Robert (Bob) April

Robert (Bob) April passed away on December 30th in Ottawa, Ontario at the age of 86. Beloved husband of Lorraine April (nee Pelletier) they celebrated 58 years of marriage on July 22 nd . Loving father to Michael April (Anna); Lynn; and Rose (Brad Hunter). They have been blessed by 7 grandchildren: Jenna, Andrew, Jordi, Hollis, Sebastian, Julia and Naomi. Bob is also survived by his brother, Gilles (Marie Casavant); sister Soeur Mariette; and sister, Adele (Marcel Bussiere). Predeceased by his parents Eugene and Rachel (née Ouellette), his four brothers Sylvio, Real, Lionel, Marcel and 2 sisters, Francoise and Yvette.

As a 16 year old boy after seeing washed out railway tracks, Bob ran 1 mile during a flash flood to the Zenon Park train station to tell the CN agent to stop the train. These heroic measures saved the derailment and the lives of 110 people aboard this passenger train. Robert April was deemed a hero, was interviewed by the media and was featured in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix. The Canadian National Railways rewarded his quick thinking by transporting him and his parents in a private dignitary train coach to Saskatoon for a weekend of site seeing, relaxation at the grand Besborough Hotel highlighted by a dinner in his honor where he was rewarded with an engraved gold Birks watch gratefully thanking him for his June 9th,1949 bravery.

Bob was interested in CB radios and the Morse Code which he learned from his uncle Johny who was a CN station agent. This led Bob to work as a Station Agent for Canadian National Railways from his early 20s until retiring in 1977. He loved recounting his CNR experiences as a relief station agent in over 25 towns throughout Saskatchewan.

He then became a Realtor for 5 years , followed by becoming a francophone general insurance agent.

Bob was a dedicated member of the Knights of Columbus at both Our Lady of Lourdes parish and St.Augustine parish in Saskatoon, SK. He was a “Mr. Fix-it” and loved woodworking. He enjoyed many summers at the lake camping, fishing and travelling to new destinations with his family each summer.

In his retirement he and his wife Lorraine lived for 4 years in Germany and experienced
travelling throughout Europe, Great Britain, Senegal, Africa, and enjoyed downhill skiing in Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.

After returning to Canada, Lorraine soon retired and they travelled to South America to tour Costa Rica. Later they wintered in Hawaii and finally moved bilingual Ottawa to live out their retirement years.

Funeral Service is scheduled for Tuesday, January 7, 2020 at 10:30 am. at Notre Dame de Lourdes Catholic Church, 435 Montreal Rd, Ottawa, ON K1K 0V2. Graveside service will follow at the adjacent Notre Dame Cemetery.