Follow your dreams, never give up, push yourself to the limit.
André Blanchard passed on these values to his children, François, Hélène and Normand – whom he nicknamed “his loves” – to his grandchildren, and to several generations of young people whom he taught. He also shared these values with his constant companion, his wife Suzanne Labelle.
A passionate educator, André Blanchard spent thirty-five years sharing his knowledge of automotive mechanics, first at the École des métiers de l’équipement motorisé de Montréal, then at Henri-Bourassa high school in Montréal-Nord.
“Teaching was his whole life,” say his children.
Even in retirement, André remained very involved in his community, notably as a school commissioner for seventeen years with the Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-l’Île.
André was also involved with the Association des retraités de l’éducation et des autres services publics du Québec (AREQ). These activities led him to sit on various boards and committees, enabling him to contribute to the well-being of his community.
Education, a fundamental value
Born in 1941 in Valcourt, a small, hard-working village in the Eastern Townships[1], André was the third of nine children. His parents, Marie-Jeanne and René, lived modestly, but they had good values and encouraged their children to pursue their studies in order to give them a better future.
At the age of 15, André left the home where he had grown up to move to Sherbrooke, to the presbytery of Saint-Jean-de-Brébeuf parish, where his uncle Lucien Blanchard would become parish priest. He also lives there with his grandmother Blanchard and his aunt Gertrude.
The teenager completes his studies at the Institute of Technology. With his diploma in hand, he went to work in Montreal as a mechanic, until he heard from one of his former teachers in Sherbrooke that the École des métiers de l’équipement motorisé was looking for teachers. André obtains a position and works there for fourteen years.
In 1974, he began teaching at Henri-Bourassa high school in Montreal North. He was happy to be able to bring his workplace closer to his small family living in the neighborhood.
Generous with his time, smiling and welcoming, André Blanchard loves young people and knows how to talk to them. Some of them are going through difficult times. André doesn’t judge them. With his wisdom and quiet strength, he influences the trajectory of many students by encouraging them to continue their studies towards vocational training, a path in which he believes strongly.
“I’m proud of him. He was happy to be of service, to improve society and to contribute to academic success,” says Suzanne Labelle, a close friend of André’s who shared his life for fifty-three years. “We loved each other very much; a simple glance and we understood each other,” she adds.
An exceptional husband and attentive father, he was a close grandfather to his grandchildren. When, in 1990, illness took its toll in the form of rheumatoid arthritis, André Blanchard did not wallow in self-pity, but rose above the difficulties and faced health problems with his eternal optimism.
In 2003, when he suffered his first heart attack, which could have been fatal, he retained this confidence in life and was grateful. This fighter symbolizes strength and courage.
Hospitalized with pneumonia, André Blanchard died of a heart attack on the evening of November 1, 2018. He passed away as he lived, a serene and good man.
When we think of our father, we see a good man who was greatly appreciated by those around him,” say his children. Several former students have told us wonderful stories about him.
André dearly loved his wife, Suzanne, his children, François, Hélène (Jean-Luc Bouchard) and Normand (Véronique Gravel), his grandchildren: Marie-Hélène, Jean-Philippe, Annie-Pier, Sarah-Jade, Rosalie and Henri, as well as his sisters, brothers, nephews, nieces and many relatives and friends.
A memorial service for Mr. André Blanchard will be held on December 8, 2018 at 11 a.m. at Christ-Roi Church, 330 Papineau Street, Joliette. The family will receive condolences beginning at 10 a.m. at Christ-Roi Church. Expressions of sympathy may include donations to the Montreal Heart Institute Foundation.
