Passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his family on Tuesday December 3, 2019 at the age of 53. The son of the late John Wellesley and Marilyn Ruth (Ledbury) Tupper, Alex is survived by his wife, the love of his life, of 31 years, Rachel Joy (Hawkes) Tupper, and his two children, Esther Lorraine Faith (Abbotsford, BC) and Justin Alexander (Halifax, NS). Cherished son of Marilyn (née Ledbury) and the late John Tupper. Dear brother to Deborah (Smudgie), Cathy, Dan (Sandra), Virginia (Calvin), Donald (Nicole), and Barbara (Aulden). He will be fondly remembered as “Alex the Great” to his nieces and nephews.
Alex will be forever loved by his wife, children, family and friends. Always looking to live each day to its fullest, Alex dedicated himself to serving God, loving his family, building his community and as an officer of the Canadian Armed Forces for more than 35 years, where he passed away at the rank of Colonel. Born in the small town of Trenton, NS, Alex enjoyed sharing his faith, traveling the world with his wife and children, ministry with children, youth, and adults, along with fishing, hockey, guitar and everything related to dirt-biking.
As a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Communications and Electronics Engineering Officer, Colonel Tupper loved his country and was proud to serve in many capacities. He has served as the Commander of the Missile Warning Center located at Cheyenne Mountain, and later as the Commander of 19 Wing Telecommunications and Information Systems Flight. Following his tenure as the Chief-Information-Officer at NDHQ, Colonel Tupper was appointed as the Project Director of the Canadian Forces’ Joint Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Program in 2008. Colonel Tupper served as the Commanding Officer of the Canadian Force Network Operations Centre. In 2013 he was appointed the Weapon System Manager for RCAF Air Defence Systems, followed by service as the Weapon System Manager for RCAF Air Traffic Management Systems. He later deployed to Africa as part of the United Nation’s Mission in South Sudan where he served as the State Support Base Operations officer and military observer in Eastern Equatoria State. Upon returning from deployment he served as the Director of Radar and Communications Systems with the Directorate of Aerospace Equipment Program Management.
Special thanks to Drs Goodwin and Faught and the oncology team at the Ottawa Hospital for the exemplary care provided over the past several years, as well as the care provided by the Soins Palliatifs Orleans over the past several months. Drs. Plantive, Rioux, and Vincent, along with Lynn Menard, (palliative care nurse), your support and kindness to Alex during his final weeks will never be forgotten.
Friends are invited to pay respects at the Hall of Colours of the Beechwood National Memorial Centre, 280 Beechwood Ave. (east of Vanier Parkway) on Friday December 13 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m.
Family will also receive guests on Saturday December 14th at the Lifecentre Church, 2214 Innes Road, beginning at 9 a.m. and the funeral service will follow at 10 a.m. Interment with Military Honours at the National Military Cemetery of the Canadian Forces and a reception at the Beechwood National Memorial Centre will follow.
In Memoriam donations to the Hospice Care Ottawa or the Canadian Cancer Society would be appreciated.
Digital Guestbook
Steve Lowe
Gayle Johnston
Rachel, Esther and Justin I am so sorry for your loss. Alex was a wonderful man whose life touched so many. It was such a privilege to have known him.
Alain Robichaud
My sincere condolences in this difficult time. I had the privilege of meeting Alex and receive his comforting advice and encouragements during my cancer treatments which I am most grateful for. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Bill Fulton
Although I did not know Alex well, I had the pleasure of meeting him several times on the Calabogie dirt bike trails where he was a very enthusiastic and proficient rider. As a member of the Bytown Motorcycle Association I offer my personal heartfelt condolences to Alex's family and friends as they deal with this tragedy.
Philippe Legere
We extend our deepest sympathies to all the family. Memories of Alex's great smile and enthusiasm will always be in our thoughts. Please accept our condolences and may our prayers help comfort your family and hasten the journey of Alex's soul to Heaven. God bless.
Paul MacKenzie
I first met Alex in 2000 in Colorado Springs. The first thing that impressed me about him was his terrific sense of humour; both of us as majors at the time he introduced himself to me… ‘‘Hello 2 of 2, I’m 1 of 2’’ , and we both laughed, and we shared a lot of laughter from that time on. Another trait that impressed me about Alex was his dedication and professionalism; he was very determined to do the best he could on any assignment – he was very bright, hard working and a tremendous colleague with whom to work. He was unquestionably trustworthy and forthright, so you knew that there were no ulterior motives, that the objective was simply that and we would work together to get the job done as best possible. He looked after the mission and no-less-so his superiors, colleagues and the staff that worked with and for him; he was a man of tremendous integrity. He was also a decent athlete; we had occasions to play on the basketball court, ball hockey arena and on the ski slopes he was mutli-talented in sports; I’ve also seen a video of him doing a wheelie on his dirt-bike. Better still was his Euchre playing – if we could manage to get 4 pers together for a game I would always want Alex as my partner – though he was too honest to even steal the deal!! He was much more than a colleague but a friend an indeed, when needed to be, a confidant. No surprise really for those close to him, for while he took an oath of allegiance to the Queen and served his country for so many years, he had much stronger vocations, to his adoring wife and children and to God. His love for his family and his brotherhood to his fellow man was rooted in his devotion and faith, which he admirably lived and exemplified throughout his life; he was a testament to the lasting message that we must love our fellow man and work towards peace. He adored Rachel and was so proud of her and the same is true for his children, his legacy. Alex will be greatly missed and never forgotten. Peace my friend.
Crystal de young
Rachel and family ,thinking of you and all the Tupper family. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. Alexander will be greatly missed.
May the memories of your life together, his smiling face and his warm heart give you comfort at this time.
Simon Macdonald
Very sorry to hear about Alex's passing. He was always very much a gentlemen. My sympathies to his family.
I'm sorry for your loss. I only met Alex this summer but had the opportunity to ride dirt bikes with him in Limerick forest. It was obvious that he was a kind and caring person. His passion for riding was very inspiring. I'm glad I had the chance to see him really enjoying himself.