Suzanne:
Being the youngest in the family, my brothers had long since lost the desire to participate in certain activities, cross country skiing being one of them. Dad would still take me out skiing every year, and would genuinely look forward to going. He would always push me to try the trails I’d never have the courage to try on my own. Just the two of us would head off on the trails, through forests, over rivers, just enjoying the quiet of winter. We would always make sure to stop at the cafe at the end of the day and have a cup of hot chocolate each.
Then there was the time when my high school geography teacher planned an amazing 4 day school trip that included camping and visiting different mines around the Bancroft area. I was extremely excited about the trip and was immensely disappointed when it was cancelled because of a meningitis outbreak. Dad took me on that trip anyway, and we faithfully followed the itinerary set out by my teacher. We set up a base camp, and every day would travel out to a different mine. One was a still-active talc mine, one was an abandoned emerald mine. We collected samples at each, including samples of low-quality emeralds!
Those memories aside, what I will remember with the most joy about Dad is how he was such an amazing grandad to Olivia and John. He was kind and patient with them. He always had a smile for them, and it always made his day when he could see them and snuggle with them. I love that Olivia and John were able to experience the calm and gentle side of dad.
Klaus:
Dad went on a trip to Canada before we emigrated to search for a job in the hotel field so we would be allowed to emigrate. He came home with presents for all, but he brought me the most incredible present of all, a toy gun that was charged with compressed air and made a very loud bang when you pulled the trigger. He told mum it was because I was the middle one and often was overlooked - I was the envy of the neighbourhood.
One day when I was a kid I went out shopping with dad, I didn't know why we were going out, we went to a knife shop and looked at knives, he bought me the one I liked, he wanted to get me my first real pocket knife - I still have the knife.
When I was a little kid he always let me come out and watch him work in his flower garden. He mostly grew roses - I would watch him dig, spray and he taught me about removing the suckers that would produce wild flowers if left to grow.
He would always take us camping - we all loved camping. I was always allowed to help with the camp fire - he showed me how to chop wood.
For my fifth birthday he made me a birthday cake in the form of a steam train, kid heaven.
He made me a beautiful bi plane out of Lego, there was a plane crash, it was all smashed, I cried my eyes out. I was devastated, he rebuilt the plane for me, all was well
When I was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery to have my appendix removed, as I was being wheeled into the operating theatre he kept telling me he wished he could take my place, I think he was crying
He rigged up a sleigh so he could pull baby Suzanne when we went cross country skiing
He built a special folding camping crib for baby Suzanne that could be put together and taken apart for easy storage
He loved collecting knives with Gerry and me when we were grown up. We would watch hockey on a Saturday night and line up all our knives in front of us.
He would often come out with us to play pool, pure fun
We were welcome to take over the house every week to run a Bible study, that's how Gerry and I met our wives!
Mike and Julie and Alison were whole heartedly welcomed into his family!
Right to the very end, he loved having his family around him!
Gerry:
Dad was a larger than life, hard-working, honest man.
He enjoyed woodworking, but LOVED the tools.
He had an unorthodox but brilliant engineering mind.
He LOVED his family.
He possessed almost heroic camping skills.
He was one of Toronto’s most revered restaurant men - a master of the food experience - running the catering operations of some of the city’s most renowned establishments including The Old Mill Restaurant and Movenpick. He later branched off when he and mum formed their own company, Chombley Catering.
He took great joy from all of his children’s achievements.
I would love to fish with him one more time.
Specific Moments:
On the first cruise Allison, and I took with mum and dad, he said he was experiencing things that he never thought he would - things he had read about and only dreamt doing of as a child.
My favourite memory is the joy of snorkeling with him for the first time in Bermuda when he was already on the decline. I walked arm in arm with him into the water. We swam together – feeding bananas to the fish.
Peter (memory from Gerry):
I remember my brother Peter saying a few simple words about my dad after I had complained about him. He simply said, “dad is a good man.”
Janet (Mum):
We met in a coffee bar on Kensington High Street in London.
My sister was with me, we both liked the look of him. He was very handsome. I'm afraid we were smokers and took out our cigarettes and pretended we had no matches. Peter kindly reached over and gave us a light.
We sort of chatted. He had very little English. But he managed to say to me in a strong German accent, "I have date wis you, Ya?"
I said "yes" and knew I was in love with him because later I was walking six feet above the pavement.
Even so, I almost didn't go out with him because his trousers were a strange green colour and a bit on the short side. Jean insisted. So I did - Thank you, Jean.
I remember seeing the absolute joy on his face when each of our children were born
I have millions of wonderful memories!
