Bob said he had several careers, but today he is focusing on his Military Career that began in 1954 at age 18. He was born and raised in Kingston Ontario and had a dream of being a fighter pilot. However, the military advised that their pilot quota was full, would be consider becoming a navigator. Bob said yes.

 

Contrary to what Bob envisioned by leaving high school, he started military training as a navigator and did more schooling than he expected. 8am to 4pm every day for 18 months. Then when done, they thought he as too young so they sent him home until 1958 when he  went back and was sent to Winnipeg for navigation training.

 

While in Winnipeg, his best friend had to go away and asked Bob to look after the best friends girl. But when the friend came back, Bob told him to get another girl. Bob met Pat in Winnipeg in January. In March he was being posted to PEI and while at home with his parents he decided to ask Pat to marry him. She had just turned 19 and told Bob he would have to ask her parents. Pat was studying nursing at the time but gave it up for Bob. They became engaged in May and were married 60 years ago August 6, 1960 in Winnipeg.

 

Bob was posted to Comax for 4 years where they had their first child. Then off to Cold Lake Alberta to track satelites (before there were many). Very cold in Cold Lake (-40 celcius to -93 with wind chill). In winter they got some sun about 10:30am and it went down about 3:30pm. But in summer it never really got dark. Satelites started to become important. They primarily worked at night filming the sky and plotting satelites against star charts. They worked long hours as they were short staffed.

 

Then Headquarters called and Bob was less then respectful it seems to a senior officer and was immediately transferred to a radar post in Quebec, very remote. They went from the very cold in Alberta to lots of snow (22 feet) in Quebec. Bob said he enjoyed this posting and stayed an extra year.

 

In 1968 he transferred to Trenton where he stayed until retirement in 1980. Initially he flew a lot (away typically 6 months of the year), so he was rarely home. So he asked to stop flying and stay on the ground, so he became the Protocol officer and PR (position now filled by team of 6). As Protocol officer he had duties regularly senior staff arrived and then planes came and went from Trenton frequently.

 

He was asked to speak to the Trenton Rotary Club about Protocol and he advised he didn't know anything about it, he just looked it up in a book. This made the local press. He had some run ins with press and even put press agent in jail for a while.

 

As Pat had given up her schooling to follow Bob around and raise the kids, she decided to go back to school, first to local High School to get grade 13, then Loyalist College for nursing. However, after her first year at Loyalist Bob was asked to go on a military exchange to the United Kingdom for 2 years. Pat encourage this too so off they went. Pat finished her nursing when they returned.

 

Bob retired in 1980 and started a second career with cables and marketing which he claims he could not spell. This took them to Burlington and later to Grimsby where they could better support their daughter and granddaughter. Bob really enjoyed looking after his 15 month old granddaughter for 3 months.

 

During these years, Bob and Pat frequently returned to the Quinte area for reunions and so they decided to move here, but not to Trenton or Belleville. So they found Brighton and after 22 moves they find they feel at home and a part of the community here in Brighton.

 

Wanting to give back, Bob joined the Museum at the base in Trenton as a volunteer to give tours. That is all he wanted to do. But recruited to the board, serving also as Chairman during the expansion /building program.

 

Bob has always loved libraries, so he got involved at the Brighton library. Again he was recruited to the board where he has served 12 years and 9 as chairman. He finds the service very rewarding.

 

When he first moved to Brighton he joined Lions, but then found Rotary and appreciates the people and fellowship.

 

President Joyce thanked Bob for his story.