BÉDARD, Édouard
March 24, 2023

ÉDOUARD BÉDARD

It is with great sadness that we announce the untimely passing of Dr. Édouard Bédard at the age 87 years, at the Lakeshore General Hospital on March 24th, 2023, from cardiac complications.

Ed sadly leaves behind his cherished wife of 40 years, Joy Weir Bédard. He will also be sorely missed by his dear siblings, Gisèle (Bill Larocque, deceased), Marie-Claire (Hubert Dubois, deceased), André (Dorothea Jimmo), Monique (Aldo Piazza), Yvan (Maureen Farrington), Serge, and Rose-Marie, and sister-in-law Agnes (wife of Jean-Louis, deceased). He will also be deeply missed by many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews, and other members of the Bédard family, his wife Joy’s cousins and other members of the Weir family, and so many friends who were like family.

Ed was the fourth child of a large family of eleven children. At the age of 14, he entered the seminary where he remained and eventually joined the Brothers of the Sacred Heart. In this profession as Brother, he worked as a teacher in various cities in Ontario, after which he became the principal of the Sacred Heart Juniorate in Summerstown. He then did missionary work in the Philippines for six years, working as a teacher, guidance counsellor, and later, superintendent of schools. He then returned to Timmins, where he worked as the director of a family counselling center.

It was there that he met his beloved wife-to-be and started a new chapter in his life at the age of 48 years, marrying Joy in 1983. They moved to St. Catherines, Ontario and Edouard began to work for New Horizons, a government senior support program. Five years later, in 1988, he and Joy moved to Montreal, where he worked as the assistant director of the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace for 5 years. During this time, he travelled extensively around the world for his work, to places such as Vietnam, Ethiopia, Senegal, and Latin America.

In 1992, Edouard opened a private psychotherapy practice in Pointe-Claire, offering counselling to individuals, couples, and families, which he continued until his retirement. And during this time, he continued to travel around the world with Joy, on various cruises and other trips.

Ed was also a brilliant and curious man and a life-long learner, who obtained five masters degrees, in marital counselling, pastoral counselling, guidance counselling, education, and Latin. He later went on to obtain a doctoral degree in education in 1989, after which he continued to obtain trainings to perfect his psychotherapy skills until he retired.

Throughout all of these years, Ed’s dedication to God and to the church remained strong, and he was a highly involved and committed member of the St. Edward the Confessor Mission. He also engaged in other volunteer work throughout the years, most recently working for Meals on Wheels with Joy.

Ed will be forever remembered for his compassion, generosity, gentle spirit, and humility. The words that describe him best are pure love. He was a humble man of great compassion who loved with an open heart, and whose selflessness was unmatched. He always put the needs of others first, and his dedication to his darling Joy was beyond compare. He has been a loving and doting caregiver to her for the last several years, and even in his final days at the hospital, his concern was for her only.

We will miss him dearly, especially his warm smile and big hugs, but we are comforted in knowing that he has gone to a better place, free of worry, and that he has been welcomed into the arms of his loving parents, Alberte and Victor Bédard, and brothers, Jean-Louis, Arthur, and Gilles, as well as many other loved ones. His presence in this world truly made it a better place for all of us and his legacy of love and compassion will live on in our hearts.

The celebration of Edouard’s life will take place on Saturday, April 15th at St. Edward the Confessor Mission, 98 Aurora Avenue, Pointe-Claire, Quebec, H9R 3G7. Visitation will begin at 10:00am, followed by a service at the same location at 12:00pm, immediately followed by small reception. For the livestream, please follow this link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2121182973?pwd=bmQ4SUw3L2h0dktDUG9iVWNibHhwQT09#success

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory to the Alzheimer and Dementia Society of Canada would be greatly appreciated, in honour of his wife, Joy. We would also like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Serban on the General Medecine/3rd floor of the Lakeshore General Hospital for her care, compassion, and dedication, as well as her kindness toward our family.