Book of Memories for Robert (Bob) J. Cameron

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Fri, 16 Jul 2021 04:20:30 EDT

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Memorial Candle lit by Susie Gjendem

Tue, 30 Dec 2014 08:34:45 EST

Susie Gjendem

Memorial Candle lit by Susie Gjendem

Tue, 30 Dec 2014 08:33:18 EST

Susie Gjendem

Story shared: Bob’s Childhood Story by Eileen (Cameron) Boyd

Sun, 12 Jan 2014 20:51:27 EST

We were children during World War II and those were days of ration stamps, things not available to civilians, scrap drives and paper drives , air raids, army barracks in our neighbourhoods, navy ships in our harbour, heavy curtains over the windows to keep the light from escaping to be seen from outside our home, etc. We were happy with playing ball (often a rock rolled up in a piece of cloth and tied with a piece of string) on any empty lot in the neighbourhood. We skated on any area where the water had collected and frozen, and the skates were passed down from child to child. We had ration stamps for each member of the family and you could only buy what you had the stamps for in terms of butter, eggs, meat etc. And we bought war stamps at 25 cents each in school to help with the war efforts and there were war bonds for those adults who had a bit more. A movie was 10 cents for the matinée and 18 cents at night. Unfortunately when Bob or Don wanted to go to the movies it often meant they had to take along their little sister. We lived within walking distance of our paternal grandparents who also had three unmarried daughters living at home (as was normal in those days, the girls did not go off to live in an apartment). We were the only family children locally and they gave us unconditional love. It was a little farther but still walking distance to our maternal grandparents home and they shared a home with Grampie McCormack’s brother so we were also able to spend time with them. We were brought up in the church of the Cameron family where our Grandfather was an “Elder” for over 40 years and during our early days, he was the superintendent of the Sunday School (he died when I was only 6, so Bob was 12). Aunt Sar was the church Treasurer, the three aunts were all in the ladies’ groups, Dad was a trustee, and Mum taught Sunday School so we had a good grounding. Bob had the misfortune of having a cerebral hemorrhage when he was 11 years old. It created symptoms not unlike the diphtheria that was so deadly in those days. The aunties took him to nurse him back to health where it was quiet and there were no little sisters to bother him. That unfortunately was the start of future problems, which appeared at times in his later years. We lived on the West Side of the harbour and the high school was on the opposite side so we went to high school by ferry boat. At Mum and Dad’s 60th anniversary, Bob gave many examples of the sound of the whistle of the boat when it was ready to leave. The high school was divided in the centre with one end being the boys’ end and one end the girls’ end, separate doors etc. so there was not a lot of interaction. Bob wanted to be a doctor and started in pre-med at Dalhousie University in Halifax in the ROTC program, which required he spend summers in army training. He went off to Arnprior base for the summer where he spent some time shooting the type of gun where you laid on your stomach and the butt of the gun rested on your shoulder creating a jar to your body with each shot. Shortly after he returned to University he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, which doctors felt was a result of the previous weakened blood vessel. The feeling was that his health would not withstand the rigorous life of an intern (as in those days interns worked 24 hrs /day and slept when they could etc. (not at all like the shifts they work today) and that he should seek another field to study. So the following year he switched from pre-med to business and he left Dal to attend UNB in Fredericton and got his BBA. Bob’s heart was still leaning to a medical field so off he went to Toronto to enter the field of Hospital Administration. During his internship in Kitchener-Waterloo he met Claire, and then went to his first job as an Assistant Administrator in Moncton, and then to his first job as the big boss in Kirkland Lake. In our early childhood years we did not have a car and when Dad was able to get that first car we had a great time in it. It eventually had holes in the floor boards and loose fenders. But... I also remember the great times we had in it. In those days there were no car radios or CD players; we sang and sang as we rolled along. We spent a lot of summer Sundays in the backlands. Dad would drive Grammie Cameron and the aunties there in her Pontiac, and mum would bring the kids in our car and we would spend a nice day together. Grammie had a large piece of property five miles in the woods on a single-lane dirt road. Bob and Don learned very young to drive the old car and they would hook a chain around the alder bushes and small trees and hook them to the bumper of the car and uproot them to clear a large field. They then cut trees and peeled them to make logs to build a log cabin (one room). As a family project which involved us all, we gathered moss and stuffed it between the logs to keep out the weather and the critters. Eventually they built a porch on the front and screened it in to keep out the mosquitoes. This eventually became Dad’s property as he bought out the aunties’ shares after Gram died and now it belongs to Marion. The cottage at Haggerty’s Cove belonged to Uncle Sam (Grampie McCormack’s brother) and it was much nicer than our little log cabin, and at the beach instead of in the woods. He rented it a lot and he took all his friends there so we really only got there for a few Sunday visits when we were kids. It was a long drive there on the old roads and usually there would be a flat tire or two on the way so it was a big deal to go there. It was not too much further to Pennfield where there was a Commonwealth Air Training Base with air men from all the commonwealth countries sent to train in weather conditions similar to where they would be fighting. We often had air men there for supper as they were hitchhiking back to the base from the city. Around the mid-to-late 50s we spent more time in Haggerty’s Cove when the place became Mum’s. Uncle Sam owned it from about 1923 I believe. Bob loved cats and whenever someone on his paper route had a new batch of kittens he would be at mum to let him have one or even better the whole bunch. So... we had a series of cats - a black one called Patty, a multi colored one called Penny and the white one we called “ Butch.” On pay day from his paper route he always bought a can of salmon or some fish for the cat as a treat. The cats of those days ate table scraps, no fancy canned or dry cat food. And for litter we went to the lumber yard and got sawdust. Bob had also been known to tie pieces of turkey on the Christmas tree to tempt the cat to climb it at Christmas! One of his greatest delights, and we spoke of it often - even during his last visit to Saint John - was meeting Captain Fogerty Fegan of the Jervis Bay when it was being fitted out to go to sea to protect the convoy heading to England or Europe. Captain Fegan became a real hero and Bob was so proud to have met him when he was on a picnic on the river boat with the aunties. It was a different age - a much simpler time, not a lot of worldly goods, lots of love and family times. When he moved away I cried so hard as I missed him so much. .

