GEDDES
Ernest Erle
April 27, 1936 - Jan. 10, 2009
Erle is survived by his wife, Joyce (Dederer) of 50 years, daughter Terri (Dean) Wills and son Glen. Born in Abbey, Saskatchewan to Clifford and Genevieve (Goodman) Geddes, the second youngest of 10 children. His family eventually ended up in Medicine Hat, Alberta, where some of his first jobs included an autobody apprentice, life guarding at one of the local civic pools, Parker Dominion Glass factory, and Oglivie Flour Mills.
Erle enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1955, and at the ripe old age of 35, he re-trained as a Flight Engineer on the Lockheed C-130 Hercules (426 Squadron, Edmonton) finishing at the top of his class! Leaving the Military in 1977, he and Mom then moved the family to the Comox Valley, on the east coast of Vancouver Island. Other accomplishments included working at the Gold River Pulp Mill, successfully running North Island Janitor service, and Yard Cards. Dad rounded out his retirement years with helping Joyce at Santa’s workshop, Senior Peer counselling and chauffeuring cancer patients from the Comox Valley to Nanaimo, BC for treatment.
Dad liked the simple things in life like being out on the ocean with one of his girls (Sarah, Salsa, Ula or the Manatee), setting up his telescope on the roof of the house to enjoy the midnight sky, Boston cream pie, stormy days down at Pt. Holmes, swimming, classical music, and jujubes (never mix the flavors, and always 2 at a time!). He also had a very creative side to him, that proved to be hours of entertainment for the rest of us, whether he was “Erle-ifying” something (he called it “improving” it), wood working, or spicing up Mom’s cooking….WHILE she was still cooking!
Our family would like to thank all of the staff out at Oceanview, St. Joseph’s Hospital in Comox. You provided comfort, dignity, kind words and compassion to our family during Dad’s final days. A heartfelt thank you!!
So in lieu of cards or flowers, if you knew Erle, please join us in pouring yourself a beer, raise your glass….and cheer!
“Some of our best vacations have been in our own backyard”.
- Erle Geddes
Love you always Dad,
Mom, Terri, Dean and Glen