Obituary of Robert (Bob) Dumpy LeMessurier

Passed peacefully after a short illness. He was cared for with care and compassion by the staff of 6th floor medicine of the Montfort Hospital.

Dedicated and Beloved husband of 70 years to Bernice (nee Kerr). They met on a blind date and never parted.

Predeceased by his parents Ernest and Jessica. Survived by his sister, Joan Opzoomer. Father to Bonnie Graham, Deborah LeMessurier & Scott (Merina), grandfather to 4 grandchildren Leanne Crosby, Jennifer LeMessurier (Ryan Fancey), Jessica LeMessurier (Calen Murray) and Jonathan LeMessurier (Alexandra Hickey) and 8 great grandchildren Sophie Crosby, Alice & Franklyn Fancey, Norah, Grace & James Murray and Emma & Grayson LeMessurier. 

Dad grew up in the Town of Mount Royal, Montreal, where he formed many lifelong friendships. He attended business school and then entered the business world, like his father, in the insurance industry, where he would spend his career. He worked agencies with his father and partnered with other companies over the years, finally retiring from his career in Ottawa with Dale - Parizeau after 40 some years in the business.

Dad always loved cars and repairing and tinkering with them. Dad started early, when that new wringer washer appeared in basement, it was only a matter of time before his wagon tire was replaced with the washer belt and the motor plugged in the garage (an early electric car). Thankfully the wire was not long enough to reach the street, because children’s wagons had no brakes! The tinkering spilled over to anything that needed to be repaired, fixed or modified to go better. This included boats and motors over several years for summer cottages, chopper mini-bikes and eventually the Triumph sports car. Many of these were imagined or supported by the massive collection of popular mechanics magazines. There was the one miscalculation when the boat was built in the basement, but it was fixed after a quick modification to the stairwell.

As time went on Dad turned his attention to smaller tidier things like old clocks. There are still several project clocks. Dad salvaged, saved and repaired many clocks. There are heirlooms, donations and “finds” most well over a hundred years old, but operational. There was winemaking, at which he became a craftsman, as he did with most things he undertook.

Mom and Dad travelled predominantly in North America,but made several trips to both coasts and many locales in between. Several days of unanswered calls home would usually be explained following their return by the deal they got in Myrtle Beach or Florida or that they were just tired of the winter. Whatever happened to let us know what you’re doing? They managed to get to England, Cuba and Dad’s ancestral home in the Channel Islands. Mom & Dad spent many years volunteering with Silver Spring farm growing garlic that was sold to raise money for OCAP. This was a life full of love, caring and dedication, with healthy amounts of fun and enjoyment.

There will be a “Celebration of Life” held in the Ravines Senior Suites activity room on January 21st from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm, 636 Prado Private, Ottawa ON. Please join us in honouring a life well lived.

The family requests no flowers or donations.