(1921-9 July 1971), dentist. (Dr Bernard Villeneuve, Bernie Villeneuve) Born at Maxville, GC. Parents: J. Domina Villeneuve and his wife Helena Cleary. As a youth in Maxville, he was a member of the well-known Villeneuve brothers’ vocal quartet, composed of Bernard, Cleary, Rudolph and Edmund Villeneuve. The interest in singing continued, and later, when an Alexandria resident he sang in St. Finnan’s choir, and over the years he sang also at socials and concerts. During the youthful Maxville years, too, he played on the Maxville Millionaires hockey team. In WWII, he served with the RCAF overseas. He was promoted in late 1943 to the rank of flying officer, at about same time as another Maxville airman, Edward Hunter. (Glengarry News 17 Dec. 1943) He returned home from overseas in June 1945. (GN 22 June 1945)

     After the war he studied dentistry at McGill University, and immediately after his graduation in 1950 he began dental practice in Alexandria. His entire career as a dentist was spent in Alexandria. He was married to Florence Gormley (d. 17 Aug. 1979) of Alexandria. She was the daughter of Florence Gormley and the widow of Bruce Macdonald, the son of Col. A.G.F. Macdonald. A prominent, public spirited citizen of the town, Dr Villeneuve was a trustee and chairman on the high school board, and was president of the Legion. Clarence Ostrom saw him as the main force involved in getting the WWII tablet added to the war memorial in Alexandria. Also, he was one of the founders of the Glengarry Golf Club at Alexandria. In a letter to the editor of the Glengarry News of 25 June 1964, Dr Villeneuve published a distinguished plea for national unity. A little more than a week after the death of his father, Dr Villeneuve died suddenly at his home in Alexandria, of a heart attack. (six children) He is buried in St. Finnan’s cemetery, Alexandria. Members of his dental class established a living memorial in the form of a fund for dental training and research. (GN 28 Oct. 1971)

Glengarry News 15 July 1971 (portrait) * Maxville (1991) 156, 866-870 (with portraits) * graduates, opens office in Alexandria, GN 26 May & 23 June 1950 * Ostrom 303, 315 (story about Dr Villeneuve as first Alexandria news source about dramatic suicide of Henri Seguin) * vocal solo by, reads address to Mabel White, principal, at Commencement Exercises, Maxville High School, GN 25 Nov. 1938 (includes text of address) * in “the Villeneuve quartet, Bernard, Cleary, Rudolph and Edmund,” is one of singers at event to honour Maxville Millionaires hockey team, GN 12 May 1939 * airman Alex I. MacRae describes his meeting with Cleary and Bernard Villeneuve in London, Eng., Maxville column, GN 2 Jan. 1942 * promoted to sergeant, then to flight sergeant, GN 13 Dec. 1940, 20 March 1942