Saturday, August 4, 2018
To all of Roger's family; Roger's passing came as quite a shock, seeing his obituary in the Hamilton Spectator today Sat. 4th Aug. Like so many I have known in my lifetime ( in a months time I will be 89 ). I always felt that we would live forever ).I knew Roger very well when the family lived on Derry road just west of Milton. We were for a short time very good friends, until Roger moved to Hamilton to apprentice for a body man repairing automobiles in Hamilton. Prior to his move he erected a body shop just outside of Milton, but sold out to work elsewhere. It was about this time that I got married ,and as we had both gone our separate ways, I completely lost touch . He did however briefly pay me a visit at my home in Milton back in the 1960s, and I never saw him again. There were three of us who went to the local Saturday night dances at the old Milton town hall, travelling mostly in Wilbur Charret's father's Jeep, and very occasionally in my Dad's old Chev. car. I used to visit him at the family farm on Derry road, and on an occasion I well recall was when he took me for a hair raising ride in his Dad's Bren Gun carrier which was cut down to use as a tractor, and had most of the armour removed. As the farm backed onto the Niagara escarpment, to the rear of their property was all hills, so the ride was sure full of ups and downs ! ! Roger attended my wedding (16th June 1951), and that was the last I saw of him apart from his brief visit to me in Milton in the 1960s.I have thought about him many times over the years, and recalled with pleasure our friendship of now long ago, but never forgotten. I did see Donnie occasionally at American Motors where we were both employed, until I retired in 1958, and moved to live on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland for three years, whereupon my wife and I returned to our home town of Milton, and are still here. Unfortunately, this isn't Milton anymore but a large suburb of Toronto ! ! , but at least we are close to our family. Please accept my most sincere condolences on the loss of Roger whose face will always be with me as I recall our good times together albeit for a short duration. Also kind regards to brother Donnie who I'm sure must be long retired. All my good wishes to all of you from Roger's old pal Alan ("Curly") Waters
