An Emotional Week
Well, all the guests have left, and I am back to just me in the apartment. It was good to see all the Uncles, and Mom even though the reason for their being here was a funeral.
I thought I would post events of the week, and Mom can correct me if I get it wrong. Mom and Fred and Rhonda, stayed here, Neil was at Sue's house. On Sunday, we got a cold snap and snow, that looked like it was here to stay. Poor Mom, she leaves the warm Okanagan, to come to the freezing Prairies. Allison was picking up Mom, Monday afternoon, borrowing a friends car, and then bringing her here. At about 2:30 I had a message on my phone, from Al, saying the car had to get a boost because it would not start, but she was getting that done and would be there to pick up Mom. At about 3:15 had a call from Mom, wondering where Allison was, so I let her know that Al was on her way. Rhonda and Fred got here around 4, and thankfully the roads were good and they had no trouble with the drive. Monday night we all had supper, and the guests went over to Bill's place, picking up Stan on the way. Neil met them there, and Bob was also at Bill's.
Fred said that the Police in Medicine Hat, were the ones that let him know. He was in the bedroom at their place, and Christine answered the door, and told Fred that someone was there to see him. He had a bit of a shock that it was the police. He was still not sure how the police found him. But Rhonda thinks that there was an alert that went out to the different police depts, and the MH detachment got out to Fred's first. So Fred did some groundwork before leaving the Hat, and got the address of the place that Les was living and a contact who was working there.
Anyway the sib's decided to try and go to the lodge, on Tuesday morning if they could, and then over to the funeral home (Appel's, same place as Dad's service), and meet with the Funeral Director. At the Lodge, they found out that Les had only been there since May, prior to that he had been staying at the Bissell Centre, a drop in Centre, but he had broken his hip, so he got to move to the Starling Lodge, which is situated just around the corner from Al's new place. The people at the lodge, said that Les was a very kind and gentle man, and had a current picture of him. No doubt that he was a Robins, he looked just like Uncle Bill. Anyway, they said at the lodge there were people there who would like to attend a service. At first the sibs thought they would not have a service, but after being at the lodge, changed their minds.
The service was scheduled for Wednesday at 2:00, and the funeral home said they had a person, who is a funeral celebrant, Bob Cully, who could lead the service. Mom and the MH Robins, came back to my place and waited for Bob C to call, so they could tell him a little about Les. Mom also wrote a eulogy. There was also a friend of Les's, Mike, who also lived in the Bissell Centre, that Fred contacted, so that he could come to the service too. All of Bill's Edmonton area kids, except Diana, were at the service, Sue and her husband Mike, George and Kay, Al and I, and the sibs and Rhonda, were all there, along with some people from Sparling lodge, and Mike and John (another friend of Les's).
The service was quite short, but I think it was a good way to say goodbye. Bob C, talked a little about Les and what his early life was like and how he had kind of been lost from the family for a long time. He did not gloss over the fact that Les, had not been seen for awhile, by any member of the family, other than fleeting glimpses on the street. Fred read the eulogy, and it was really touching. I felt sorry for Bill's kids, quite a bad month for them, first Thelma, and then Les, they were very weepy at the service. After the service there was some coffee and tea and goodies, and people got a chance to talk to John and Mike, to hear about the last years. Both of them said that Les was very quiet, and did not talk much about his family or previous life. He mensioned to John, that he had two brothers who were plumbers, but John was quite surprised that there were two more brotheres and a sister. Christa from the lodge, said they had Neil, on file as a contact, but showed Neil living in Sherwood Park, and they moved from there 11 years ago. She was also surpised to see the other 3 brothers and Mom.
Wednesday night, we went to Sue's for supper, that was lovely. Bill was too tired to come, but Stan, came over, with us. Rhonda was a great chauffeur, driving Mom, Fred all over the city. they got the banking and notices to the government done.
Fred and Rhonda, left yesterday morning back to the Hat, and Mom left this morning. Her flight and Neil's were leaving at about the same time, so Sue, offered to drive Mom to the airport too. Neil and Sue came over had some coffee, then loaded up Mom and took off.
And I think that is it.
I thought I would post events of the week, and Mom can correct me if I get it wrong. Mom and Fred and Rhonda, stayed here, Neil was at Sue's house. On Sunday, we got a cold snap and snow, that looked like it was here to stay. Poor Mom, she leaves the warm Okanagan, to come to the freezing Prairies. Allison was picking up Mom, Monday afternoon, borrowing a friends car, and then bringing her here. At about 2:30 I had a message on my phone, from Al, saying the car had to get a boost because it would not start, but she was getting that done and would be there to pick up Mom. At about 3:15 had a call from Mom, wondering where Allison was, so I let her know that Al was on her way. Rhonda and Fred got here around 4, and thankfully the roads were good and they had no trouble with the drive. Monday night we all had supper, and the guests went over to Bill's place, picking up Stan on the way. Neil met them there, and Bob was also at Bill's.
Fred said that the Police in Medicine Hat, were the ones that let him know. He was in the bedroom at their place, and Christine answered the door, and told Fred that someone was there to see him. He had a bit of a shock that it was the police. He was still not sure how the police found him. But Rhonda thinks that there was an alert that went out to the different police depts, and the MH detachment got out to Fred's first. So Fred did some groundwork before leaving the Hat, and got the address of the place that Les was living and a contact who was working there.
