Saturday, December 16, 2023
John and I started out in a big family. We were bitter rivals as kids.
Always 'one-upping' each other.
We went with the family, camping and heading up north, each yr,
to our step father's place.
That was a spark for the outdoors that lasted a lifetime.
After schooling, we drifted apart for many yrs. John, to the military,
and myself, to wander, to parts unknown.
We reconnected eventually, and shared our love for hunting and
enjoying the northern woods.
Many ATV trips/calamities, ensued.
Like the time a beaver dam washed out and flooded our return route.
He said "go ahead, How deep can it be?"
6 FEET. I was drenched and still miles from the truck.
With a drowned ATV.
Or the time he drove his ATV up a steep cut, and flipped it completely
backward.
I ran over to make sure he was OK, and he was laughing, saying
"did you get a picture?" I did.
I introduced him to my good friend Rob, and another bond was formed.
He came up for 1 trip, only to have take me to hosp.
I was worried that he wasted a trip.
Nope. He and Rob went gallavanting off to the bush, til I was able
to get released.
We never really shared each other's familys, but we always enjoyed each
others' company,
He had nieces, nephews he never met.
And I met very few of his brood. But he always spoke of his dear friend,
Beth and her grandkids.
I got to meet Zack and Alysia. Zack was very shy, and Alysia tolerated
being around an old grump.
I could say I taught her how to ride and ATV, except she parked it rite
in the trees at the bottom of a ditch.
John musta taught her how to do that.
Zack would always want to go fishing, so we always stopped at streams
to drown a worm or 2.
His time with Beth and her family, was the happiest I ever seen him.
He rarely talked of some of the horrors he saw in the military.
His picture is in some book about searching for a Russian satelite on
Great Bear Lake, NWT.
You would never recognise him as he was bundled up like the
Michelin man.
And the time Prince Phillip slipped and fell getting off a helicopter,
striking the crown jewels in his fall.
In Ruwanda, his chopper was sent to evacuate, some local big wig who was
escaping the terrors, there.
The whole family showed up with all they owned, including mattresses.
Sry bud no room on the chopper.
.
In Sommerside PEI, he was search and rescue.
His chopper got the call the night the Ocean Ranger went down. (Google it)
After his military jaunts, he found Fleetway, and enjoyed his friends
there.
Every hunting season he spoke of Fleetway, and his comradery with
all the folks there.
The homeless in London, will notice his passing.
John was always cooking huge meals, and putting them into containers
to distribute down at the river or the homeless camps.
A lot of his outdoor gear was given to the homeless when he quit hunting.
Gotta be the best dressed homeless around.
He had no tolerance for 'useless eaters' but he helped so many folks at
the drop of a hat.
We will all miss you brother.
Say hi to Beth for me.
......................................................................................................................................................................................................
from Little House on The Prairie
"remember me with joy and laughter
cause that how I will remember you all
But if you can only remember me with tears and sadness
then dont remember me at all"
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