Le Courant

Who is Robert ? By Leandre Gaudreau Through our research in the U.S. We have learned that Robert Louis Durand was the son of Charles, he being the brother of Prosper, a respected resident of Coaticook. A graduate of the University of Santa Clara in California, and of St. Louis Medical University School, Robert was a general practitioner in San Francisco. Robert married Florence ( Dolly) Ellen Snyder from Toledo Ohio on November 20,1943. Dolly was born February 20,1920 and died July 3, 2001. Robert and Dolly resided in Colfax Ca. from 1947 until 1949, then he was stationed in Reno Nv. Where he was an army officer. (His daughter Nicole believes he worked at the Reno hospital .during his military service) After completing his service time he went to practice medicine in San Francisco. Besides his regular practice Dr. Durand was for many years 1) One of the doctors for the now famous “Bay to Breakers in S.F. before they gained the enormous popularity they have today. (2) Doctor for the members of the San Francisco City college football team. (3) One of the doctors for professional wrestling. (4) The house doctor , but also a member, of the Olympic Club ( a prestigious golf club and country club in San Francisco. He was the staff doctor for the Little Sisters of the Poor convalescent home where his mother Anna spent her last years and his wife Dolly was a very active volunteer .He was also the doctor for the Golden Gloves amateur boxing competitions. His daughter Nicole also shared with us “My father followed the S.F.Giants baseball team but he was also bitten by the sport of football the Forty Niners. He had his season tickets for many years and he even attended the 1985 Super Bowl, not long before his passing. Those were without doubt the best days of his life. From his marriage to Florence 4 children were born: ( 1 ) Robert Charles was born August 10, 1944. Bob married Judith Clampett now divorced. They have one son Christian born November 9, 1967. Bob then remarried with Roberta Dyer December 17, 1978 and have a son named Aaron Marc Durand born march 11, 1980. (2)Michelle Louise was born June 30,1946 She married Dennis Collum Prator January 18, 1969. They have 2 sons Mark Charles born January 25, 1970 who married Margo Sanders October2,1999. They have 2 children ( a ) Jeffrey David born January 12, 2002 & Alexis Maria born July 8, 2004 ( b) Mathew John born January 14, 1942, married Meera Caterina Heller September 1, 2002 ( 3 ) Steven Louis born August 30, 1947. He married twice but was unsuccessful. He worked for 20 years in the shipping business. ( 4 ) Nicole was born May 14, 1955. She married Jerold Steven Tonelli August 13, 1977. They have 4 children. 1)Marissa Nicole born December 9,1982, 2) Roberta Diane March 22, 1985, 3) Celsa Marie born April 8, 1988 and 4) Dino Joseph born July 6, 1991. Nicole is a speech therapist and Jerry is a pharmacist in San Francisco. He is in a pharmacy that has been operating since 1908 and he inherited from his father. Nicole works in the public school system where she holds 2 positions. One as a speech therapist and another with the hearing impaired. She also works with the early start program which addresses nourishment for young children, deaf and hard of hearing. Marisa works with children in childcare. Roberta ( name given in memory of her grandfather who passed away while Nicole was pregnant) just graduated from Georgetown Law School and will begin her career as soon as she passes her bar exams. Celsa graduated from the University last year. Dino is studying human physiology His grandmother strongly encourages him to choose pharmacology to perpetuate the tradition. With his roots in Coaticook did Robert ever come to visit Coaticook? Did he know his family is celebrated here? This I inquired from Nicole and she replied she did not think her father ever made it to Canada and he must not have knowledge as to how his family was so well known in Coaticook.( He was only 12 when he lost his father.) He did not speak French fluently, but she thinks that he could read it. She learned from others that his French heritage was very important to him and he wanted his children’s given names to be French. Sincere thanks to Mrs.Patricia Provencher Floyd for her research in the U.S. To Claudette Cliche Hugron et Michel Guimond for the precious help on genealogy and finally to Francois Gloutnay for the judicial advice for the redaction. Equally thanks to Mrs. Nada Z.Duffek, President of the Historical Society of Colfax and to her husband Lion Edward Duffek who held the post of president of the Lions Club in the same town at the time I did my research.