Pierre Gilles DUPUIS

1931 - 2020

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL PIERRE GILLES DUPUIS CD, Légion d'Honneur March 31, 1931 - August 4, 2020 It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Pierre Dupuis, at Montfort Hospital, age 89. He was the beloved husband of Françoise Dupuis (née) de Montaut, brother to Michel (deceased), uncle to Pascale de Montaut (Cannes, France), godfather to Cassandra Mactavish, and godfather to her son, David. Pierre served in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), first as a RCAF pilot, and then as a Public Affairs Officer. In the early 1960's, he was posted to a Canadian military unit in Paris, where he met his beloved wife, Françoise. Tours of duty in Canada followed, and in 1971, he returned to Europe as the Senior Public Affairs Officer to Canadian Forces Europe, based in Lahr Germany. In 1976, where he was the Senior Information Officer, Quebec Region, based in Montreal, LCol Dupuis was honoured to be appointed Senior Officer escorting Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip during their 1976 Olympic Games visit. From Montreal, Pierre and Françoise moved once again to National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa. In addition to his many military Public Affairs duties, Pierre volunteered in his personal time at the French language school and cultural center, Alliance Française where he was appointed President. Pierre is a graduate of the NATO Defence College in Rome and a former staff officer at the Collège Militaire Royal, St. Jean, Quebec. Wherever he served, he was an advocate for the daily use and excellence of the French language. He pursued this commitment into his retirement from the CAF in 1986 at the NATO Headquarters in Brunsuum, The Netherlands, where he was appointed Chief Translator. He served there for ten years. Pierre was an avid volunteer. For more than five years he volunteered with the Ottawa Police Service in the Rockcliffe detachment, supporting community safety and security. Pierre loved his favourite hobbies which he shared with Françoise, travelling, skiing and playing tennis. Every winter they returned to their beloved second home on the Mediterranean coast in Cannes, France. Pierre will be dearly missed by his family and friends, with whom there will be a private farewell ceremony. For online condolences, please visit http://beechwoodottawa.ca/en/services/pierre-gilles-dupuis