Dominique "Nick" Blanchet

Dominique Jean Blanchet, fondly known as “Nick” by his friends and family, was born on November 29, 1975, at Thunder Bay, Ontario to Gaetan and Mary Loralee (Brisson) Blanchet. He grew up and attended school in Thunder Bay and at a young age, he and his family moved to the Minneapolis, Minnesota area. Nick acclimated well to the move and graduated from high school in 1993.

His strong work ethic and passion for the transportation industry developed as he began working for Graebel Transportation, where he worked for a number of years. During his time in the Twin Cities, he met the love of his life, Jamie Krueger, and they began their life together on November 22, 2003 in St. Paul, MN.  Shortly after their marriage, they were blessed with their first child, Rylie.

Nick’s years of accumulated experience and expertise in the transportation field earned him the opportunity to work for Suddath, a national moving company. This new job took him and his family to the west coast, first to Washington, where they had their second child, Theane, and then to California where he worked as a General Manager. Nick had a heart for all that comprised California-the ocean, the amusement parks, and the beach. Although he loved California, they eventually moved back to Washington for work. After 6 years and many memories, he brought his family to Breckenridge, MN to support his wife and her family during the loss of her father.

Nick was dearly loved by many people and was a friend to all. He was never without a smile or a laugh. There was hardly a moment he was not thinking of the next adventure to take his family on.  He loved going to museums, parks, and fairs, and made many lasting memories with his children during those excursions. Nick sought a life of adventure and adrenaline; thrill-seeking was woven into the very fiber of his being. He would jump out of planes, strapping a Go-Pro camera to his helmet to record his descent; he would seek out rides at the amusement parks that were sure to get his heart racing. But most importantly, Nick was a devoted father and a loving husband. He was delighted to see his children grow and experience life; they were his pride and joy. You couldn’t help but be drawn to Nick’s outgoing personality and contagious laugh. He was vibrant and his absence will be missed in the hearts of all who knew him.

Nick is survived by his wife of 14 years, Jamie Blanchet of Breckenridge; his two children, Rylie and Theane Blanchet; his parents, Gaetan and Mary Loralee (Brisson) Blanchet of New Hope, MN; his sister, Belinda (Glenn) Blanchet-Paynes of Minneapolis; and his nieces and nephews, Tessa Krueger, Tucker Krueger, Eleanor Blanchet-Paynes, and Bryson Blanchet-Paynes.