Saturday, August 6, 2022
Words can seem so hollow when you try to describe the loss i feel
I've met some strong men in my life but few as strong as Leonard , if life was a forest he was a towering oak strong and wise but as soft as a cedar when others were in need.
He loved the woods , i suppose that is why my mind goes to a forest when i think of him. He loved to talk and tell stories of his youth logging and working in the woods with all the other young men that grew up in that area.
As a young man he had a sawmill that he ran and kept for many years and used it to cut the lumber for projects on his farm , the loafing shed and that beautiful patio he built where so many family barbeques were held. He loved that farm.
He loved his wife , Evelyn who left us too soon . His beautiful daughters Kathy - Jean - Pat and Kim were everything to him.
He had a quick smile , when i asked him for advice (we all need advice from men like him)
He was a true outdoorsman , and tried on several occasions to show me how to run a chainsaw (or even his sawmill) but i was best at splitting the firewood.
As his son-inlaw i would offer to help him with his projects and found out quickly that he could not be out worked.
He loved heating his home with wood heat and did so right into his 80s , before he allowed his girls to have a propane heater installed (and that didnt happen without a struggle)
He was a religious man whose faith and generosity had no bounds.
He honoured his country , his church and his family and has touched so many lives i can only hope he knows how much he is missed.
I know he had to leave us , but he will never be gone from our hearts .
I have truly been blessed to have Leonard in my life , as a mentor, role model and father-inlaw i couldn't have asked for more.
Rest in Peace (from your favorite Canadian son-inlaw)
