Marcel was welcomed into the world by parents Leo and Azilda (Genier) Coulombe on May 24, 1944, in Cochrane, Ontario. Marcel joined older sisters Polline and Suzanne, and John followed Marcel. The Coulombe family grew up in Cochrane, where he attended public school and high school.
Marcel started into the workforce, having many different jobs, before taking a job as an orderly at Northwestern General Hospital in Toronto. It was here that he met a nurse’s aid by the name of Isabel Smith Orr Craig. The two hit it off, and their first date was on October 31, 1964, attending a Halloween dance together. The spark continued and they were married on January 16, 1965, in Weston, Ontario.
Marcel and Isabel welcomed their first son Andre in 1966, and Marcel took off to work in the Yukon mining for gold, which was the beginning of their many moves (29 to be exact!) The Coulombe family made the move to Kitchener to be closer to Marcel’s sister Polline. This is where they welcomed their second son Raymond in 1967, and Marcel began working for Schneider’s. Marcel’s cousin owned a dairy farm on the 12th of Bruce, so the young family moved yet again so that Marcel could run the farm. The dairy farm was a 40-45 cow tie stall operation, and Marcel fell in love with farming. He loved all the chores that came with it, milking, doing hay, and many more tasks around the farm. Marcel began working for Bruce Packers, for around eight years, driving a delivery truck, before starting at Bruce Power. Marcel started as a janitor, continuing on to do heavy steam pipe installation, and finishing his twenty-five-year career at Bruce Power driving shuttle. During this time, they lived at Shakespear Estates, and then moved to the 6th of Bruce on a hobby farm, having animals from goats to horses, to rabbits and chickens. Marcel tried homing pigeons, but they kept flying home so that didn’t last too long!
Throughout his many jobs, Marcel also had many side jobs. He would clean snow off cottages and bring his boys along to help! The boys would climb to the top of the roof, and slide down to help get the excess snow off the roof, oftentimes making it harder for Marcel, being the snow would get packed down. He spent many years driving the boys to hockey and liked watching them play. Marcel received his license to perform reflexology, offering whole body reflexology massage and essential oil treatments in a built-in office in his garage, and also offered ear candling. Marcel liked to work with his hands, finishing the interior work of his house in Little Britain after the exterior went up. He also helped build a very large, covered deck on his last house in Chesley. He was so very happy to still be working with his hands.
Marcel enjoyed any activity that he could be outside, including hunting for moose and grouse, and fishing for walleye. He enjoyed every type of music, with adult contemporary and 60’s rock being his favourites. Marcel could often be found reading self-help books or western novels. He loved a good single malt scotch and enjoyed sitting down after a long day with a beer, most recently Busch Light. Marcel loved anything seafood; crab, scallops, shrimp, and recently was introduced to sushi. He couldn’t ever say no when someone brought him a Coffee Crisp, even if it was the mini ones!
Marcel enjoyed sitting down watching Hockey Night in Canada with his boys, and Disney on Sunday, or really anything to spend time with his family. Marcel enjoyed dancing, especially with his grandchildren at weddings. Marcel taught his family the importance of work ethic, the value of looking after your family, and to help as many people out in life as you can. He was straightforward, stubborn, and had no problem telling you the way it was! But he had the gentlest heart, putting others before himself and always willing to help when he could. Marcel had dealt with some health issues, and he passed away suddenly in Bocas del Toro, Panama, on Saturday, September 9, 2023, in his 80th year.
Loving father of Andre of Paisley and Raymond (Kelly) of Nobleton. Cherished grandfather of Samantha (Glen) Clifford, Jayme (Kyle Poole), and Virginia (Jarrod Van Hyfte), and great grandfather of Cohen, Dakota, Ryder, Mallory, and Amelia. Dear brother of Suzanne Efford of London, ON.
Predeceased by his wife Isabel (Orr Craig), his siblings Polline, John (Marie-Claire), his brother-in-law Daniel Efford, and his parents Leo and Azilda (Genier) Coulombe.
Visitation will be held at Rhody Family Funeral Home, Chesley on Saturday, November 11, 2023, from 1 – 3 p.m. A funeral service will be held at the funeral home on Sunday, November 12, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. Inurnment in Chesley Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation or the Alzheimer Society of Grey Bruce would be appreciated as expressions of sympathy.
