Joel Horace Henry Silver

It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Joel Silver on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, in Saint-Lazare, Quebec. Beloved husband of Sylvie Allard. Devoted father and father-in-law of Matthew Silver and Diana Haber, Erin Silver and Christine Atkinson, Andrea Silver and Laura Campbell, and Michael Silver. Proud Grandpa of Lake, and Rowe. Dear brother-in-law and brother of Gloria and the late Edward Silver. Loving uncle of Warren and Gem Silver. Stepfather of Mitch, and Kevin Shum-Lok and Isabelle Lacasse.

Funeral service from Paperman and Sons, 3888 Jean-Talon St., W. Friday, October 23, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. Burial at Lakeview Memorial Gardens. Shiva on Sunday only from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the reception room at 5840 Av. Marc Chagall. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Joel’s memory may be made to the André-Barbeau Movement Disorders Unit c/o the CHUM Foundation, click here.

Joel was born in Montreal, Quebec on April 9th, 1946, to Betty and Al Silver. Younger brother to Eddie, Joel spent his childhood years in the Côte-des-Neiges neighbourhood, going on to study at Sir George Williams University (now Concordia University), where he majored in History (followed by a Master’s degree in Administration at McGill University in years to follow). Although his sights were initially set on law school, a job fair led him to a career in postsecondary education and, specifically, one educational institution, Rosemere High School, where he spent the entirety of his career, beginning in the early-1970s until his retirement in 2015. At RHS, Joel taught in the Social Sciences department, his true intellectual love being History, but he also moonlighted as a Moral Education and English teacher. His work with students and colleagues at RHS and at Yeshiva Gedola, an Orthodox Jewish boys school in Outremont, brought him great joy—a particular joy being his opportunity to teach successive generations within individual families, very few months going by when he did not encounter a former student out in the world who remembered their time in his classes. He delighted when his own children were assigned to his classes. 

It was at RHS that Joel met his first wife, Linda Overing, with whom he moved to Lorraine, Quebec, welcomed, and raised four children: Matt, Erin, Andy, and Mike. Joel always considered his greatest accomplishment to be his children, for whom he was wonderfully whimsical in their early childhoods and importantly steadfast in their late childhoods and adolescences through family transitions. In 2010, Joel met Sylvie Allard, with whom he formed a strong and unwavering connection, and soon relocated to Saint-Lazare, Quebec to live with Sylvie and her sons Mitch and Kevin, who wholeheartedly embraced their mother’s partner. A highlight of Joel’s recent years was being able to celebrate Joel and Sylvie’s long and loving relationship at their wedding in 2024. Joel’s children have been beneficiaries of Sylvie’s care, good humour, and generosity, and remain bonded in their unconditional love of Joel. 

Joel maintained several lifelong friendships, among them Howard Solomon, with whom he travelled across Europe in his 20s; George Tait, his first and only roommate; Lee Rother and Romeo Ronci, his fellow educators in Moral Education at RHS. Joel was very close with his brother Eddie and his wife Gloria, as well as their children Warren and Gem; following Eddie’s passing in 2008, Joel was always welcomed at Gloria, Warren, and Gem’s family gatherings (which also included Gloria’s husband, Stephen, and his son, Jamie), and he was very happy to have cultivated and sustained relationships with Gem’s children—Joel’s great-nephews—Zack and Ryan. Joel and Gloria’s long friendship—over 60 years—is worthy of note. 

We would be remiss not to mention Joel’s love of animals, notably, dogs. His life was enriched by their companionship. There are too many to name, but at the time of his passing, he and Sylvie were lovingly caring for their elderly West Highland Terrier, 

Pablo, who followed in a line of Joel’s very many Good Dogs. The squirrels of Saint-Lazare will also feel Joel’s absence. 

Joel is predeceased by his parents Alfred (Al) Silver and Betty Silver (née Rigler), as well as his brother Edward Silver. He is survived by his wife Sylvie Allard, children Matt Silver (Diana Haber), Erin Silver (Christine Atkinson), Andy Silver (Laura Campbell), and Mike Silver, grandchildren Lake and Rowe Silver-Campbell, and stepsons Mitch Shum-lok and Kevin Shum-lok (Isabelle Lacasse).