With heavy hearts we share the news of the death of Jean-François Dubois, on March 13th, at his home in Grandes-Piles, Quebec.

He was Papa and Grandpapa, and he lived in a beautiful landscape of trees, water, and rock. Now we will visit him in experience and memory. On the mountain slopes of western Canada, we can see him flying down the very ski runs that his grandchildren now master with the same joy and elegant form. At home, we picture him absorbed in the pages of a good book, or talking back to the radio as he listened, 
or showing off his latest gadget. Around his table, we remember endless political debates and his passionate views on this country, always grounded in his deep pride of being Québécois. We smile at his excitement playing tour guide on the St-Maurice river aboard “The Windigo”. We remember his joy in joking around with his grandkids and making them laugh and we remember how much he loved his dogs, Kébec, Baxter, and lastly Baloo.

Radio was Jean-François’ passion and career, beginning in the private sector in Montreal before working for Radio-Canada in Saskatchewan and in Toronto, where he lived the experience of all that it means to belong to the official minority language group. He returned to live in Québec in 2004, programming for private radio, engaging in municipal and provincial politics, and promoting tourism in the Mauricie region.

He leaves to mourn his daughter Natasha Dubois (Mathieu Burtnyk), his son Nicolas Dubois (Michelle Lennon), his grandchildren Leo, Charlie and Katherine Burtnyk, as well as the mother of his children Donna Cressman, his brother Louis-Yves Dubois (Lise Nociti), his sister Mireille Dubois, nephews Patrick and Martin Lalonde, and nieces Annie, Élodie and Noëmie Nociti.

Friends are invited to reminisce with family on Saturday, March 29th, between 2 and 4 pm, at Urgel Bourgie Complex, 1255 Beaumont Avenue, Montreal. We will say farewell in the chapel at 4 pm. A reception will follow.