He passed away in 2005 and it seems like just yesterday we shared
moments together.
Let me take a few minutes to tell you about the most marvelous man I ever met.
He was born on Wednesday March 31st 1943, a day that would truly change
the lives of so many others who came before and after him.
His given name was Charles Edmond but by the time he reached
high school most people called him Chuck or Charlie.
He loved to spend his time away from school fishing, hunting and playing baseball.
While in his school schedule he liked playing on the basketball team, being in track
and field, he often told us of how he once high jumped to the height of six feet.
He also liked to tell us that he loved sleeping in Latin class.
Obviously I have no memories of his childhood because I wasn't there for it but
I do relish all stories of him told by those who were there and they have as many
good things to say about my fine Father as I do.
Nothing did he enjoy more than spending time outdoors with those he loved.
He didn't get his drivers license until he was thirty five years old but that didn't
stop him from taking us all around town.
We would walk the couple kilometers to the bus and make our way to see a
movie at the old Center Theatre or go for a bite to eat downtown at Kresge's,
Woolworth or Sentry department stores.
Most Saturdays were spent this way and I cherish every memory I have of
those delightful days past.
He worked a steady Monday-Friday day schedule at Big Horn Saddles.
How fittingly fine his field was for an avid horse admirer like me.
My Sister and I would pester him repeatedly in hopes that he would buy us a horse.
I remember my Pepe (my Dad's Father) driving me downtown with him
to fetch my Father after work.
I would run out of the car in a flash and be off to find him before Pepe Gene
could even make a complete stop.
Once I found him he would hoist me up atop of a sparkling saddle that sat
on a cart that rolled and would ride me around the warehouse.
I would laugh loudly and and was completely happy in those moments, ahhh
to be young again and that easily pleased in life.
Do you know that I can still smell the sweet leather loveliness of those saddles
when I close my eyes and recall the memories?
It wasn't always wonderful though and my teen years turned into superb
sadness for him.
As you've probably guessed, I'm a pretty high-spirited soul and that wasn't
a good thing once hormones got a hold of me.
I was unruly, selfish and very stubborn, still haven't shaken the stubbornness.
I became very dark and secluded, I was teased through grade school and had
high hopes of high school being a more mature place.
When I discovered it was even worse than my previous educational experience
I quickly quit and am shamed to say that I never went back.
I became romantically involved with a man ten years older than me and soon
separated myself from anyone outside of him.
My Father tried endlessly to please me while also making efforts to get my
behind back in school.
I spent a couple months in the hospital as a young teen for sad attempts at suicide
and I can't even begin to imagine what that did to him and my family that loved me.
I treated my Father so awful during this time in my life that it still makes my eyes leak
and heart hurt almost thirty years later.
Daily did my tongue sling sour swears at him and I lashed out with all the
faults in me.
It took a long time for me to see what a loving, supportive, forgiving Father
he was but once I did he became the Man I wanted to make amends with.
This was a couple years before my Hubby Bub and I had reconnected and by
the time he moved in with me, Papa Chaz and I were in a very good place.
My Father instantly took a liking to my new love interest and welcomed him into
our family with an open heart.
You see my Hubby Bub's Mother and my Father were raised down the street
from each other and knew each others families well.
My Father liked that my new boyfriend also loved to hunt and fish as he did.
One of the funniest things about my Dad was that he was always going around
making up Nick-Knack-Names for everyone.
My Hubby Bub was no exception, he graced him with the name "Zeke"
and rarely called him by his birth name.
We spent a ton of time with him and my family as most of them lived in the
same neighbourhood as we did and he even lived with us once we had children.
I savor those years we shared.
His sense of humor was completely corny and he loved making others laugh
with his silly ways of saying things.
He use to refer to Great Big Sea, one of my favorite bands as
"Squid Jiggers & Heron Chokers"
He liked the Red Green show, North Of 60 and most all of the Ernest movies.
His musical tastes were rooted in old country but he also loved Three Dog Night
and Roy Orbison.
As a devote Catholic he weekly gave some of his wages to the church and
sponsored less fortunate families over the years.
A simple man he always was and wanted nothing more in life than to have
everyone gather and get along.
He loved the Toronto Maple Leafs no matter how terrible a team they were
and got into March Madness every year.
He couldn't carry a tune and he drove my Sis and I madly when he would
stroll around the house in song.
I can't tell you what I'd give to hear him sing again.
Today I have been listening to music he loved, telling stories of him to
our youngest Son and later we will be having one of his favorite meals,
BBQ spare ribs and corn of the cob!
I could type of memories made with him all day but I must get to work that
needs to be done around here.
I'll add a few pictures of him one of which has my oldest Son wearing his
old baseball jacket.
Also, I've included a song that he sang nightly to my Sis and I as we set off
in search of slumber.
Thanks for reading what's on my mind and if you are lucky enough to still have
your Father alive I hope you shower him with love.
If mine were here that's what I'd be doing.
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