Last week, colleagues, family members, and loved ones were shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden death of CPO2 Gilles Duquette.
The 54-year-old Base Accommodations Officer and 29-year member of the Royal Canadian Navy was found dead in his home in Work Point’s Married Quarters Jan. 28.
While the exact circumstances of CPO2 Duquette’s death are under investigation, the Defence Community has come out in support of his wife and two children in their time of need.
“I’ve put a team in place to provide his family with our full support,” says Cdr Wes Golden, Base Administration Officer in a branch-wide email. “They, like many of us, are struggling to make sense of this tragedy. They are in our thoughts and prayers as we mourn his passing with them.”
CPO2 Duqeuette served on a multitude of ships including HMC Ships Kootenay, Annapolis, Vancouver, Huron, Calgary, Ottawa, and Winnipeg.
He was also the veteran of two deployments. In 1989 he deployed to Syria on a United Nations’ mission and in 2002 deployed on Vancouver to Bahrain as part of Task Force South-West Asia.
Plans are being made to honour his life and achievements.
“He was an exceptional sailor and warrior, and enjoyed a distinguished career in the RCN,” said Cdr Golden. “We will, respecting his family’s wishes, remember him as the warrior he was. We will miss him dearly.”
-Shawn O’Hara, Staff Writer
