Richard TESSIER

Richard Earl Tessier 1934-2019

On Saturday April 13, 2019, Richard Earl Tessier, loving husband, beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and faithful friend passed away at the age of 84. Richard was born on May 21, 1934 in Windsor, Ontario. As a young man in 1957, he attended Bible College in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In 1958, he was drafted into the US Army where he served until 1960 as an Army Medic in Germany.

On September 23, 1961, he married his true love, Margaret Mary Schmuland. The happy couple welcomed three boys into their lives, Keith, Mark, and Scott. In 1977, he moved his family to the United States, and made a life for them in Fort Myers, Florida. His last ten years living in Canada, he worked as a paint inspector for Ford Motor Company. He retired in Florida in 2009, after dedicating almost 20 years to Lee County Public Schools, as a bus driver for Students with Disabilities.

Richard was the proud grandfather of eight grandchildren, Sean, Nicole, Alicia, Marissa, Emily, Savannah, Lily, and Drew. Richard is preceded in death by his mother Blanche Tink Best (1987), his Uncle Stanley Tink who perished while serving in WWI, and his Uncle Jack Tink (2011) surviving Prisoner of War of WWII. He leaves behind his loving wife Margaret Tessier, three sons, eight grandchildren, fourteen nieces and nephews, and many friends and colleagues.

Richard fought a graceful battle of cancer for twenty years, five years beyond what doctors had originally predicted. He will be remembered for how much he enjoyed traveling with family, his passion for photography, painting, and crafting, but most importantly his love for spending time with his cherished family.


Donations may be made to:

American Cancer Society
P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City OK 73123
Tel: 1-800-227-2345
Web: http://www.cancer.org/