Story shared: Bob's Story

Sat, 11 Jan 2014 19:34:27 EST

Robert John Cameron was born in 1930 in West Saint John, New Brunswick, to Olive McCormick and Jasper Cameron Jr. Jasper’s barber shop near the harbour was part of a neighbourhood made up of long-time residents and shop keepers who looked out for each other. Bob grew up with his older brother Donald, and younger sisters Marion and Eileen. Olive and the children were always nearby and available to help in the barber shop if needed. Grandparents lived within walking distance. The whole family was involved in delivering the Evening Times Globe, as the shop was a drop-off depot; Bob and Don were paper boys themselves. Bob grew up during World War II. It was a time of ration stamps, scrap drives and paper drives , air raids, army barracks in the neighbourhoods, and navy ships in the harbour. Bob travelled to high school across the harbour on a ferry boat. The family spent time in the summer at a large country property where they cleared trees and built a simple log cabin. Bob’s love for his family was abundantly clear. He graduated from Saint John High School, University of New Brunswick (Bachelor of Business Administration) and University of Toronto. He was a member of U of T’s first graduating class to receive a Diploma, now a Master’s, in Hospital Administration. While doing an internship at Kitchener-Waterloo Hospital, Bob met Claire and fell in love.They married in 1956 and moved to Moncton, New Brunswick where he was Assistant to the Executive Director at Moncton Hospital. John was born there and Paul followed later when the family moved to Kirkland Lake. Bob was the Administrator of Kirkland & District Hospital from 1959 to 1969. A new wing of that hospital opened shortly after he started there, and plans were underway for another expansion when he left. In March 1969, Bob was appointed CEO of Stratford General Hospital. Bob sought to achieve the highest quality hospital patient care for local residents. He loved his job and was career-focused. Claire was keenly interested in hospital happenings, too. Paul and John recall that he often brought his work home with him. In summer he would come home from work and water the garden to unwind, but Paul thinks he was still focusing on work as he overwatered several shrubs! Summer vacations were spent with Claire’s family in Ottawa and Bob’s family in Saint John and Haggerty’s Cove. John and Paul have many fond memories of time spent at Grammie’s cottage, traveling in the Cameron family trailer. Bob and Claire enjoyed woodworking and built several beautiful clocks which we cherish. They were supporters of the Stratford Festival and active Rotary Club members. Over 20 years at SGH, Bob worked tirelessly to improve hospital facilities and services. He was thrilled to oversee the replacement of the hospital’s aged Rehabilitation and Extended Care Unit. The new East Wing was opened in December 1989. Tragically, Bob suffered a severe stroke four days prior to the official opening. The Board Chair called the opening of the new wing “one of the most exciting days in the history of Stratford General” and the “culmination of two decades of planning and persistence,” making SGH facilities “second to none.” She stated that Bob was “the eternal optimist who encouraged us when we were down.” (Beacon Herald, Dec. 2, 1989). Bob’s stroke led to his early retirement. Claire became a devoted caregiver. They were able to travel for a time and enjoyed trips to Europe, the Yukon, Phoenix, and California. Bob was happy to become “Gramp” when his daughters-in-law gave birth to his first grandsons within two weeks of one another in 1994. Sean and Scott were soon followed by Alex, Colin, and Grace, and his step-granddaughter Monica. Gramp loved their company and especially enjoyed games of crokinole. Even recently he was able to play and had a glint in his eye as he cheated with a shot. Bob’s sweet tooth was in evidence at nearly every meal. He joked about the expression “Life is short - eat dessert first,” but would truly have liked to live that way. His mother’s Thimble Cookies were a special treat. Not everyone knows that Bob suffered strokes in his early teens and early twenties. The third stroke in 1989 left him with some left-side paralysis and vision problems. He faced many challenges over the last several years. His life became increasingly difficult as he lost the ability to walk and was unable to recognize us at times. He held on to past memories, for which we were grateful. He was always happy to see us and thanked us for coming to visit. His sharp wit was still in evidence at times and delighted us. Last week, when all we could really do for Bob was sit nearby and offer the comfort of our presence, the last clear words he spoke to us were “Thank you very much.” Thank you, Dad. Thank you, Gramp. For everything you gave all of us.