Anyway the sib's decided to try and go to the lodge, on Tuesday morning if they could, and then over to the funeral home (Appel's, same place as Dad's service), and meet with the Funeral Director. At the Lodge, they found out that Les had only been there since May, prior to that he had been staying at the Bissell Centre, a drop in Centre, but he had broken his hip, so he got to move to the Starling Lodge, which is situated just around the corner from Al's new place. The people at the lodge, said that Les was a very kind and gentle man, and had a current picture of him. No doubt that he was a Robins, he looked just like Uncle Bill. Anyway, they said at the lodge there were people there who would like to attend a service. At first the sibs thought they would not have a service, but after being at the lodge, changed their minds.
The service was scheduled for Wednesday at 2:00, and the funeral home said they had a person, who is a funeral celebrant, Bob Cully, who could lead the service. Mom and the MH Robins, came back to my place and waited for Bob C to call, so they could tell him a little about Les. Mom also wrote a eulogy. There was also a friend of Les's, Mike, who also lived in the Bissell Centre, that Fred contacted, so that he could come to the service too. All of Bill's Edmonton area kids, except Diana, were at the service, Sue and her husband Mike, George and Kay, Al and I, and the sibs and Rhonda, were all there, along with some people from Sparling lodge, and Mike and John (another friend of Les's).
The service was quite short, but I think it was a good way to say goodbye. Bob C, talked a little about Les and what his early life was like and how he had kind of been lost from the family for a long time. He did not gloss over the fact that Les, had not been seen for awhile, by any member of the family, other than fleeting glimpses on the street. Fred read the eulogy, and it was really touching. I felt sorry for Bill's kids, quite a bad month for them, first Thelma, and then Les, they were very weepy at the service. After the service there was some coffee and tea and goodies, and people got a chance to talk to John and Mike, to hear about the last years. Both of them said that Les was very quiet, and did not talk much about his family or previous life. He mensioned to John, that he had two brothers who were plumbers, but John was quite surprised that there were two more brotheres and a sister. Christa from the lodge, said they had Neil, on file as a contact, but showed Neil living in Sherwood Park, and they moved from there 11 years ago. She was also surpised to see the other 3 brothers and Mom.
Wednesday night, we went to Sue's for supper, that was lovely. Bill was too tired to come, but Stan, came over, with us. Rhonda was a great chauffeur, driving Mom, Fred all over the city. they got the banking and notices to the government done.
Fred and Rhonda, left yesterday morning back to the Hat, and Mom left this morning. Her flight and Neil's were leaving at about the same time, so Sue, offered to drive Mom to the airport too. Neil and Sue came over had some coffee, then loaded up Mom and took off.
And I think that is it.
posted by Judith at 3:00 PM
6 Comments:
Thanks for the good update, it is good to know what was going on.
I just spent 2 days going around to different social service resources in Kelowna and seeing places where Les might have been, if he had lived here. The good thing about it, was that all of the places were quite a bit nicer than I would have thought. And that the people working in them all seemed to genuinely want to help others and want people to do the best they can. I will update more later.
Thanks, Jude, I was thinking about you and Mom all week. What would we all do without you and your hospitality?
Do you remember Uncle Les? I remember that he did look like Uncle Bill but had curly hair like Stan. I was surprised at how sad I felt when Mom called to say that he had died.
I remember him in Grande Prairie, sitting on our patio, at the duplex in the sun, and that he had the same toes as Laura. The last time all the sibs were together with him, was in 1956. I think it was at Margaret's funeral (is that right Mom?). Bob is going to scan the recent picture of him, and send it out. When I was at the service, I was surpised at how sad I felt, too. More because it seems as though he would have been a good person to know, and there was never the chance to do do that. I am going to type up the Eulogy, and send it out, so you can read Mom's thoughts of him..
I am really glad to be home, but also glad that I went to say my goodby to Les. It was good to be with all my brothers at this time. Our little service was short but nice and while I've always hated that word "closure" its the only one that seems to work. We were so glad to know that Les was in a decent place and had never been homeless and that the folks at the lodge were so kind and caring. They seemed to think highly of him saying that he was always quiet and kind - a real gentle man, and meeting some of his friends who could tell us a little of his life was good for us all. They said he had always worked even after he was 65 and had always had a home, what ever it was like - they seemed to be really fond of him and said there would have been more friends at the service, but it was pension day so they did it their own way - which was fine and appropiate, I guess. He had a surprising amount in his bank account, so after the expenses, we are donating it to th Friendship Operation which operates the lodge and dropin centre where he lived - it seemed the right thing to do, They did a lot for him after he broke his hip and were very nice, seeming to do it because they really cared. Jude will send the little eulogy that I wrote - Fred read it and broke down while doing so - J and A said that I have to write theirs, but will be long gone by then ( I hope). I think we were all together onmce more after Margarets funeral - about a year later (Jude, Bob and my Cousin's kid were all 1) at Alex McMasters in Sherwood Park - otherwise Judes info is right on
Love from mom/gma
I guess Laura got Robins toes and I got Sivak toes.
Mom, do you have the address of Friendship Operation? I would like to make a donation.
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