Gilles Crête
Captain
Story
Captain Gilles Crête Ottawa Fire Services
Captain Gilles Crête died of a work-related illness on July 25, 2016. He joined the fire service in 1988.
Captain Gilles Crête served as a City of Ottawa firefighter for 27 years. He was admired by everyone around him for his strength, stoicism, and work ethic. His kindness was contagious, and he would go out of his way to help friends and family. Gilles strived for excellence and chose to lead by example.
A few years before his passing, Gilles pursued his passion for woodworking, turning his garage into an impressive wood shop. Nonetheless, his favorite passion remained helping his kids. Both of Gilles' sons became accustomed to house visits from their dad: toolbox in hand, a knock on the door, a quick “Hey!”, and the immediate sound of a hammer or drill as their dad began to fix something they didn’t even know needed fixing.
Gilles often spoke fondly of his two sons, Daniel and Denis, and he will be most notably remembered for the pride he took in his family. As a reliable and loving father, brother, son, and friend, Gilles inspired many to live a courageous and fulfilling life.