Biographie Rochon Joseph

From: "The Leader Post" - Regina Saskatchewan Canada - 26 Oct 1937, Tuesday.

JOSEPH ROCHON LAID TO REST AT MONTMARTRE - HAD BEEN IN RAILWAY SERVICE FOR MORE THAN FIFTY YEARS (Special Despatch) The funeral of Joseph Rochon, who opened the Montmartre C.N.R station Oct. 1, 1903, and remained in charge for 20 years when he was pensioned, was held in Sacred Heart church Thursday. He had started his railway career as assistant telegrapher at Grenville, QC., in 1880, and in 1885 was despatcher for the C.P.R. at Ottawa, ON., where Aug. 24, 1885, he married Margaret Doyle of that city and who survives him, also two sons, Joseph J., of Montmartre, and Howard, station agent at Candiac, also one daughter, Mrs. A.J. Boyer of Montmartre. Born at Caledonia Springs, ON on Jan. 3, 1856, he had passed his 81st birthday and his 52nd year of married life. Few men enjoyed as great a share in the development of railway service in Canada as he did. One of the first employees of the C.P.R., he had been agent or despatcher at St. Martin's Junction, QC, alos North Bay and Schreiber, ON where he resigned and built the Queen's hotel which he sold a few years later to purchase the Western hotel in Port Arthur, ON. He sold this to enter the service of MacKenzie and Mann builders, as superintendent of construction of their line from Dauphin to North Battleford, and next of their line from Brandon to Regina, completed in 1908. His acquaintance among railway men of both the C.P.R. and the C.N.R. was extensive and a popular one. Always a curler from youth, he and his brother, Mac Rochon, of Winnipeg, who died in California recently, were a team to reckon with in the heyday of curling in western Canada. The family have numerous trophies of his bonspiel winning honors. His passing removes one of the humble but efficient and colorful builders of wester Canada, and one of its most esteemed citizens. Always French in accent, demeanor and spirit, he was a welcome guest among the French and English speaking residents of Montmartre at all family reunions, where is folklore songs of the French Canada of the 1860's, mostly of the "Voyageur" type, brought mirth and gaity to the gathering. A lover of good horses he organized the Montmartre Turf club and his knowledge brought the best horses from the Jas. Boyle stables and from Winnipeg to race meets in Montmartre in the early days. Rev. J.A. Thériault, parish priest of Montmartre for the past 35 years, officiated at the funeral service, and Rev. J.A. Foisy conducted the rites at the graveside. Pallbearers were A.A. LeBlanc, Walter Lavoy, Palma Goulet, Max Coupal, Wilfrid Coupal and Conrad Dozois, all old timers of the Montmartre district. Funeral arrangements were in charge of the J.A. Léveillé funeral parlors. Many flora and spiritual bouquets covered the casket.