Wednesday, July 19, 2023
Aunt Betty, Paul and Diane, Greg and Mary and your families, our sincere condolences on your loss of Uncle Bob. He truly was an amazing human being and woven into all your lives and ours. We are all blessed with the memories he made for us and shaping who we are.
It’s not a few specific stand-out memories for me, rather, the breadth, depth, and colour of so many fond memories spanning my entire life of memory;
- all the cottages
- the frog catching, getting minnows and worms, fishing, boating and water skiing
- the many family gatherings Bob and Jack took us to with the much loved "Birtch clan"
- the back yard BBQ’s, Bob in his plaid shorts and shirt off
- the poker and euchre games
- the golf games and Birtch Cups
- the hockey games, camps, and tournaments
- the old stories with all the various nicknames
- the new stories from your adventures together with him
- the visits to Parliament Hill, the mint, the Hershey factory
It’s hard to believe Bob, Jack, Betty and Arl managed to get us together for so many great memories. Much done without internet, cell phones or GPS. Bob and Jack were a team. One fond memory of them working as a team was a carburetor fire in one of our old cars on the drive home from Wonderland Gardens after an afternoon of swimming. The smoke pouring out the hood. The hood opened and flames reaching up high. Me terrified. One immediately grabbed a couple bathing suits that were drying on the antenna, the other wet towels from the trunk, then dropped them on the carburetor. In seconds the fire was out. A minute later, back on the road.
Bob’s grin and that glow he got when he was so happy that we were all together. It made you feel warm inside and assured me that we were in a good spot and enjoying fun times.
Thank you so much for the extra effort you put in at Christmas to get us all together with him for one last time. The past few months must have been extremely tough as the aging disease took its toll. Thankfully now he is in peace. Uncle Bob we love you and your wonderful family. Steve, Sue, Cristian and Nicola
