First President, 1989-1994
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| Our first president, René from Québec City, directed the Association for five years and then continued to serve as a director. He was therefore a member of the Board of Directors from the start until 1998, and he continued to sit as an observer in his role as Past President. He holds the record for perseverance. He is seen here in discussion at one of his numerous meetings. |
Born in 1925, a civil engineer by profession, married and the father of two children, he worked throughout his career on the design and construction of buildings and bridges. As a volunteer, he collaborated in the development of memoirs and requests on matters related to the restortation of Old Québec and the protection of the Québecois heritage.
In the area of sports and leisure, he took part in swimming, cycling, alpine skiing, and cross-country skiing. He also devoted himself to gardening, do-it-yourself activities, reading, and historical research.
His participation in the development of the Association has always been significant.
Our first president participated in the founding of the Association and in the activities of the first five years since he was directing things during that period. Not satisfied with these accomplishments, he stepped down as president, but stayed on as a director and took on various tasks.
His finest accomplishment undoubtedly was the erection of a monument to our ancestors in the Robitaille Park in Ste. Foy. It was, first and foremost, thanks to his numerous submissions to the authorities of that city that the Robitaille name was given to that park located in the middle of our ancestral land. He also organized the development and unveiling of the arms of the Robitaille family, as well a as contest for Association members to find an appropriate desiign.
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| Here is René at the age of three months in the arms of his grandfather, Amédée. |
He attended all our gatherings, including the one in 1998, in which he participated in a special way by developing unpublished guided tours of Old Québec because his experience in the area made him able to bring out historical facts that the regular tours do not mention.
René Robitaille died in Québec City on October 28, 2017, at the age of 92. He was the husband of Éliane Drolet. He leaves behind his grieving daughters, Paule (Mathieu Arès) and Lorraine (André Alain); as well as his grandchildren, Caroline, Louis-Philippe, Olivier, and Lauriane.
THANKS RENÉ FOR YOUR INITIATIVE AND YOUR EVERLASTING INTEREST