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In Memoriam

Brother Alvin Voisin died peacefully on July 19, 2015, at Rene Goupil House in Pickering, Ontario. He was in his 99th year of life and was a Jesuit brother for 74 years. Br. Voisin was born and raised in the small town of St. Clements, Ontario, son of Robert Voisin and Louisa Lunz. Three of his siblings also joined religious communities, one of them, Lawrence, entered the Society in 1931 and left in 1956. Br. Voisin entered the novitiate in Guelph in 1941 as a coadjutor novice when he was 22. His first assignment after first vows was to Garnier School in Spanish, Ontario. He faithfully worked as overseer of the property and gardener, and he did the usual household tasks that the brothers used to do in those days. After Garnier School was closed in 1958, he moved to Loyola Retreat House in Oakville, Ontario, to supervise the care of the extensive grounds.

In 1960, Br. Voisin began his long tenure at Guelph when he went there to work as custodian of the grounds and on the farm. This ended in 2000 when ill health brought about the move to the infirmary at Pickering. The only interruption in his long stay at Guelph was from 1979 to 1981, when he was appointed assistant to the minister, Br. Paul Robin, in Pickering. A lot of renovation was being done at Manresa Retreat House and his maintenance skills were called upon during those two years of steady work.

Br. Voisin was a good storyteller, and when he laughed, the sound would fill a room. He had a great attraction to the music of the Greek chanteuse, Nana Mouskouri; he managed to attend several of her concerts in North America. He also never failed to listen to the champagne music of maestro Lawrence Welk.

A quiet man in later life, Br. Voisin was always seen by his community as a solid and prayerful Jesuit.