A civil servant who became deputy for the Vendée, where he was born, he was Minister of Commerce and Crafts, then holder of a Quality of Life portfolio that the 1970s had just invented to house the environment. His stone calls him “ministre” without saying which.
The story
“Les âmes des justes sont dans la main de Dieu” — the souls of the just are in the hand of God. Vincent Ansquer's epitaph quotes the book of Wisdom and closes an inscription that sets office and faith on the same stone — the mark of the Catholic right of the Vendée, which returned him to parliament for sixteen years.
Born at Treize-Septiers, in the Vendée, on 11 January 1925, Vincent Ansquer was a commercial attaché in Guinea before coming home to run a shoe factory at La Bruffière, where he became mayor. A deputy for the Vendée, he was appointed minister of commerce and craft trades in 1974, then minister for the quality of life — a title coined in those years, when the environment entered the government under that cautious name.
He died on 31 May 1987, at sixty-two. The family stone in Division 57 cuts the dates to the day, but leaves the portfolio anonymous: “ministre,” without saying of what. Then comes the verse.
The grave
A family stone whose inscription joins office and faith: “FAMILLE ANSQUER. Vincent ANSQUER ministre, député de la Vendée, 11.1.1925-31.5.1987. Les âmes des justes sont dans la main de Dieu.” — minister, deputy for the Vendée; the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God. The dates are given to the day, the ministerial portfolio remains anonymous — “ministre”, without saying which — and the verse from the Book of Wisdom closes the whole: a mark of the Catholic right of the Vendée, whose elected representative he was.
On site, do not miss
The inscription joins office and faith: “Vincent ANSQUER ministre, député de la Vendée, 11.1.1925-31.5.1987. Les âmes des justes sont dans la main de Dieu.” — minister, deputy for the Vendée; the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God.
Visitors' questions
Where is Vincent Ansquer's grave?
In Division 57, in the family plot. The stone reads “FAMILLE ANSQUER”, then his offices, his dates given to the day, and a verse from the book of Wisdom. He died on 31 May 1987, at sixty-two.
Marc FumaroliWhich ministries did he hold?
Two, under Giscard d'Estaing: Trade and Craft Industries, then Quality of Life — a title invented in the 1970s, when the environment entered government under that cautious name.
Étienne LamyWhere did he come from?
From Treize-Septiers, in the Vendée, where he was born on 11 January 1925. He was a civil servant first, before the department he came from elected him its deputy.
Teresa MotaWhat does his epitaph say?
A verse from the book of Wisdom: “Les âmes des justes sont dans la main de Dieu.” — the souls of the just are in the hand of God. A line of Scripture to close an epitaph is a mark of the Catholic right he was elected for.
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