Gerard Gagne
(To be read en francais:) I have loved and revered this very good man for 50 years. At a young middle age, while raising four children, and with the support of his devoted spouse, Gerry Gagne voluntarily and radically altered the trajectory of his life because he believed God desired it. That uncommon trajectory reflected an uncommon closeness and commitment to God. For the rest of his life, Gerry did uncommon things that reflected that commitment. He was a BIG lover. He had a kind, generous, humble and honest heart. He was noble. He was a man of great humor. He was jovial. He was fun. His body-shaking laugh was contagious. He was devoted to his beautiful wife and family. But again, what marked Gerry as materially different from most was his sensitivity and closeness to God. He was willing to give of himself, to sacrifice his time and talents to bless those around him. Despite his venial faults and failings (which we all share even if some of ours are different), Gerry Gagne was a consistently good example of the best life because he made Jesus his example. I freely acknowledge his profoundly positive influence in my life. To this day he is a man I seek to emulate. I am grateful our paths crossed so many years ago in St. Leonard. If only we had lived closer to one another. The occasional calls were inadequate. Even so, I am a much better man today for having known this kind, compassionate man. Adieu, Gerry (et Carmen) et a la prochaine. (And thanks to those who cared for him so kindly in his later years.) Craig Rossell