Jean-Claude Trudel

Jean-Claude Trudel, 88, died of complications from COVID-19 on Nov 29, 2020 at the NH Veteran's Home. He was born Dec 5, 1931 during the Great Depression, in St. Guillaume D'Upton, Quebec, Canada, son of Origene and Yvonne (Pelissier) Trudel. His mother died of tuberculosis when he was two, and he was raised until age 10 in an orphanage in Nicolet, Quebec, when he and his brother were taken in as foster children by the LaRose family, working on their farm and harvesting lumber in St. Bruno de Guigues, Quebec. Jean-Claude emigrated to the US at 18, to work for his 'uncles' in Nashua, NH – Joe Durocher, builder and developer, and Ted Durocher, founder of Durocher's Ice Cream, a regional brand. He enlisted in the US Air Force in 1951, and became a naturalized citizen, serving on Okinawa in the Korean War, and starting on his path toward the American Dream.

Following his years of military service, he married the love of his life, Constance 'Mae' LaFrance in 1955, was her devoted husband for over 53 years until her death, and a loving father to their two children. Although he had only attended a rural school through primary grades in Canada, he completed a degree at the Nashua Business College, as well as television repair training, leading to his career in emerging technology during the Cold War. He worked for over 25 years in engineering for Sanders/Lockheed/BAE in Nashua, NH. After retirement and moving to Naples, FL, he was employed in security and briefly in real estate sales. The couple returned north to live with their daughter in Farmington, NH in 1998, and he later resided in his daughter's homes in Provincetown, MA and Hancock, NH as a widower until last year, when he transitioned to the NH Veterans Home due to the progression of dementia.

Jean-Claude previously was a communicant of Holy Infant Jesus and St. Joseph's parishes in Nashua, NH, a deacon and choir member of Nashua Christian Bible Church, and choir member of the First Baptist Church in Naples, FL. He loved God and country, reading the Bible and raising the flag in his front yard each day. After the death of JFK, he became a Republican, but was above all an American, a Christian, and a patriot, proud to have never voted for the current president. For many years he ministered to the sick and dying, and gathered food for those in need in the Nashua area. His was quick with a joke, comforted many, could fix almost anything, had a remarkable work ethic, modeled commitment and honesty, and never lost his clear, strong tenor voice. As a father, he wore out the wheels on the stroller, read us the World Book Encyclopedia, and was up at night in the dead of winter spraying water for our backyard ice rink. He used his snowblower to make us hills and forts, and would then go a block up the road to clear the driveway for his friend from work and her widowed mother. He led by example, with discipline and love.

Jean-Claude is preceded in death by his spouse Constance 'Mae' (LaFrance) Trudel, and sisters Liliane Trudel, Jeanine (Trudel) Giguere and Carmen (Trudel) Doucet of Canada, and brother Alban Trudel of Nashua, NH. He is survived by his son Toby J. Trudel (spouse Christine 'Isibel' Trudel), and granddaughter Shoshana Trudel (spouse Keenan Kerr) of Manchester, NH; daughter Dr. Tina M. Trudel (spouse Dorothy Palanza), step-grandson Nikolai Palanza-Krause of Hancock, NH; and step-granddaughter Dr. Anna MacKay-Brandt and great-grandsons Lewis and James of New York; and sister Marie-Paule Trudel of Montreal, Canada, along with many nieces, nephews and cousins. Jean-Claude and Mae will be interred together in a private ceremony at the LaFrance family plot, St. Louis Cemetery, Nashua, NH. Jean-Claude was a man of faith, an immigrant, and a veteran. He ministered to the sick and helped feed the hungry. He loved music, animals, and nature. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to those charities that honor what was meaningful in his life