Being a record of the children of John Alexander Tyre and
Doris Enid Tyre (Oliver) and their descendents
Volume I
January 1987
Januay 1, 1987 - Edmonton
I have been searching for ways for the family to maintain links and some ongoing means of preserving our family history and significant events. Future life seems to be developing in ways that will scatter family members across the earth, possibly even to space stations and beyond. It is not hard for me to imagine any of our grandchildren spending part of their life extraterrestrially. I believe this diary may do that. I would like to suggest the following:
a) The diary will be rotation through the six children in turn;
b) The children, their spouses and offspring are entitled, but not required, to make an entry;
c) The entries can be anything the author wishes: prose, poetry, drawings or quotations from other sources that have some personal significance;
d)Nothing, once entered, is to be removed, erased or otherwise rendered illegible. The diary, to have true historical significance, must stand complete for all eternity. This may not seem to be important now but to future generations it may be worth its weight in precious elements.
The Moving Finger writes;
and having writ, moves on;
nor all your Piety or Wit
Shall Lure it back to concel
half a Line,
Nor all your Tears wash out a word of it.
Omar Khayyam - Rubaiyate) As the family's grow up and scatter the diary will be circulated however is most appropriate to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to make a contribution before the cycle is begun again.
f) Each of the original six will develop a page to show their family relationships and significant dates. As each of their children marries they will start a new page to record their family ties.
Let the Chronicles begin!
Richard John m Linda June Andrew
1943 1943
Richard Andrew John
(1968)
Trevor Alfred Harold
(1973)
Jan 1/87 - Edmonton
I am looking forward to 1987. My professional practice has matured and I have achieved some recognition in the areas of survival and emergency response training. I am branching out by starting a new training business called Professional Presentations to deliver training programs in Public Speaking, Listening and Trainer Development. However, my most exciting development this year is Auto Lab, The Vehicle Testing People. I had originally planned to develop it over 1987 and open an outlet in 1988. The plan has developed to the point where I now believe we will have an outlet some time this year. Healthwise, I've lost considerable weight and am trying to keep my health in better balance (Now 172#). I have no resolutions in '87 except to keep on playing. May I never grow up!
Rick
_______________________________________________________________________
Jan 1,1987 – Edmonton
As a new year begins I try to set some goals which usually end up being dumped before six months have passed, but it is a start. Something I have been working on is family relationships. As the boys grow older I have to learn to let go and let them grown, not easy I find. One of my favourite books is “Gift from the Sea”, Anne Marrow Lindbergh and in the process of re-reading this small book I came across something that has great meaning to my growth development. I quote – “When you love someone you do not love them all the time in exactly the same way, from moment to moment. It is an impossibility and yet this is exactly what most of us demand. We have so little faith in the ebb and flow of life, love, of relationships. We leap at the flow of the tide and resist, in terror, its ebb. We are afraid it will never return. We insist on permanency, on duration and continuity; when the only continuity possible in life as in love is in growth – in freedom, in the sense that the dancers are free, barely touching as they pass, but partners in the same pattern. The only real security is not in owning or possessing, not in demanding or expecting, not in hoping, even. One must accept the security of the winged life, of ebb and flow, of intermittency.” I must remember to re-read this section of the book more often to keep me on track in 1987.
Linda
_______________________________________________________________________
Jan 2/87 – Edmonton
As I write these words in this diary I cannot help but dream that one day the descendants of our family will read them and appreciate what we have attempted to begin here. I realize that that dream will only come true if those of us in this generation work hard at giving our descendants a livable world. A thought I had while traveling in Eastern Europe in the spring of ’86 grew into the following poem. It attempts to describe my feelings on looking across the Berlin Wall at East Berlin.
