Valiant, Tenacious, Caring, Loved
André Jean passed away peacefully on July 15, 2026, in Orléans, Ontario, at the age of 79. He is survived by his two sons, Étienne and Sébastien; his beloved wife having predeceased him by two years.
Born into a large family of humble beginnings, André always loved the ocean and craved adventure. He taught himself English as a young man, and then, apparently deciding that wasn't challenge enough, joined the Navy to learn to fly helicopters.
An excellent storyteller, André delighted his family with tales from his years of service: hunting for downed satellite debris in the Arctic, visits to foreign ports of call, and the amusing shenanigans he and his fellow officers got into during downtime. He helped provide security during the 1976 Montreal Olympics, and loved recounting the thrill of landing his Sea King helicopter in storms on the deck of Canada's last aircraft carrier, the HMCS Bonaventure.
Returning from a naval deployment, André brought home the family's first computer, determined to expose his boys to the technology he knew would change the world. His instincts proved right: Étienne went on to build a career in financial services software, while Sébastien focused on embedded systems and now develops data storage systems.
Above all, André taught his sons to be caring, dependable, resilient, and skilled with their hands. Both are now married with families of their own, carrying forward the values he instilled in them. He will be deeply missed by everyone who knew him. Fair winds and following seas, André. We wish you well on your next adventure among the stars.
We are sincerely grateful to the many friends who have given us support and comfort during this time of loss.
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Service for André will be held on September 12th, 2026 from 11am to 1pm EST:
Funeral Co-operative of Ottawa
419 St-Laurent Blvd.
Ottawa, Ontario K1K 2Z8