Wayne Laflamme

Wayne Laflamme –

on October 31, 2019

Age 57

Departed on the day of his choosing, ending a courageous and life-altering dance with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

Survived by his mother, Nancy (Tilcock) Laflamme; sons Dean Laflamme and Quinn Laflamme; brother Don Laflamme and nieces Cleo Clatney and Bella Laflamme, and sister-in-law/friend Caroline Hawthorne; Mamere Nan Tilcock. Predeceased by his father Leo Laflamme.

Lovingly remembered by his many friends, his girlfriends - -the Muses -- , his cousins, aunts and uncles, and caregivers.

Wayne was an inveterate salesman with a love of telling stories. He repeated the stories to all who would listen, embellishing a story each time he told it, with his brown eyes laughing. Stories about Las Vegas, road trips, classic cars, his travels, leaving Ottawa, closing great deals, friends he has known, great parties -- hockey parties, pool parties – with a salesman’s attention to detail and a love of repeating the same story endlessly with new specifics.

Wayne asserted that he had lived the life he wanted, got what he wanted, pursued the things he wanted to do. He travelled. He made money. He had adventures with his children, and with friends. He was one of a unique and tight gang of boys from Mechanicsville, who have sustained their friendship, and their notorious stories, for these many years.

As a group of young friends, the Mechanicsville boys were terrors on bicycles, and later honed their skills on rebuilt motorcycles and old cars – their tickets to freedom and independence.

Wayne unabashedly became a figure skater, in a time when that vocation was not particularly encouraged, particularly for a boy from Mechanicsville. Eventually, his figure skating skills translated into a gift for hockey, and he was good enough to have almost made the leagues. Though playing was no longer an options, his lifetime love of hockey continued.

He discovered a love of graphic arts in his youth and combined his talent with his entrepreneurial spirit to do t-shirts designs, including one for Fisher park school, selling hundreds of silkscreened t-shirts that cost him $1 each for $6. Graphic arts led him to a career in sales in the printing industry, which he loved, and which made him many life-long colleagues.

Wayne escaped Ottawa as a young man, to live in Toronto, and then Vancouver, where his twin sons, Dean and Quinn, were born and grew up. The family moved back to Ottawa for some time. After caring for his sons by himself for a few years, Wayne eventually took them back to Vancouver so he could share with them the west-coast lifestyle and scenery he loved so much.

When he experienced the first signs of ALS, he was doing body-building and running. The transformation within a few short months was shocking. But Wayne beat a diabolical disease that took away his independence and physical strength with his sheer optimism and strong will.

Donations can be made in Wayne’s name to the ALS Society. The family thanks the many friends and relatives who offered faithful support, gifts of time and love and food, and help through the past months.

Condolences, donations or tributes may be made at www.tubmanfuneralhomes.com