Warehouse technician from Sudbury dies in Afghanistan

An Ottawa family with Greater Sudbury roots is waiting for the body of Marc Cyr, 48, to return to Canada.

Cyr worked for the Canadian Forces as a warehouse technician at the Kandahar Air Field through the Canadian Forces Contractor Augmentation Program (CANCAP).

He was off duty when he suffered an apparent heart attack and died. He was directly employed SNC-Lavalin, the company contracted to manage base operations, according to Leslie Quinton, vice president of global corporate communications with SNC-Lavalin.

“The military efforts in Kandahar are only possible due to the excellent support we receive from the team of professionals providing logistic and administrative support within Kandahar Airfield,” Major Vance White with the Canadian Forces wrote in an e-mail to NorthernLife.ca.

“These efforts allow our soldiers to focus on their operational tasks.”

According to White, a memorial service for Cyr was held at the base, rather than the ramp ceremony afforded soldiers. A Canadian Forces padre officiated the ceremony.

“This does not indicate the loss is any less significant than the loss of a Canadian soldier,” Vance wrote in an e-mail to NorthernLife.ca. “The contributions of all Canadian civilians are extremely valuable to the mission.”

Around 200 people, civilian and military, attended the memorial service, Quinton said.

Cyr was born and raised for several years in Greater Sudbury before his family relocated to Ottawa.

He is survived by his wife, Leanne, and two young adult children, Alex and Cassandra. He and Leanne met while her family was working for the Canadian Forces at a military base in Germany, where Cyr was serving. They lived in Greater Sudbury for several years before relocating to Ottawa.