COLES, Ron. We miss you dad, your smile, your whit, your encouragement, your love of tea, your provision and the spring in your step.  As we begin to analyse what impact you had on our lives, all the little stories surface.  I will play a song from your life album, just a glimpse of who you are and what your story holds. We’ll see where the music takes us.

Dad’s story starts in London, England.  Dad’s father, Henry Coles, was called “Harry”.  He fixed radios. Dad’s brother, also called “Harry” had straighter hair than dad and was older.  His mom’s name was Jessie.  We called her “Nanny” and “Mum” was the spelling of anything Dad had labeled concerning her.  She maintained a heavy accent through the years, unlike dad.  Jessie had 3 sisters, and 2 brothers: Eileen, Jennie, Sheila, Percy, and Bert, in London.

Jessie and Dad grieved as they first lost Dad’s dad, then Dad’s brother several years later.  Dad lived in London through WW2.  Air raid sirens blasted, but they did not always go down to the underground shelter.  He remembers being on the top of a building as the war planes blazed above his head.  Having a single working parent, Dad didn’t always get up for school, missing part of his education.

Jessie met and married George Gillies, a soldier at the time, and came over on the “Aquitania” to Halifax, Nova Scotia, through Pier 21.  The next leg of the Journey was a train ride all the way to North Battleford, Saskatchewan.  He was just about 13 years old.

Dad involved himself in all kinds of sports and recreation.  Photos show him in baseball, tennis, skiing, and curling, as well as hockey.  In later years developing his sport hobbies and love of being outdoors, he walked, washed the car, mowed the lawn, played golf and continued to curl.

He enjoyed being social.  He went to a nearby church for youth group where music started to become important to him.  Midlife he picked up a guitar.  He enjoyed dancing with Mom.  He made mixed tapes off the radio, and recently reclaimed playing records.

At 21 years old, he finished school (lots of catch-up from childhood and new surroundings).  Upon a suggestion, Dad decided to take up a career as an RCMP officer after trialing a few local jobs.  He was stationed mostly in BC, with one posting in Yorkton, Saskatchewan.  He met Doris Griechen in a cafeteria line, on a course for Ident, in Ottawa.  Dad was smitten with Mom, and she became the love of his life.  They married Jan 29, 1960.  His last posting was Richmond, BC.  He retired from the Mounties but still needed to find work to support his family.  So, he scoured for a job, and found a position as a Sheriff.  This was a difficult transition.  Dad had to train, running the track with a stopwatch to achieve a desired time.  He was much older than others applying, but he made it.  He enjoyed the courtroom part of his job.  The long drives to and from Vancouver were wearing on him.

Dad’s parenting style was the softie at our house.  If you wanted a yes, you asked Dad.  He liked to keep photos in his wallet and top dresser drawer of us kids.  He gave simple gifts.  He made the news once and called just in time for us to turn on the TV to see him dusting a licence plate.  Only one chance to see that. No VCRS or ability to rewatch anything unless it was a rerun.

Dad made his holidays our family trips minus Mom and Dads second honeymoon.  As a family, we ventured down to the states: California, Nevada, and Arizona.  On one trip we went all the way to Tijuana, Mexico.  Dad did so much driving.  There were flat tires, mirror adjustments, tent and tent trailer set ups and take downs, signal light checks and plenty of neck rubs.

He leaves behind, his children: Ron (Candace), Brad (Alysha), Lisa, Krista (Steven), his grand children:  BRAD – Justin & Sheena  LISA – Rachael, Naomi (Josh), Mateo (Anja)  KRISTA -Thane & Haydn  and his great grandchildren:  BRAD – JUSTIN – Calysta  Jordan

Dad made visits out to see each of us as we spread out our wings and took flight.  He watched children graduate, marry, and have their own families.  He provided advise, and stayed in touch.  Dad walked both of his daughters down the aisle and was the first person to hold the last grandchild born, Haydn (my daughter).  He followed our ups and our downs. He celebrated and he grieved.  With our battles he cheered us on.

When Mom and Dad decided to retire, they bought land and built a house together on Vancouver Island.  I remember dad trying to frame a tricky corner fireplace.  This location didn’t remain their retirement property.  They returned to the mainland and searched out the perfect spot deciding Chilliwack was the place.  They rented and then bought a house when they found the right one. Their final home was in a gated community in Chilliwack.  In each home, we were always welcome to visit and stay.

Dad was not a Christian man for most of his life.  This last 6 months or so his life was as he himself described, “Very hard”.  He mourned mom deeply, but he maintained the ability to go on with his children as caregivers.  He was open to hymns and prayers and spiritual happenings within and around him.  He could express his grief and carried Mom with him.

As Dad did struggle with short term memory loss, I imagine he didn’t know what was going on medically for himself at times.  He did what his body would allow him to.  He got used to having medical staff in hospital look after him, instead of being in his home environment.  While Dad was still alert and responsive, he continued to kid around, laugh and facial grimace over hard things to hear or experience.  When asked in his extended days of hospital beds, boredom and medications he took up the cross of Christ as the healer for his situation and healing.  His situation continued but he had a way through it. With a new directive, he knew he could pray and be effective where he was at.  He knew he was loved and that the phrase he had chosen for the grave marker was safely stowed and tucked into place.  “TOGETHER FOREVER”   When Mom was passing, her hands began to swell and it was decided to take the rings off her finger.  Dad quickly gathered her wedding ring into his clutches for safe keeping.  He placed it on his pinky finger and there it stayed.  When Dad’s hands began to swell and it was decided to take the rings off his fingers, they were taken off together and given to me for safe keeping.  Together they remain. Condolences can be left at www.sallowsandmcdonald.com. Sallows & McDonald-Wilson & Zehner Funeral Home, Wally Markewich in care of arrangements. 306-445-2418

• Date : 2021-08-25
• Location : North Battleford, SK.