I stand here, on a hill
I see over there, another fellow
Beneath my feet, grass grows
Beneath his, grass grows there too
But between here and there I cannot go
For between
Lies Death
Death in half a dozen different guises
Machine guns
Mines
Tangled Wire
Death with dozens of watchful eyes
Watching me and each other
I stand here, on a hill
I see over there, another fellow
Beneath my feet grass grows
Beneath his, grass grows there too
But between here and there I cannot go
For between
Lies the Wall
On the home front, I look forward to 1987 as a year in which I will continue my education at the University of Alberta, broaden my knowledge of our world by traveling to New York and Washington D.C., learn to play the celtic harp, improve my quitar playing, and begin my entry into the business world with All Canadian Enterprises (ACE), a photocard distributorship. A busy year, and one in which I hope to continue following my fathers example by playing as often as possible. I will also continue to follow the ideal of learning set forth by one Jonathan Livingston Seagull, whose teacher once said: “You have to begin by knowing you have already arrived.”
Richard Andrew
_______________________________________________________________________
Jan 4/87
A few days ago (abourt a week) I finished my bronze medallion course. I almost failed but I guess I was just lucky to pass. It was tiring to get up at 7:00 in the A.M. and then at 9:30 do a 400M swim and then do rescues till 1:00. I did this for 3 days (22,23,24) and then I got a 4 day break for Christmas before I went back for another 3 days. I thought it was a good course to take but now I get to take my scuba diving course in the spring.
I start school tomorrow and I am not looking forward to getting up at 7:00 in the morning and getting homework. I think I have a test in Science and I really haven’t studied for it so I hope everything is well and goodbye.
Trevor Tyre
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Terrence Harold m Pamela Lowres
(1945) 1967 (1945)
Jeffrey Thomas
(1972)
Danielle Catherine
(1973)
Jan 24, 1987 – Port McNeill
It has been a wet winter in the North Island. If it’s not raining it’s blowing or both. Lots of seaweed on the beaches so I’ve been out to get some for the greenhouse. Hope to get plastic on before March this year to get and early start. I was quite late last year and didn’t get it or the garden planted til June after extending the greenhouse 8 feet and changing the layout of the garden. It didn’t produce much because of that.
Jeff and I got quite a bit of duck hunting in this year. Seasons over this week and we never did get a mallarc or a goose, mostly teal. That’s pretty bad when you get a months jump on the season like we did this year. Tuk proved his worth not only as a warm companion in the duck blind but also his enthusiastic retrieves in the icy water were a sight to behold.
Tuks been accompanying me on the odd trek on ancient ‘for and aft’ roads. These are the original corduroy logging roads of the North Island. They had huge turntables at the end of them to turn the logging trucks in the opposite direction. Now they’re covered in moss a foot thick but beautiful to walk on. I’m trying to see a bit of the county before we pull up stakes. I’ve been working on a resume on the computer for a month or so and I hope to get it out to some of the lower island districts real soon.
Pam’s been accompanying me on some of my shorter walks aroundtown lately. I’m not sure whether it’s for her sake or because she doesn’t trust my health. Anyway it’s great to have her company.
Health seems stabilized at the moment. No pain, so I guess the medication is working. I tested out the emergency system last week. False alarm, and had to spend a day in the hospital. Dr. figured it was acute indigestion but now I know that the ambulance does arrive and that my doctor who lives down the street cares enough to come as soon as the ambulance arrived.
I’m persuing my quest to lessen my stress and have dropped a number of voluntary activities that have contributed to the problem. I’m still the search master for Search and Rescue but I hope to soon dump that into someone else’s lap.
I’ve just started a stress management course and that along with the literature I’ve been reading on Type A behaviour should make me smarten up.
Jeff has been traipsing around the countryside with his buddy Paul. They’ve been steelhead fishing and trout fishing as much as possible. When they’re not doing that they’re at the dump shooting rats. Jeff doesn’t want to leave the North Island but if we do his preference is near the ocean and not a city like Victoria.
Danielle continues to take piano lessons and jazz dance. She has talked about quiting piano after this year but will continue until the summer. Pam is really hoping she’ll change her mind. She’s also involved in Drama at school and was in a play about Helen Keller last fall. They performed for four nights and were really well received. She would like to leave the North Island now as she is becoming more interested in the opposite sex and understands the advantages of living in a larger center.
