LEO JOSEPH COUTU

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LEO JOSEPH COUTU November 16, 1921 - March 5, 2001 Leo Joseph Coutu, age 79, passed away peacefully at Royal City Manor Care Home in New Westminster, B.C., Canada on March 5, 2001. He is survived by his former wife Lillian Irma Coutu; their daughter Yvonne Marie and her husband Michael Holland and his four sisters, Margaret, Theresa, Anita and Laurette, as well as many other relatives and friends. Leo was born in St. Boniface, Man., on November 16, 1921, one of nine children to Philippe and Lea Coutu, owners of well-known funeral firm P. Coutu & Co. of Winnipeg. After leaving school, he worked at his fathers firm, but the Royal Canadian Air Force beckoned. He joined up as soon as he could, and excelled as ground crew. Despite a traumatic accident, he survived the Second World War, having served perhaps most notably as an interpreter in Europe during 1944. When war ended, Leo saw much of the Far North of Canada, Alaska and the Yukon. He had a bar in Anchorage, AK for a while before coming south to Vancouver, B.C. In 1951 he married Lillian Irma Lawrence, a beautiful young singer then to be heard regularly on CBC radio. By 1958 the couple had moved to Toronto, and were blessed the very next year with a daughter, Yvonne Marie. In 1964, they returned to Vancouver. Leo spent much of the 60s popularising many must-have items of sophisticated gadgetry in Canadian homes, including the classic Dual turntables and Fleetwood record-player cabinets. This great marketing success and his natural flair for innovative electronics and mechanics served him well in a later venture, White Rock Cablevision, which introduced cable television programming to an area then sprouting countless unsightly rooftop aerials, White Rock, B.C. After many triumphs in television, he sold the company in the mid 80s and refocused on his interests in medicine and health. These were both spiritual and practical passions in which he lobbied tirelessly on behalf of the sick and dying. In August 1994 Leo gave his daughter Yvonnes hand in marriage to an English music producer and composer, Michael Holland. On a memorable trip to England in 1995, Leo shared evocative wartime recollections with the young couple at RAF Hendon Air Museum. His successes allowed him to bring both his impressive network of influential contacts and his boundless energy and enthusiasm to the challenge of raising awareness about medical ozone. This was to be his last great work, his unfinished symphony. After helping many people reclaim their daily lives and campaigning vigorously for positive change in human health policies, Leos own declining health forced him gradually to abandon his herculean efforts to develop a portable ozone generator. It had been meant to provide the ultimate in very-low-cost portable water purification technology to economically under-developed "third-world" countries, bringing a practical message of hope and life-giving clean water to the poor and needy. The centurys last years saw Leo enter Royal City Manor care facility in New Westminster, where he spent his final days being cared for by wonderful and dedicated staff with true hearts of gold. He now goes to the Peace of Christ and will be greatly missed by all whose lives he touched. Prayers will be offered on Wednesday, March 14 at 7:00 p.m. from Holy R. Trinity Catholic Church, 2725 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver, B.C. Funeral Mass will be celebrated the following day, Thursday, March 15 at 11:00 a.m. Reception will follow at Canyon House Restaurant, North Vancouver. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Covenant House in Leos name. HOLLYBURN FUNERAL HOME Phone (604) 922-1221

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Mar 11, 2001