It was a fortunate thing that our fathers were able to get together on Father's Day because on July 2nd, Don (Sydney's dad) died of an apparent heart attack. He was camping at [link|http://maps.google.com/maps?q=boston+bar,+bc&ll=50.000436,-121.742645&spn=0.034435,0.044928&t=k&hl=en|Nahatlatch] in his favourite campsite. The service was held at his campsite on July 23rd.

Don was a campground host for many years. Two of his friends wrote and read poems in his memory:


Host

The fire is lit and heat lifts
Lifts smoke, sparks and
The smell
The smell of burning birch
The smell of coffee afresh

The fire is lit the table is set
For the company
for the expected and for the unexpected
The silence of the still morning broken
Broken by the sound of a lone bird

The sound of the lone bird's shrill
Bounces
Bounces off the water and the hill
This lonely bird is seeking its place
May he fit into this heavenly space

For he is such a beautiful bird
As beautiful as sunrise or sunset
A bird as lonely as he is beautiful
So he speaks his lonely call
To you, to me, friends; welcome


Richard G. Campbell
July 22nd 2005


Don

The days of having coffee have come to an end
but not before you become a mentor and a special friend
all the laughs and conversations I remember well
all the good memories I won't dwell.
The way you laughed and smoked your cigarette
the Pilsner we drank I'll never forget.
I know you're in a special place hard it may seem
I'll see you again in a special dream
So Don don't worry, Squacum it's your place
man I can see the smile on your furry face.
You're happy now, you lived with grace.

Your friend and partner
George Campbell



Donald Alexander Watt
March 26th, 1938 - July 2nd 2005

He was in his favourite place. He hadn't been feeling well for a while, yet he refused to see a doctor. But before he left on his last camping trip he seemed ok. Friday evening he said good night to his camp mates and he didn't wake up the next morning. We don't really know what he experienced that night. I chose to believe it was a peaceful exit. Maybe the coroner knows differently, I didn't ask him...

Sydney & I were visiting my dad at [link|http://maps.google.com/maps?q=barriere+,+bc&ll=51.066859,-119.793549&spn=0.135479,0.231571&t=k&hl=en|Agate Bay] that weekend. You know, it's never good news when it's after 10pm and a police officer is going door to door looking for you.

We're doing ok. Sydney is the executor for Don's estate. That has it's own set of headaches. Judy, Sydney's mom, is going to be ok. She's a little lost, but coping. It didn't help when Charlie, her dog, was killed by a car 2 weeks after Don's death.

It's strange the things you think about. Judy's been living in that house for 27 years. Christmas without Don is going to be,... well I don't know, but it won't be Christmas with Don.

Oh, and today would have been their 44th anniversary.