Brother Dominic Leverne Maurice Tessier was born on August 9, 1943, to Maurice Tessier and Alice Dupuis in the town of Estevan, SK. He is survived by his sister, Celia McGillicky, and predeceased by his sister, Bernadetta, and brothers Philippe, Henrie, Everett, Armand, and two brothers who died in infancy.

Dominic entered the Franciscan Order at the young age of 18 in Cochrane, AB. After completing his novitiate in San Miguel, California, four years later, he took his final vows on July 27, 1968, in Estevan, SK.

From there, he was posted to St. Anthony’s College in Edmonton, working as a cleaner and cook. In 1970, Dominic moved to St. Francis Parish and joined the parish team, working with them for another 13 years. After this, he spent two years in Lumsden, SK. His next stop was Port Alberni, BC, but after only a year, he was posted back to Lumsden, SK, where he enjoyed his longest posting of 29 years, involving himself in retreat work. Semi-retirement and the closure of the Retreat Centre in Lumsden allowed him to experience island life with a final move to Victoria, BC. Finally, at the age of 80, with 59 years of service to his Franciscan community, Brother Dominic was called home to the Lord.

Brother Dominic was well-liked and respected wherever he called home. His gentle demeanor and welcoming personality won him friends both inside and outside his Franciscan family, building a vast social network in which his closest companion was often the telephone. Like St. Francis, who once said before his death, “I did what was mine to do,” Brother Dominic lived his life with a sense of purpose and service, leaving a lasting impact on all who knew him.