Comrade Raymond Trudel

Ray was born in the Laurentians, north of Montreal. He was educated there and at Le Plateau High School in Montreal. Ray joined the Royal Canadian Navy, retiring after 25 years of service. He was awarded the Canadian Forces Decoration, and in 1967 he was presented with the Centennial Medal. Following his retirement from the RCN, he joined Statistics Canada, where he finally retired after 16 years with the Public Service.

Ray was really proud of his 48-year membership in the Lions Club. He was a very active volunteer in that Association, taking on many leadership roles. He first joined the Inuvik, N.W.T. Lions Club in 1963. He subsequently transferred to the Riverview, N.B. Lions Club where he served from 1964-68.  His pride and joy, however, was that in 1968 he was the Founder and Charter President of the Massett-Haida Lions Club in B.C. When he was posted to Ottawa in 1970, he joined the Ottawa South Lions Club where he remained until transferring his membership to the Barrhaven Lions Club, as they were located in the community where he resided. Ray has been honoured with a myriad of fellowships, certificates of appreciation, honourary titles, plaques and trophies throughout his voluntary service to his fellow citizens and his community.

Comrade Ray had held previous membership in several Legion Branches across Canada, but he became a member of the Royal Canadian Legion Barrhaven Branch 641 shortly after it was chartered in 2005. He was elected to the Executive Committee the following year, and then spent the last three years as the Branch Sergeant-At-Arms. When he decided to take on a lesser role, he was granted the title of Honourary Sergeant-At-Arms and was awarded Life Membership into the Legion in 2011.

Ray was loved and will be missed by his spouse Lorraine, his sons Bob, Gerry and Ray (Irma), his daughter-in-law Sue and his brother Gilles (Francoise). He will also be missed by his grandchildren Michael, Marcus, Krystal, Julie, Chelsea, Matthew and Micayla, his great-grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He also leaves to mourn his numerous friends, especially Gus Este, and his friends and colleagues in the Barrhaven Lions, the Barrhaven Legion Branch 641, the CNIB, the Old Timers #291 and the Trudel Family Association, all of which he spent many hours doing volunteer work for their causes.

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