became a certified ski instructor and taught full time after University at Mont Gabriel Lodge in the Laurentians.

Bob cherished every summer spent at the family cottage on Canoe Lake in Algonquin Park. It was at the Taylor Statten Camps on the same lake where Bob made a tight network of lifelong friends from all over Canada and the USA. It was at Ahmek that Bob developed his skills as a competent swimmer, canoeist, camp counselor and tripping director.

He will be sorely missed by his brother Paul (Joanne Aucoin), sisters Louise (Pascale Dejardin) and Nicole (Roger Kauffman), his nephews Charles and Marc, his nieces Gabby, Nathalie and Laura and his step-mother Rachel Turgeon and step-brother François Dauteuil.

The family wishes to thank Darlene Hirtle and her staff at Foyer Grove for providing Bob such good care and comfort in a family environment. We also wish to thank Franca Sparapani and her staff at ARC activity centre for providing Bob with a warm and friendly environment. Thank you to all of the caring health care professionals at Hopital Pierre Boucher,the Moe Levin Centre and CHSLD René Lévesque.

An informal celebration of Bob’s life will take place on Thursday, June 16 between 10AM and 1PM at Collins Clarke MacGillivray White at 307 Promenade Riverside, St-Lambert. A memorial service will be held by the family at 12PM.

A gathering of friends and family to celebrate Bob’s life will also take place in August at the family cottage in Algonquin Park.

In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to the Alzheimer Society of Canada.