On the passing of Bob Levac

 

Bob Levac worked for the West Quebec Post and our other papers for more years than I can recall -- because he was already a veteran and successful member of the Post team under its former publisher. Bob was part of our team during the re-imagining and integrating of the Post, that heritage, trusted, and century-old Buckingham newspaper, with its sister papers. Most importantly, he participated in integrating the Post into the daily lives of so many readers, advertisers and news-makers across West Quebec, especially within Gatineau, Buckingham, and the Wakefield area -- as new competitors arose (and fell) and as the communications and media landscape did its upside down flip and flop.

Bob filled every role asked of him, always, it seemed, with the idea of making the paper better, serving our communities better, and bettering the Post’s financial life. Bob covered stories and interviews as a reporter, he helped clients with their advertising campaigns, and he made deliveries of the paper to clients and drop-off locations. He seemed to know everyone or at least have a contact in every institution and business he visited! This was the fruit of hard work, many years of it, and of his careful fulfilment of his responsibilities to our community, our readers and our clients.

A modest, unassuming man, Bob rarely trumpeted his accomplishments, but he did not go unrecognized or unappreciated. Bob was awarded the Bronze Quill Award from CCNA for his many years of service. After his retirement, due to ill health, many of his advertising clients expressed appreciation of Bob’s quiet intelligence and his knowledge of the Gatineau marketplace (particularly the Buckingham sector). Bob formed lifelong friendships with many of his teammates – former publisher Bob Phillips and the well-loved Ernie Mahoney, for example – and we, in his team, all share his family’s loss.

Bob was the real face of community journalism – local, familiar, well-connected and wise in the ways of the world around him.  We at the Post, Bulletin and Journal are all the richer for our friendship and working relationship with Bob Levac.

“It’s funny,” he commented to me once, “just as we start to figure things out, it’s time to pack it in . . .”. 
Indeed, Bob.

Fred Ryan
Publisher emeritus,
West Quebec Post and Bulletin d’Aylmer