My best friend had to leave at noon on March 13, 2023. His pain has ended. He was 74 years old. He has joined our daughter, Holly, to look over us. Left to miss him are me, his wife Bev, our son Ian and our daughter in law, Serina, his favourite granddaughter, Lia, and his favourite grandson, Sam. Brian was always proud when he spoke of, or introduced Holly and Ian to someone. To speak about Lia and Sam made him beam from the smile on his face. Also mourning Brian are a huge array of family, friends, neighbours. Too many to list. You know who you are. We appreciated all your kindnesses, rides, food, gifts, all the good wishes and thoughts.

Brian was an avid reader of life, past and current history. He was particularly knowledgeable about Canadian history. He had many books on the subject and read and re-read them. Most were Christmas gifts from our children. If you met Brian, you probably became a part of his life. Once anyone got to know him, they would quickly realize he was a kind, generous and very intelligent human being. His ability to retain information and share it was a credit to his exceptional memory. Brian was always happy to answer, to the best of his knowledge, history questions for nieces and nephews to help with homework projects. He was also helpful with directions to all those who phoned for/or just asked how to get somewhere. (We all know who we are.)

Being a firefighter for 30 years was too short of a career for him. He was extremely proud to have served and been able to do this job. He retired for health reasons, but every day after retiring he wished he was still at work firefighting. He loved the job and the wonderful friendships he made with the people he met doing that job. The days were few and far between when he didn’t tell me so. In 2007, Brian was given the gift of a new heart. He was always thankful to the young woman who died as the result of a car accident and gave seven of her organs to families. He often spoke of her, and acknowledged her by toasting her on many, especially the happy, occasions.

His wonderful gift heart gave him a compromised immune system. Skin cancer worked quickly to take my handsome husband from all of us.

Thank you to all the people who supported us in this journey, so many family, friends, neighbours, Dr. Hutchings, health care workers (volunteers, PSW’s, nurses, doctors), even strangers who showed kindness in small ways.

It has been said “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” From our first meeting at the Post Office over 57 years ago I knew I had met someone special. Please don’t take today or the people in your life for granted, give your loved ones a hug.

If you wish to make a donation to a charity in Brian’s name, your choice might be Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario or Canadian Cancer Society or Dr. Bob Kemp Hospice, who took such good care of Brian during his final days.