Condolence From Austin Sweezey

Thu, 09 Jan 2014 21:57:59 EST

John and Paul, We were saddened to hear of the passing of your Dad. Our thoughts are with you. Austin and Family

Memorial Candle lit by Denise & Doug

Thu, 09 Jan 2014 20:06:11 EST

Denise & Doug

Condolence From Susan Gjendem

Wed, 08 Jan 2014 21:08:44 EST

I wish I could be there .....my thoughts are with you in this difficult time....love to all of you.

Memorial Candle lit by Linda & Wayne Faulhafer :

Wed, 08 Jan 2014 17:49:52 EST

Linda & Wayne Faulhafer :

Condolence From Chris McDonald

Wed, 08 Jan 2014 11:07:22 EST

Paul and family, I was sad to hear of the passing of your father. You have our deepest sympathy. Chris and Tara McDonald.

Condolence From Shirley McCall Hanlon

Wed, 08 Jan 2014 06:57:51 EST

To Bob's Family My sincere sympathy is extended to all of you during this sad time. Your parents and I met when I was the Manager of VON Perth Huron Community Support Services and Bob joined the Adult Day Program and Claire was a dedicated volunteer with our Caregiver Support groups. We had many interesting and productive conversations and I so appreciated their advise and suggestions. Again my sympathy to all of you.

Memorial Candle lit by Fran Martin & Carl Gjendem

Tue, 07 Jan 2014 19:42:20 EST

Fran Martin & Carl Gjendem

Condolence From Shirley & Joe Baumgartner

Tue, 07 Jan 2014 18:57:38 EST

Dear Paul and Susan, Debbie and John, Scott and Colin and Bob's other grandchildren, Sending you our deepest sympathy. Bob certainly had a strong will to live and surmounted many difficulties. May time and happy memories bring you peace. He has left you a wonderful legacy.

Memorial Candle lit by Leslie Sutherland

Tue, 07 Jan 2014 15:56:59 EST

Leslie Sutherland

Memorial Candle lit by Judy Bridgman

Tue, 07 Jan 2014 12:43:50 EST

Judy Bridgman

Photo shared: Dad_1.jpg

Tue, 07 Jan 2014 12:36:43 EST