Sandra Whymark (Daughter)

Entered August 4, 2023 from Lindsay

We will miss you greatly. The best Dad ever 🥰

Theresa Kousmanidis (Niece)

Entered August 4, 2023 from Bowmanville

RIP Uncle Bernard. Happy memories come flooding back of visiting for family get-togethers whenever I smell pipe tobacco!

Skye (P.S.W)

Entered August 5, 2023 from Toronto

Oh boy! nothing have made me cry like a baby all year until I got the sad news and trust me its been a rough year! I knew in my heart that one day will come, you even told me the last day I saw you that you felt like it was your last days when i was putting your shoes on after your shower. I remember saying 'dont say that' cause i myself didnt want to accept it. Only because I didn't want to ever lose such a wonderful person, most respectable client I've ever came across. Always made my job went smoothly and was always mindful of what you say or do. The last thing we both would say is o·key-doke right after you say 'Thank you skye, you make me feel brand new person again. And off you go telling your beautiful wife janet about everything we spoke about so she's not left out of any conversation ❤️ You always give me good advice and we always had great conversation and even more great laughs. I will definitely miss you bernard 💔 You loved your wife so much and It breaks my hear for her because I know how much she loves and adore you also. A marriage I admired. And a couple I always look forward seeing every week and talking too. I pray for healing and comfort for janet and the your entire family during this difficult time. Miss and always will remembered ❤️

Andrew Simpson (Long time family friend)

Entered August 10, 2023

Memories created while in the company of Bernard will be treasured.
He will always be remembered.

david spratt (Friend of Andrew)

Entered August 10, 2023 from Grand Cayman

My deepest condolences to the entire family.

Dave

My father was a good man. He had his flaws as we all do, but he was basically a kind, hard-working and generous person who sacrificed a lot for his six children. His early years were marked by his family moving around a lot and this made him someone who felt most grounded and happy at home -- surrounded by his own wife and children. After a stint in the British Army in Malaysia, he emigrated to Canada where he met his lovely wife Janet and they settled in the west end of Toronto. Together they had six children and my father worked hard trying to support them, while my mother worked equally hard trying to raise such a large brood. It can't have been easy.

These are the rough outlines of his life, but they do not really tell you much about the man, so let me fill in a few of the blank spaces. My father was a pretty brilliant engineer and mechanic who could build or fix just about anything he set his mind to. Without a lot of formal education, he became an aeronautical engineer and would proudly help build, repair and service turbo engines for the Canadian military aircraft and later for private companies. He was a dedicated worker who also held down a second part-time job for many years to help pay the bills. He was passionate about cars and was constantly fixing them up or helping others fix them. He helped me rebuild the engine to my first car and helped my brother Andrew's cars as well. I always remember his pride and joy was a 1966 Cadillac Fleetwood -- a massive car with sweeping back fins and a trunk which nowadays would probably be big enough to hold a small subcompact. Having grown up with tiny english cars, I think he always liked the size and grandeur of classic American vehicles.

Aside from cars, my father also fixed up every house we owned partly out of necessity since with a growing family there was always another bedroom to build or wall to put up. We have all visited the family home on Gary Drive which my Dad pretty much fixed up from top to bottom, adding rooms, tiling floors and walls, building intricate wood panels for a fireplace or a hundred other things. He was really a master craftsman at whatever he set his mind to. In his later years, he worked meticulously to build grandfather clocks and refinish just about any wood project you could ask for.

But my Dad was not just a mechanic, builder and craftsman, he also liked to read whodunits, crime fiction, and travel stories. Even though he did not travel a lot himself he loved to read about other places and was always interested in my travels to other places. My Dad was also a generous man, who loved to give advice, have a good discussion and would always offer you something to eat or drink -- preferably a glass of scotch whisky or a gin and tonic. Unlike some men of his age, he would also willingly help out in the kitchen and could make many recipes including his famous french onion soup. If my mother was the hard working woman in the kitchen who has made so many delicious meals for everyone and is the consummate hostess, my Dad definitely helped out where he could and was a pretty good sous chef.

One last thing about my Dad that I like to remember was his sense of humour and dry wit. He would often like to add some droll humour to his stories or add a friendly joke during a conversation. But in the end, if I had to summarize my Dad's life, I think in all true senses of the word, my he was a family man. He was rooted in his home and his family, was very proud of his children, grandchildren and great grandchildred and he has built a lasting legacy that will carry on with each new generation. As many would say, you cannot really ask for more out of one's life than that.