Obituaries

My Dad Steve Tetrault passed away peacefully at his home in Langford Victoria BC Canada at the age of 66, from terminal cancer diagnosed in May.

He was a loving and proud Dad, Granddad and Great Granddad, Brother, Uncle and Friend and will be very deeply missed and lovingly remembered by us all.

Dearly loved by his family and friends, he was a great source of understanding, calm support and unconditional love, with a reputation among those who knew him for being straight forward, honest, caring, there for anyone in need, and a gentleman. He was a wonderful amazing man who had lived through many experiences and travels, keeping an open heart and mind throughout. His strength of character, sense of humour, wisdom, kindness and love for others made him like a rock in the corner of so many lives.

Steve is survived by his Sister Stephanie and Family, the Family of his Brother Robert, his Maternal Brother Jeffrey and Family, his Daughter Terry and Family, his Grandson Micheal and Family, his Grandson Colm and Family and his Great Granddaughter Jasmine.

We remain ever thankful of the most wonderful personal care and support given to him especially by his Dr Danica Gleave, Nurse Wendy, Homecare Nurse Devon, their teams and all of the Staff at the Cool Aid Society and Fairway Woods Building, the local Hospice care team, Red Cross Society, Medi Lend and all of those who have helped and supported his care in the last few months, enabling him to live out his days at home in peace as he wanted.
Thank you all so much, it meant a great deal to my Dad to have been looked after in such a genuinely loving and attentive way.

Thank you also to ‘Bill’ at Care Funeral Home Victoria, for his wonderful support, guidance and gentle presence in helping me through the final process of my Dads life. 

My Dad enjoyed and shared all of the best things in life, including love, family, friends, happy times, food, drink, art, nature and music and he remained bright, positive and cheerful to the end, with his only concern being the well being of his loved ones after he had gone.
His family and friends were the delight in his life and his greatest happiness in his final weeks was from getting to see his beloved Grandsons and Great Granddaughter

He was very proud of his heritage on both the Welsh and Canadian sides and was born in Montreal to Parents Joseph Robert (of Quebec Canada) and Cecily Joyce (nee Probert) (of Wales UK) he was the only one of their children to be born in Canada, his Father served in the Canadian 22nd Regiment during the war and met and Married my Dad’s mum (who was from a large family of coal miners and boxers) whilst in England, where his sister Stephanie and brother Robert were born before the family moved to Montreal, after a few years he moved to London England with his Mum and older siblings, where he remained until his early twenties, though he later searched for his Father he never saw him again.

My Dad attributed his survival in the early years mainly to his beloved older brother Robert who always stood up for and supported him, as well as teaching him how to look after himself, they went to boys school together where my Dad subsequently became a member of the School Boxing Team, was a House Captain and went to Trade School where he left fully qualified as a painter/plasterer, a trade which he continued with as well as becoming a tiler later in life, he loved his work and was considered to be a Master Craftsman of the highest quality.

He left his mark in various buildings in and around Victoria BC, including The Bay Centre, The Strathcona, Big Bad John’s, Soprano’s and many others all over Vancouver Island.
Bobby remained his hero throughout his life and sadly passed away very recently of the same type of cancer and symptoms, my Dad although deeply grieving the loss of his Brother, was comforted greatly in his last days by the thought of them going off together again.

As a teenager in England he fell in love, had a Daughter with and Married Susan Christine Tetrault (nee Phillips) and then joined the Merchant Navy as a Cook, with his friend Steve, they sailed together via Canada to Australia where they jumped ship in Sydney, my Dad loved Australia and during his time there he worked as a labourer on the Opera House, (his favourite building along with the Sydney Harbour Bridge) Managed a pub in Kings Cross Sydney, and traveled across Queensland with friends in a VW van, he also spent two weeks in New Zealand which turned into two years, he has many happy memories from both countries and had looked forward to returning there.

He was a great supporter of human rights in general and the well-being and continuation of Indigenous and Native Culture both in Australia and Canada was something very dear to his heart.

After going back to England for awhile my Dad returned to Canada, where after a short stay in Montreal he moved to Alberta, he had many happy years there working mainly in the construction industry in Calgary, before moving to Victoria BC, a place he loved and lived happily among his wonderful and dear friends for the rest of his life.

My Dad ‘Steve the Great’ has gone home, may he be wrapped in unconditional love, joy and peace forever oxo TT

“You Will Get This”  –  Steve Tetrault