Raymond Gérard LAMARCHE

Raymond Lamarche Funeral services for longtime Hearst teacher Raymond Gérard Lamarche, 53, of 47 Boucher St. were held April 29, 2000. He died April 24 at Ottawa's Hôpital Elizabeth Bruyère following a lengthy bout with lung cancer. Born Sept. 14, 1946 in Cochrane - the 'baby' in a family of 14 - he came to Hearst in 1972 to teach welding at École secondaire de Hearst. He joined the guidance department in 1989. At ESH, he was active with Skills Canada competitions, staff social and graduation committees, technical department activities, and the peer counselling program, and as interhouse hockey coach. Active with the Hearst Tennis Club, and NordCan 250 and Challenge Kanada snowmobile events, he was renowned for his earthy, 'blue' comic routines during infamous Gong Show fundraisers for the Camp Source de Vie camp. Described as "a man of the people", he was highly respected by staff and teachers, guidance colleague Léo Grzela said. "He made everybody at the school feel at home." He could impersonate John Wayne, a biologist, scholar, pilot, firefighter, cop, photographer, actor Leonardo DiCaprio and famed Quebec character Séraphin Poudrier, longtime friend and teacher colleague Gaëtan Gosselin noted during his eulogy to a packed Cathedral. Adamantly opposing schools opening in late August, he maintained that "school should begin after the (Labor Day weekend) Jerry Lewis Telethon, not before," Mr. Gosselin added tongue-in-cheek. An inveterate prankster, he helped stage an elaborate scheme with fellow teachers whereby a local OPP officer confronted a soon-to-depart English teacher in the staff room who had spun gravel loudly while speeding away from the school parking lot during the Grade 12 graduation ceremony. After quitting high school in Grade 10, he studied to become a welder and worked for awhile in Montreal before moving to Hearst to teach welding. Studying weekends and summers to get his teacher's certificate, he later obtained his qualifications for guidance, longtime friend Denis Cheff noted. Despite his illness, he managed to attend his daughter's wedding in Ottawa 10 days before his death. Predeceased by parents Aldina (née Vaillancourt) and Arthur Lamarche, a sister Hélène Lamarche and brother Omer Lamarche, all of Cochrane, he leaves: wife Céline (née Lacasse) of Hearst; daughter Nancy (Greg Hiscock) Lamarche of Ottawa; sisters Edna Bergevin, Georgette Ouelette, Jacqueline (Roger) Girard and Denise (Philip), all of Cochrane; and brothers Ernest (Dorcine), Roland (Rita), Jacques (Angéline), Jean (Murielle), Aurel (Suzanne) and Donald (Rita), all of Cochrane. Rev. Jean-Guy Mailloux officiated the afternoon service at the Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption Cathedral.