Our dear brother, Rosaire, passed away on September 28, 2025.

He was born on February 6, 1946, the third child of the late Clifford and Lucille (née Beneteau) Langlois at Rivière aux Canards, Ontario. He is survived by his older sister Natalie and brother Jean Marie, as well as by his younger sister Jeanne and brother Michael.

From his early years, Rosaire was a sensitive boy, foreshadowing a scholarly orientation. After graduating Assumption High School in Windsor, he attained an undergraduate degree in sociology from McGill University. Scholarships helped his pursuit of a PhD, first at the Sorbonne in France and then at Oxford in England. Being Canadian gained him an automatic spot on the Oxford hockey team, much like our current Prime Minister Carney during his time at Oxford.

Rosaire’s grades at both institutions were outstanding, but without a conclusive dénouement to his broad-based thesis, he left England without the hoped-for doctorate.

Rosaire returned to Canada, where he pursued further research in sociology at the University of Toronto. Alongside his academic pursuits, he opened a bookstore on Queen Street East in the Beaches neighbourhood. For 18 years, The Booksmith was a mecca for intellectually curious locals and tourists, and it was there that Rosaire held court, with his welcoming spirit, wide-ranging knowledge and intense curiosity. In late 2000, when a fire on the block destroyed the store, Rosaire was honoured with a fundraiser organized by celebrated writers, friends and neighbours, who gathered to thank him for his dedication to the community and to bid a sad farewell to his warm presence.

Again turning all his energies to scholarly pursuits, Rosaire was especially focused on the theories of social anthropologists Ernest Gellner and Jack Goody. As a visiting scholar at Toronto’s Trinity College and as an independent scholar, Rosaire published articles and book reviews in academic journals, engaging with other scholars in earnest debates.

There was still time in his days to actively dwell on and discuss politics, current affairs, music and sports. To his last days, when disease had robbed him of speech, he was still reading and drafting advanced theories on humanity and civilization.

We’ve lost a deep and broad thinker, a kind and gentle brother, uncle, cousin, friend.