Patrice Vincent funeral: Canadians pay respects at Friday visitation
Members of the public will pay their respects on Friday afternoon to Patrice Vincent, the warrant officer killed in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu by a “radicalized” man in Longueuil, Que. Colleagues remember Vincent Vincent's military career spanned 28 years and nine bases across Canada.
Vincent was a man who could easily command attention, said one of his colleagues. "He was always all over the place helping people out and when he came into a room, you definitely felt it," Sgt. Marc Adolphe recalled in an interview. "He had a very positive energy to him, a very big voice, always smiling, always happy."
Vincent was working as a member of the military's personnel support staff when he was struck. Adolphe said he came to know the veteran soldier during the past few years as they worked together in the IT department at 438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron in St-Hubert, near Montreal.
The two men did a lot of troubleshooting on computer and telephone systems on the base.
"He enjoyed what he did, which made everything go much easier," Adolphe said. "He brought fun to the job."
A long military career Vincent is best remembered for his longtime work as a military firefighter.
"I always identified him as a firefighter because I was impressed by the fact that he was (one)," Adolphe said. "But the job itself, it was much more IT-related."
Vincent joined the Forces in the spring of 1986 as a combat engineer. After completing his initial trade training, he was posted later that year to CFB Valcartier, near Quebec City.
In 1990, he redeployed as a military firefighter and served at a number of Canadian Forces bases, including Comox, B.C; Trenton, Ont; Edmonton; and North Bay, Ont.
Vincent also served around the world on several warships.
Vincent’s military funeral will be held at St-Antoine-de-Padoue Church in Longueuil Saturday at 11 a.m. Although it will be closed to the public, people are invited to gather outside of the church to pay their respects.
Members of the public will pay their respects on Friday afternoon to Patrice Vincent, the warrant officer killed in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu by a “radicalized” man in Longueuil, Que. Colleagues remember Vincent Vincent's military career spanned 28 years and nine bases across Canada.
Vincent was a man who could easily command attention, said one of his colleagues. "He was always all over the place helping people out and when he came into a room, you definitely felt it," Sgt. Marc Adolphe recalled in an interview. "He had a very positive energy to him, a very big voice, always smiling, always happy."
Vincent was working as a member of the military's personnel support staff when he was struck. Adolphe said he came to know the veteran soldier during the past few years as they worked together in the IT department at 438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron in St-Hubert, near Montreal.
The two men did a lot of troubleshooting on computer and telephone systems on the base.
"He enjoyed what he did, which made everything go much easier," Adolphe said. "He brought fun to the job."
A long military career Vincent is best remembered for his longtime work as a military firefighter.
"I always identified him as a firefighter because I was impressed by the fact that he was (one)," Adolphe said. "But the job itself, it was much more IT-related."
Vincent joined the Forces in the spring of 1986 as a combat engineer. After completing his initial trade training, he was posted later that year to CFB Valcartier, near Quebec City.
In 1990, he redeployed as a military firefighter and served at a number of Canadian Forces bases, including Comox, B.C; Trenton, Ont; Edmonton; and North Bay, Ont.
Vincent also served around the world on several warships.
Vincent’s military funeral will be held at St-Antoine-de-Padoue Church in Longueuil Saturday at 11 a.m. Although it will be closed to the public, people are invited to gather outside of the church to pay their respects.
Lest we forget.