John Kenneth De Freitas
John Kenneth DeFreitas died peacefully in his sleep on April 11, 2020 at Residence Yvon Brunet in Lasalle, Quebec, where he lived since 2017 due to his advanced struggle with Alzheimer disease. He was 91 years old at his death and had lived a long and happy life. John was born December 15, 1928 in Paramaribo, Suriname, the fifth of six sons, to Jacqueline (Morpurgo) and Jacinto DeFreitas. John spent his youth in Georgetown, Guyana and immigrated to Montreal to work in the shipping industry, where he met his bride of 67 years. He retired from Air Canada’s cargo operations at Dorval’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport after 34 dedicated years of service.
John is survived by his wife Edith (Neuhaus) DeFreitas, his daughter Susanna (DeFreitas) Tisa and his son-in-law Gary Tisa of Reston Virginia, two brothers, Charlie (wife Rita) of New Brunswick and Gerry (wife Nicole) of Calgary, and Gary’s brother Mark (wife Kim) of Princeton Massachusetts. John is pre-deceased by his parents and brothers Roland, Basil and Maurice. John’s friendly and funny personality is fondly remembered by everyone who had the pleasure to know him, including his nephew Peter DeFreitas (wife Maureen) of Toronto, nephew Peter Hansen (wife Maria) of Berlin Germany, the Scott family (Mabel, Sandra, Lorraine, Pamela, and the late Percy), as well as family friends Traute Schroeder Kurth, Gerda Tesch, Monika (Halsig) Tsang, long-time neighbors the Sakamotos (Geri and Bobby), and Susanna’s longest childhood friend Kathy (Rezek) Perrault (husband Mike).
John shared a wonderful family life from 1960 onwards with his wife and daughter at their cozy home on Hodge Street in St. Laurent. He was house-proud and enjoyed tending the grass, annual summer vegetables and the beautiful trees in the yard. He drove Susanna to her many extra-curricular lessons and recitals, always involved and interested in nurturing her development and career ambitions. John traveled to Germany in summer to see Edith’s family during Susanna’s childhood and later he and Edith enjoyed driving trips to visit Gary’s parents in New England (John loved both them and Cape Cod!). John and Edith visited Susanna and Gary in Los Angeles and traveled the West with them, up and down the California Coast from San Francisco to San Diego, as well as to many of the spectacular National and State Parks in Utah, Arizona and Northern California. John never tired of talking about and looking at photos of those special trips he took with his family. He also enjoyed walking all around St. Laurent during his retirement years to keep fit and became locally infamous for surreptitiously eating grapes out of displays at nearby fruit markets!
John’s family would like to thank the healthcare staff at Yvon Brunet, in particular Dr. Isabelle Julien, Annick Théberge, and Judith Chapados, as well as many others, who took such good care of John as he aged, when it was impossible for his family to be with him. The efforts of these consummate professionals will always be remembered as examples of true selflessness and kindness.
In light of the current ban on social contact and travel restrictions, there are no funeral services planned. Instead, we would invite you to pay your respects to John where his remains are now interred, at the Cemetery-Gardens of Urgel Bourgie/Athos (located at 3955 Ch. Cote de Liesse). These beautiful memorial gardens border Hodge Street, where John often walked alone or together with his family in the early evenings to view the pretty flowers and plantings that inspired spirituality and calm. It is truly a fitting place for John to stay alive in our memories. The Niche containing John’s remains may be visited at Wall F-110-North in the Gardens at any time during opening hours. On-line condolences may be directed to [email protected].
John is survived by his wife Edith (Neuhaus) DeFreitas, his daughter Susanna (DeFreitas) Tisa and his son-in-law Gary Tisa of Reston Virginia, two brothers, Charlie (wife Rita) of New Brunswick and Gerry (wife Nicole) of Calgary, and Gary’s brother Mark (wife Kim) of Princeton Massachusetts. John is pre-deceased by his parents and brothers Roland, Basil and Maurice. John’s friendly and funny personality is fondly remembered by everyone who had the pleasure to know him, including his nephew Peter DeFreitas (wife Maureen) of Toronto, nephew Peter Hansen (wife Maria) of Berlin Germany, the Scott family (Mabel, Sandra, Lorraine, Pamela, and the late Percy), as well as family friends Traute Schroeder Kurth, Gerda Tesch, Monika (Halsig) Tsang, long-time neighbors the Sakamotos (Geri and Bobby), and Susanna’s longest childhood friend Kathy (Rezek) Perrault (husband Mike).
John shared a wonderful family life from 1960 onwards with his wife and daughter at their cozy home on Hodge Street in St. Laurent. He was house-proud and enjoyed tending the grass, annual summer vegetables and the beautiful trees in the yard. He drove Susanna to her many extra-curricular lessons and recitals, always involved and interested in nurturing her development and career ambitions. John traveled to Germany in summer to see Edith’s family during Susanna’s childhood and later he and Edith enjoyed driving trips to visit Gary’s parents in New England (John loved both them and Cape Cod!). John and Edith visited Susanna and Gary in Los Angeles and traveled the West with them, up and down the California Coast from San Francisco to San Diego, as well as to many of the spectacular National and State Parks in Utah, Arizona and Northern California. John never tired of talking about and looking at photos of those special trips he took with his family. He also enjoyed walking all around St. Laurent during his retirement years to keep fit and became locally infamous for surreptitiously eating grapes out of displays at nearby fruit markets!
John’s family would like to thank the healthcare staff at Yvon Brunet, in particular Dr. Isabelle Julien, Annick Théberge, and Judith Chapados, as well as many others, who took such good care of John as he aged, when it was impossible for his family to be with him. The efforts of these consummate professionals will always be remembered as examples of true selflessness and kindness.
In light of the current ban on social contact and travel restrictions, there are no funeral services planned. Instead, we would invite you to pay your respects to John where his remains are now interred, at the Cemetery-Gardens of Urgel Bourgie/Athos (located at 3955 Ch. Cote de Liesse). These beautiful memorial gardens border Hodge Street, where John often walked alone or together with his family in the early evenings to view the pretty flowers and plantings that inspired spirituality and calm. It is truly a fitting place for John to stay alive in our memories. The Niche containing John’s remains may be visited at Wall F-110-North in the Gardens at any time during opening hours. On-line condolences may be directed to [email protected].