We are sad to announce the passing of Ladislav (Les) Simek on Sept 22, 2025, at 81 years of age. Les was born on January 21, 1944, in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Les left Czechoslovakia in 1968 as a young man seeking adventure and an escape from communism and decided on a life in Canada.

A couple years after coming to Canada, he got work as an engine mechanic on a Swedish ship and sailed the world for a year. This sparked his love of travel and interest in talking to people of “all walks of life”. Upon his return from sailing the world, he made his way to Sudbury, where he was an independent trucker for many years, and where he started a family. He eventually went back to school for robotics and settled in Ottawa, a city he loved, where he spent the majority of his life raising his family and working for Natural Resources Canada before retiring in 2013.

Les was a man that could fix anything and took great pleasure in tinkering. He was always working on his car, motorcycles, or anything broken he could get his hands on. He was an avid skier, skater, swimmer and enjoyed going on walks. He loved to watch his grandkids play hockey and play the piano, watch sports with his son, and putter with projects his daughter found for him to fix. He was very proud to have raised great children and carried that sense of pride with him wherever he went.

He is predeceased by his parents and brother, Miroslav, all of Czechia. He will be missed by his daughter, Sasha (Phil), his son, Dale (Shara), and his grandchildren, Charlie, Maya and Zoe, as well as his former partner, Linda, his friends, and extended family.

 We will be remembering him for his humour, curiosity and sharp mind, and celebrating those wonderful qualities. He will be missed, and we will always carry his spirit with us.