Honoured by David Nadeau and John Nadeau
Our father,
Richard Nadeau will forever be remembered as a man of action.
His life began on the move; born June 1,1931 in Flint, Michigan while his parents were there vacationing. Raised from the wilderness of the Matachewan ‘Head of Lakes’, he was the eldest boy of his 6 siblings.
An accomplished athlete in his youth, he played for the junior hockey Barrie Flyers and was a star for the 1948-49 Northern Ontario Hockey Junior B Champion Kapuskasing Lions. His playing days abruptly ended when his father David fell seriously ill, and he took charge of the family grocery store on the Circle. He proposed to our mother Jean after knowing her for only 2 weeks. They were soon married in Immaculate Conception Church on the very frosty morning of January 4,1954; 6 children were born of their loving union in the next 9 years.
His entrepreneurial acumen expanded that single grocery store into the first shopping center in the North, Kapuskasing’s Model City Mall.
With Trident Real Estate Ltd, he developed the construction of many homes, subdivisions, apartment buildings and commercial properties.
A tragic hunting accident ended his active life on November 22, 1978.
His treasure was his family, and their development remains as his proudest accomplishments. He leaves behind many fond memories of his incomparable energy and perseverance, boundless enthusiasm and an unparalleled zeal for living. We all miss you Dad.
Love
David Nadeau, eldest son
In several ways, my father, Richard Nadeau, was the type of person we all want to become.
Dad’s “joie de vivre”, contagious enthusiasm and rational approach to problems come to mind as some of the important character traits that we all aspire to develop.
His intrinsic friendly demeanor allowed him to strike up a meaningful conversation with anyone.
He also always took the time to stop what he was doing in order to give you his undivided attention when speaking to you.
I am forever grateful to Dad for introducing me to the great outdoors and I often think of him during times of solitude when fishing or hunting. We have so many fond family memories at Audrey Lake.
Perhaps Dad’s most unique quality was his ability to make his loved ones feel special on a regular basis. This is what I remember him the most for.
It is not surprising that we all look up to him and remember him with such great admiration.
In the end, the memories of my father continue to inspire me to become a better person.
Love
John Nadeau, youngest son