In his corner of the country, many, many, many people mourned the death of the friendly and colorful driver of the 1956 Cadillac Coupé Opéra #43.
Just like Suzanne Noël, his life partner of 27 years, who barely realizes what happened to her.
“It happened so quickly,” she confided to me, still shaken.
She adds: “I had just retired. We had travel plans.”
Both had owned the Fort de la Martinière campsite, boulevard Guillaume-Couture, for almost 20 years, which Suzanne has just put up for sale using the expertise of a real estate broker.
Without his Marc, we easily understand, all this no longer makes any sense.
“He was the one who saw to everything on the field. He was carrying out the repairs. He spoke to the world. He was still there. While I was behind. I took care of the administration.”
She interrupts. As if to take stock of the events that turned her life and that of her boyfriend’s loved ones upside down.
“He had managed to forge very close bonds with those – and those – who spent their summer on the campsite. He was in his element.”
Lots of affection
We will have understood that she no longer feels the strength to hold the bar, now that he is no longer at her side. A for sale sign was installed at the entrance to the campsite last month. Buyers have shown interest. But banks, it should be noted, have a reputation for being cautious about this type of transaction. You don’t buy a campsite like you buy a bungalow in the suburbs.
“We are one of the last campsites in Lévis,” says Suzanne. This land has a lot of potential, I am convinced, for anyone who wants to give it a second wind.”
In the meantime, the wife of the late Jos Garage continues to receive support from seasonal workers.
“I find them extraordinary. They are always there to help me, no matter the circumstances. I even wonder what I would do without their precious help,” she says.
She calls them by their first or last name. She talks about “her Roch” on whom she can rely if there is a mechanical breakdown. She would like to highlight the collaboration of Gordon who keeps an eye on the swimming pool. There is also this Monsieur Gagnon, Paul-Émile by his first name, and his wife Ginette, “who are admirable”.
“I have received a lot of love and affection from all these people since Marc left,” she said, moved. I can’t name them all, they will recognize each other, but they are, in a way, my guardian angels.
She wants to repeat it, as if to convince herself: the hasty and premature departure of Jos Garage, a colorful character in the world of Nascar racing in Quebec, saw her legs off.
A year ago, I met Marc Perreault, the car racing maniac, at his campsite. (Archives, Josée Lafortune)
My turn to pause. A year ago, I met Marc Perreault, the car racing maniac, at his campsite. He had a magnificent smile on his face as he posed for the photographer (my girlfriend Josée Lafortune) in front of his #43 car. He was happy.
He explained to me, with humility, how he managed to drive, and almost finish on the podium, during a competition on the Valley-Jonction oval track.
“Unlucky, towards the end I spun. I still had three or four laps to go.”
He added: “It was my birthday (August 13). That would have been quite a gift to me!”
The memorable race took place in the summer of 2021. He was 58 years old at the time.
Shortly after his death last spring, his racing car was bought by his friend and mechanic Christian.
Guess what: the #43, driven by Maxime Gagné, finished in first place during the May 18 race on the Valley-Jonction circuit.
On June 23, there will be a tribute race to Marc Perreault. It will be like this every year.
“It touches me, it goes straight to my heart,” comments Suzanne, knowing to what extent her life partner was invested body and soul in her passion.
“It’s as if he died from being too happy,” she says.
In any case, the next few weeks promise to be decisive for the future.
“I want to turn the page. I want to find a buyer who will take over,” she hopes.
She is also aware that there is insecurity among seasonal workers.
“Some people wonder what will happen to the campsite. They want to have answers but, unfortunately, I don’t have any.”
She nevertheless tries to keep her head held high, although some days it is not easy.
“I’m used to solving problems, one at a time. That’s what I did when I was employed [du gouvernement du Québec]. There, I take care of the essentials. »
Jos Garage can sleep in peace.
