Wednesday, April 2, 2014
I am one of Desi's cousins and my late mother, Irene was his youngest aunt on the Desruisseaux side of the family. I would like to express my deepest sympathy to his immediate family members and friends for their loss. My parents, myself and my sister Fiona were, perhaps understandably, closest to Desi's parents- My Uncle Leon and aunt Minnie- and the Sawyerville, Quebec homestead of the Desruisseaux clan. In my youth, my cousins Betty Floyd and Norman, had already migrated to Toronto/ Hamilton area. However, on a few of happy and memorable occasions, we were able to meet as a wider family- in both Quebec and Ontario. I can see from other tributes that Desi's friends enjoyed his sense of humour, and appreciated his outgoing nature- characteristics I also richly remember. Though too young for much of our early acquaintance, I now also share his partiality for a cold beer- or two- and will raise a glass to his fond memory this Friday.
