For Posterity's Sake         

A Royal Canadian Navy Historical Project

In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar

FONTAINE, Leslie Frederick - (the original Hipster) passed surrounded by family in is beloved room at Sunnybrook Veterans Retirement home, Toronto on Friday, July 27th in his 93rd year. He will be fondly remembered as an inventor, woodworker, genius, collector and proud Canadian. He is survived by his wife of 56 years Jacqueline (neé Middleton), daughters Susan (Robert Lawson) and Lynn (Michael Yates), grandchildren Brendan(Julie), Leslie and Andrew and his brother Ron and sister-in-law Edna. He is predeceased by his mother Evelyn (neé Atkins), his father Frederick Fontaine and his sisters Marjory (late Robert Irvine) and Doreen (Robert Howard). He was a Canadian Navy WWII Veteran who served on HMCS Mahone that took part in the Battle of the Atlantic and the Battle of the St. Lawrence. Special thanks to his Sunnybrook nurses Lira, Annalise, Espe and Letti. A memorial will be held at Ward Funeral Home on Thursday, August 2nd at 7pm. Please join us for a special rendition of “O Canada” at 7:30pm

Interview with Les Fontaine - In the fall of 2012 Les Fontaine was interviewed at the Sunnybrook Veterans’ Wing by grade 11 students Sarah Mainproze, Steph Erdman, and Kristen Stribopoulos. Les served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War, and he shared with the girls his memories of the Great Depression, as well his thoughts on the training and trans-Atlantic crossings, including the fears provoked by combat.