Born February 1938, Died in his sleep August 16th 2016.
Alex was raised in Catholic orphanage some 100 miles north of Montreal he received a grade 3 education and at 16 years was put out with no money and just the clothes on his back mon Dieu. After working on a farm in the area for room and board he quit and caught a ride to Montreal mon Dieu. He worked in Montreal for a time had a sweet heart but their affair ended because of a stay in a TB sanitarium for 5 years (never married, never had children) mon Dieu. Initially Doctors thought he would die from the TB but he pulled through mon Dieu. After a time in Montreal he moved to Vancouver Island, arriving here only speaking French mon Dieu. He taught himself English and started a roofing business and did that until he was injured mon Dieu. Alex always made his own way even if it was selling bottles or scrap metal mon Dieu. Every morning in his later years you would find him in the Pioneer House for toast and coffee mon Dieu. If you saw him and missed talking to him it really was your loss mon Dieu. Alex’s moment of fame was when he was featured on the Rock Cod Restaurant Menu mon Dieu. The Glass was always half full with Alex mon Dieu. Life gave him Lemons when he was born and he turned them into and Oranges mon Dieu. He is survived by his friends and people lucky enough to meet him mon Dieu. He liked the Cowichan Capitals and when they lost it was because the Refs only gave penalties to the Capitals and Refs were in favour of the other team mon Dieu He loved his stuff (some might call it junk) but to Alex every piece was the best Object made mon Dieu.
Rest in peace Alex Bertrand.