Dad, as your daughter along with Robert and Stephen, your sons, we want to take this opportunity to put our thoughts and wonderful memories into words as growing up as your children. We were and continue to be blessed to have you as our dad, our mentor, our confidante and friend. You were always there for us and taught us how to be 'adults' (so many find being an adult so difficult these days). You taught us by your example that hard work is hard but necessary if you wish to have a good life.
I know from what you and mom shared with us around the dinner table a lot of your background in Germany and we were so fortunate to have known and spent valuable time with your parents, here at home and also in Germany as we were all sent to spend a few months with them during our summer vacations (one at a time). We especially valued having your mom (Oma Germany) live with us a few years especially while we were young so that mom could go to work to help make ends meet. You and mom would tell us stories of how you met at night school when you both came to Toronto after the end of WW2 and got married in 1956 Dad, we loved your adventurous spirit and got to enjoy summers at the trailer and later the cottage in Honey Harbour. We learned how to canoe, waterski, fish and camp. With you at our side we learned how to snow ski and participate in the Nancy Greene ski team at Ski Hi in London, Ontario. For me, I have such wonderful memories of growing up in Strathroy as you became the head comptroller (financial guy!) of Middlesex Furniture. This company made all the beautiful cabinets that the first hi-fi stereos (radios/turntables) went into that Peter Munk and others started under the name of Clairtone in Nova Scotia. Peter Munk was your boss of over 35 years, whom you highly respected and learned much from. He was the one who set you off on your adventures travelling for Southern Pacific Hotels in Australia, Fiji and who knows where else. Mr. Munk is even today remembered through his huge financial contribution to a major cardiac wing at the Toronto General Hospital downtown. The CN tower was even owned by another of his companies and he also started and funded Barrick Gold. You were always involved in his many projects. In your 40s you decided that after a short sightseeing flight from Markham Airport (which no longer exists), that you wanted to get your pilot's license. We have SO many super 8 films of your 'touch n' go' flights there and once you earned your license, you surprised us all by purchasing not one but two airplanes. The blue one, YIG (Cessna 172) and the green one LQK, fabric covered 4 seater Tri-Pacer). Bob and I were your passengers flying down to Florida during our March break in 1974. Poor Stephen didn't even know that we went until after his own week at Arrowhead Ranch up in Blue Mountains, Collingwood. (YIQ wasn't powerful enough for 4 people and all our luggage!) It took us 3 days to get to New Smytna Beach in Florida and only 2 days to get back but did stay for 2 days. We fondly remember and often spoke about landing at almost every little airport on the way down (Wellsboro Pennsylvania, Raleigh-Durham in North Carolina, Southern Pines, North Carolina and a few more) where you charmed men and a few women to lend us their vehicles and take us for lunch or dinner! I always wondered why they would trust perfect strangers with their vehicles but then I remembered they had my dad's plane! We went swimming in the ocean (yes it is still cold in March but we're Canadians so....) and see Portuguese man-o-war jelly fish on the beach and only fly over Walt Disney World in Orlando. We rented a car and drove to Cape Canaveral to see where the space rockets took off from. We even met my mom's parents driving north on the hi-way with their trailer and the 'klepper' kayak on top of their car. We of course, had to turn around and boy were they surprised to see me waving frantically at them. We spent the evening together for dinner before they continued their leisurely drive home back to Scarborough (they drove down to Florida to escape our winters!) Dad, when I turned 17 after spending 10 years in the Girl Guides, I decided to join you and Bob and Stephen at 631 Air Cadet Squadron. Robert and Stephen didn't stay but you and I thoroughly enjoyed our many years of Cadets. I joined the drill team and we spent many weekends in various places for parades with the squadron, band and colour party. We got to know so many people from other squadrons (110, 142, 845). I was very fortunate to spend 3 summers working at the Trenton Air Cadet Camp wearing different hats and that's where I met my amazing husband Alex of now almost 44 years who also spent many years in Cadets (142) and also got his pilot's license! You spent many years teaching the cadets all about flying, going gliding up in Borden and we had a very eventful ski day at Devil's Elbow just east of Peterborough. In those days, you just had the kids get their parents' permission and rented a bus. No letters of intent for you! Boy, times have changed when you have to do so much paperwork to get anything fun done. You and I flew up to Sudbury for a weekend parade with 142 Mimico Squadron. Everyone else had to endure a 5 hour bus ride. You took us all a few times to OshKosh for their annual international fly-in. We camped under the wings of the plane and enjoyed the big and small planes all doing their thing. Due to the number of planes trying to land, I remember the radio just squawking back -'hey you in the blue Cessna, just follow the red Learjet in front of you but keep back a bit...'
So many memories, too little time. Dad, you came with me to a Christmas dance when I worked at Sun Alliance, the insurance company now known as RSA Insurance as Alex wasn't able to accompany me. I was the only one with my dad as my partner for the evening. You were there at the birth of our children (Vanessa, Matthew and Ryan, Robert's son) even if only in spirit along with mom. You loved all of us so much and made all our lives richer. You were a charmer up to the end as the nurses and doctors also fondly remember how kind and friendly you were even when dealing with your own confusions and pains. Dad, our hearts hurt now that you are no longer here with us in person but I know that we will see each other again on the other side of this door called life and eternity. Please pray for us and we will pray for you. We LOVE YOU SO MUCH and MISS YOU SO MUCH.
