Weird title but that is what yesterday's anniversary was. 51 years ago on November 7th we got the news Bill had died. Age 73. Doing what he enjoyed. Cutting firewood with his younger brother, Dick, on their father's land. Bill and Dick were second cousins to me.
I remember some details of the day. That morning, at my grandfather and uncle's yard showing off the "new to us" 1970 Dodge pickup truck when neighbour Art comes driving into the yard with the shocking news. Barely a mile South of where we were standing and happened quite suddenly. Art was working across the road at Eddie's yard so that was where Dick went for help but it was pretty much too late. Bill had suffered a heart attack or two several years earlier and in those days it seems they didn't do anything like by pass or angioplasty to fix the problem.
He seemed to get along ok taking it easy and even accompanied his brother on a trip to England, land of their ancestors, earlier that same year.
Bill was a talented individual who could write songs, poetry, fiction, practiced art all his life. Kept a daily journal with fascinating details of family history. Some of which I share here on this blog.
Bill worked almost 20 years at Fort San tuberculosis sanatorium and his recording of daily life at the San is fascinating.
Bill and Dick would often stop in here for a visit on their way from Fort San out to the homestead where they kept a huge garden.
He left me with enough material to keep this Nevardblog going for a long time.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Leave a comment if you like.