Bernard Cameron remembered as 'great servant' at Almonte funeral
A popular councillor in Mississippi Mills, Ont., shot dead in his home last week by his daughter's ex-partner, was remembered Friday at his funeral as his daughter continued to recover from the same attack.
Bernard Cameron, a 65-year-old second-term councillor and a retired high school teacher, was killed in his mansion on Strathburn Street in the eastern Ontario community of Almonte, Ont., on the morning of Feb. 11.
About 400 people attended Friday's memorial service at Holy Name of Mary Church in Almonte — the same church where Cameron and his wife were married 44 years ago.
Father Ben Iheagwara told the mourners that he was "shattered" to hear that Cameron had been killed in the fatal shooting.
"Death invaded the serenity of his house in its most ugly and disgusting form. Death stormed in," Iheagwara said.
"The whole town of Mississippi Mills has lost a great servant. We are all here victims of a broken heart."
Friends and colleagues have lauded Cameron as a hero for trying to protect his family from 33-year-old Travis Porteous, who also shot Cameron's daughter before turning the gun on himself. Cameron's wife and two young grandchildren were in the house at the time but were not injured.
'Amazing, enigmatic smile'
Bill Treusch taught with Cameron before he retired in 2007.
"He was known for starting lively discussions, stirring the pot, and then sitting back and watching it blossom with his amazing, enigmatic smile [and] that big moustache," said Truesch.
"He was my step-daughter's favourite teacher. She's a singer-songwriter, and he clearly inspired her and her writing and her love of the written word."
Sarah Cameron, 28, left Porteous, the father of her two children, months before he turned up at her parents' home to shoot her. Ontario Provincial Police said Wednesday she was "the victim of an attempted murder."
With one arm in a sling, Sarah Cameron had recovered enough by Friday to attend her father's funeral.
Scott Reid, MP for Lanark–Frontenac–Kingston, paid tribute to Cameron in the House of Commons during question period on Thursday.
"It was in defending his grandchildren, as well as his daughter, that he was killed. A week later, Almonte is still in shock. Let us join in the community in praying for the well-being of the entire Cameron family at this most difficult time," Reid said.
Almonte, a small community in the amalgamated municipality of Mississippi Mills, is 50 kilometres west of Ottawa.
