🔤An alphabet of memories— 26 Letters for André
Title: André’s Life, from A to Z (translated from French)
A is for André — of course. And for Accueil — the warmth you offered so freely, from the first day I entered your life.
B is for Bricoleur — the ever-resourceful handyman. Sometimes precise, sometimes… approximate, but always proud of a job done.
C is for Curiosity — the kind that made you consider moving the whole family to China in 1966.
D is for Daltonian — your unique view of color, lovingly passed on to your grandson Adam, and your shared talent for seeing the world a little differently.
E is for Energy — boundless, infectious, and likely fueled by Arlette. You couldn’t sit still for five minutes.
F is for Fusion — you and Arlette, a team in every sense, imperfectly perfect, like a motor with two heartbeats.
G is for Grandfather — the loving, generous, and joyfully mischievous Papoune we all adored.
H is for History — your favorite gift was always a book about de Gaulle or Napoleon. And for Humour — dry, quirky, and ever-present, even at the end.
I is for Instituteur — a teacher to so many, and always one in spirit.
J is for Jardinier — your garden was your pride, and our meals were its grateful beneficiaries.
K is for Kalembour — even if the spelling was off, your puns were never lacking.
L is for Lyon — the city of your childhood, and perhaps inspiration for your daughter’s name.
M is for Michelin — the beginning of your teaching journey in Clermont, and of our family’s roots in Auvergne.
N is for Never stop talking — especially during movies.
O is for Obstinate — like when we begged you to take the highway instead of the scenic route.
P is for Pétillant — your eyes sparkled like champagne right to the end.
Q is for Qi Gong — your secret to staying spry between gardening and long walks.
R is for Rugby and Résistance — a proud supporter of Clermont, and a quiet inheritor of your father’s spirit.
S is for Smile — the one that outshone your pain and reassured us all.
T is for Toux — persistent, like you.
U is for Ultra-fast — life moved quickly, but you were always in motion.
V is for Vin — homemade peach wine, a Desvignes signature that delighted us for decades.
W is for Warrant — because even the stock market had a place in your heart.
X is for X-Factor — the mystery, the questions, the twinkle in your eye.
Y is for “Yes” — your default mode: optimistic, engaged, present.
Z is for Zénitude — your final peace, the calm after a vibrant life well lived.
Merci, André.
For every letter, every moment, every memory.
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