Greg passed away at home on November 27, 2024 in Victoria, BC.
He will be greatly missed by his wife, Catherine; his daughters Jenny and Emmanuelle; his son-in-laws, Ian and Ethan. His father Peter, sisters Marion, Michele and Nicolle, mother-in-law, Yvette, extended family from France, Nicole, Bruno, Caroline, all his nieces and nephews and so many friends will miss him equally.
Born on September 9, 1959, at the RAF hospital in Upjever, Germany, Greg grew up in a military family, living and traveling throughout Europe and Canada. Unsurprisingly, he was an adventurous child who loved exploring and goofing around with his sisters. From a young age, he had a love of water, fishing and canoeing; even rescuing ducklings on the Rideau River.
At 18, Greg joined the armed forces and pursued engineering at the Royal Military College (RMC), where he formed many lifelong friendships. After an enjoyable few years posted at CFB Comox, windsurfing and teaching skiing, he was moved to Winnipeg in 1987. There, he met his wife Catherine at the Winnipeg Ski Club. They travelled the world together, backpacking through South-East Asia, where they got engaged in the Himalayas. They married shortly afterwards in France on a beautiful sunny day, surrounded by friends and family.
Greg and Catherine then moved to Vancouver where they had two daughters. One of Greg’s most cherished experiences with his family was sailing for a year in the Caribbean on their beloved boat, Alisee III. In 2002, they left the big city and moved to Victoria to spend more time sailing, hiking, skiing and exploring Vancouver Island.
Greg was a passionate, generous and kind individual. His generosity was unparalleled and he wouldn’t hesitate to give his advice, always lending a hand or ear to anyone who needed it. He was someone who could make friends with anyone and cared about everyone. He excelled at everything he put his mind to, whether it be wind and water sports, running, sailing, gaming or technology, to name a few. He loved to share these passions with his friends, family and especially his daughters.
Greg lived life fully, embracing every moment without regret. His adventurous spirit, kindness and love will live on in the hearts of everyone whose lives he touched.
A celebration of Greg’s life will be held on Thursday, December 19, 2024 at 2:00 pm (PST) in the Sequoia Centre at McCall Gardens Funeral Home, 4665 Falaise Drive, Victoria, BC. For those unable to attend in person, the link is below:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87051803192?pwd=HiPeGbanQB908P3rz98BGtk2kvMouW.1
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cardiac Care, Victoria Hospitals Foundation https://www.victoriahf.ca/cardiac-care/
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
48 Responses
Sincerest condolences to the family and to you, Catherine in particular, who always spoke so fondly of Greg, about your shared adventures. Everything in the obituary speaks so lovingly about Greg, and this is what everyone saw and felt.
Farewell Greg
Greg, our dear, cherished classmate entered the Royal Military College of Canada in 1978 and was assigned College #13605. He excelled as an athletic distance runner. He was a gregarious member of the first class of the newly reorganized Fuels and Materials Engineering faculty, with nuclear option and graduated in 1982. Greg always maintained a solid association with his military college classmates, attended reunions and contributed to all our activities. He was a grand gentleman who was fiercely complimentary of his experiences gained and friendships solidified while an officer cadet at RMC and during his military career as an aerospace engineering officer. Greg was an ever-present and beloved part of our lives, known for his compassion, enthusiasm, humour, and unwavering friendship. Carry on, Bud. Truth. Duty. Valour. Your Class of 1982.
My thoughts are with Catherine, Jenny and Emmanuelle, and with everyone who knew and loved Greg. May his legacy live on through the beautiful memories he created with the people he held close to his heart. Le deuil terrible qui vous accable témoigne de l’amour et du bonheur infinis qu’il a semé sur son passage. Mes condoléances les plus sincères.
Greg,
We met at RMC on the Cross-Country team and ran around all over Ontario together.
We reconnected when you and Catherine visited me in Arizona and shared our mutual passions for flight simulation.
Thank you for being my friend and especially to my brother Alain.
Raynald
My heartfelt condolences! I am at a loss for words.
Greg, it’s unfair.
We’ll miss you so much, thanks for the spirit, the laughter, the shrimp, the good humor and the joie de vivre.
You will always be a inspiring person for our family.
Bon vent.
Sara, Sylvain & Athanase
I knew Greg for about 15 years. We were both active in the tech industry so we crossed paths frequently. We’d have lunches or go kayaking before work in the summer. I loved his sense of optimism and fun. Emmanuelle even worked for us as a coop. Greg’s volunteer contributions were legendary. We’re all in his debt. Rest in peace my friend.
Greg was one of a kind and one of the good ones. Kind, thoughtful, passionate, inclined to action – I will miss him. He was a role model for living each day to the fullest… My condolences to Catherine, Emmanuelle and Jenny, his other family members, and so very many friends.
Our hearts ache at such a huge loss.
Although our time spent with Greg was brief, the effect he had was impactful. It was a privilege getting to spend time with someone who lived life to the fullest with a heart full of love. I will be eternally grateful for the genuine love and kindness with which he accepted my brother — Jenny’s husband Ian — into his family, and for the incredible influence he’s had on raising Jenny and Emmanuelle into the most wonderful women.
We will miss you so deeply, Greg.