The family has one of the best vintage car collections in Alberta and last week donated a 1918 Willys-Overland vehicle to Stony Plain and the Parkland Pioneer Museum.
“History and our heritage can show us where we come from and where our future could be,” said Gerard Levasseur, who represented his parents Gerry and Helga Levasseur and his sister Lisa Levasseur in a limited protocol ceremony.
Museum president Clifford Goerz, whose antique-loving father Henry Goerz helped create the museum 27 years ago, says that over the years the institution has received 10,000 or more antiques.
“Gerard purchased the elegant mint-conditioned Overland in St. Louis years ago and we are very proud to display this treasure in our museum. It is the forerunner of the Jeep. “
In a previous column, I mentioned that Gerry Levasseur was eager to drop out of school and was trading bikes at 14 or 15 years old. He then created a business that today employs about 500 people in Sunrise International’s 10 hotels, its RV companies and its construction businesses.
This year, Gerard has taken over the auto companies and Lisa the hotels, but both say their father still offers some very creative ideas.
“Dad was always a car enthusiast,” says Gerard. “He transmitted this love to me and then I gave it to my children. Dad still has about 10 vintage cars, including a Ferrari and a Lotus.
“This year in June, Lisa and I gave her a classic 1953 Buick convertible for her 88th birthday.”
The family, which is no stranger to helping others, also in June of this year launched a well-funded Levasseur Community Trust.
“The fund is to honor our father and mother Helga,” says Lisa. “This way we know that our father’s legacy will continue for generations and will help the communities that Dad has always supported.”
My cycling friends and I became aware of Levasseur’s generosity in 2014 when, pedaling back from Haida Gwaii with a totem that we planned to gift to Stollery Children’s Hospital, we stayed two nights at the family’s Terracana Ranch Resort west of Jasper Park.
Gerry Levasseur, who had indigenous groups and a band to entertain us, did not accept any payment for our group of about 40 and then housed our large totem pole for the winter months prior to installation.
Reference-edmontonjournal.com