Pam of course wants to get out of here as I do. She has been working the odd day down at the Hub Fabric store but gets paid the same week she works so it may work out this time. You may recall that she used to work there but seldom got paid in cash and usually had to take it out in merchandise. She is quite happy with the new arrangement and looks forward to working once in awhile. She’s really spoiled us though. She bakes every day so when she works she has to bake extra the day before just to keep us from complaining.
I enclose the following short story purely for interest sake. I wrote it late last year and will try to get it published someday with illustrations.
Tuk
(the person telling the story is a girl)
He raced around the living room. I laughed, Dad smiled, Mom looked unhappy.
Tuk grew very fast. I took him for long walks. Dad said he was getting much stronger now. Mom said it cost too much to feed him.
Tuk was a lot of fun. I played with him every day. He was my best friend. Dad trained him to bring things back. He was going to be a hunting dog. Mom cleaned up after him. He was a nuisance. She was not too pleased.
When Tuk was a year old, I took him fishing with me. It was the fall and all the leaves were changing color. We watched the salmon in the river on their way up to spawn. Tuk tried to catch on and I had to stop him
I sat on the bak and fished. Tuk slep. He used to do that a lot. I caught a nice fat trout. Tuk licked it. He still like to lick everything.
I was still fishing when a hungry bear came to get my fish. I don’t think the bear liked me because he growled. I was scared. I don’t think the bear liked Tuk because he growled at him. Tuk was scared.
I started to run. Tuk started to run. The bear started to run.
A branch caught on my pants and I fell. Tuk kept running. The bear kept coming.
I was terrified. Then ……..Tuk was there, standing over me. He wasn’t terrified. He was angry. His teeth showed and he growled a very deep growl. The bear stopped.
The bear went away. He didn’t want to fight my Tuk. I started to shake all over. (My dad says that happens when you’ve been frightened). Tuk…..he just licked me all over.
I was still shaking when I got home with the fish. My dad said he was sure glad we had tuk. I think there was tears in his eyes. My mom hugged me AND Tuk and she cried. And best of all, Tuk was allowed to lick everyone.
Tuk isn’t just a dog anymore, he’s one of the family. But I knew that all along.
Terry
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Lorne Oliver m Carol Anne Murray
(1948) (1980) (1957)
Christopher John
(1982)
Robert Michael
(1984)
March 18/87 – Pt. Alberni, B.C.
A glorious spring type day has just concluded in the beautiful Alberni Valley. We are all looking forward to spring – especially this year as the entire family can participate in all the outdoor activities (gardening, grass etc). Spring has always been my favourite season – the whole world is alive – birds chirping, grass starts turning green - the big old willow tree sitting steadfast on the front lawn all of a sudden comes alive with colour – the mass of straight entangled sticks running down the edge of the driveway all of a sudden comes alive – the hedge!! Two months from now as I’m pruning it back for the first of many times in ‘87’ I’ll be cursing the day I ever started growing that darn thing.
Enough of cursing my gardens, trees and hedges – I enjoy them all!! As a matter of fact I look forward to the weekends when I can get out the lawn mower and garden tools and go pamper each and every square foot of my property.
As all my family will admit I am an above average to excellent fisherman – no one would dare dispute the fact! Over the last few years especially since I sold my 22 ft. boat I’ve had a frustrating time not being able to get to my favourite offshore fishing holes. Well times have changed!! The income tax man came through with a big refund and I’m now the proud owner of an almost new (86) Johnson 9.9 motor to hang on the stern of the MoJo “SLABSTALKER”. If you thought I was awesome in previous years – you aint seen nothing yet – watch for Lorne and his upcoming crew (Chris, Rob and Mom) in 87!
Love YAALL Lorne
May 13/87 – Pt. Alberni
Well spring is out and summer must be here – We have been enjoying over 30 temperatures. Its beautiful, we seemed to go from winter into summer. The Dogwood trees are loaded with flowers this year.
Christopher had surgery on his foot a month ago now and is keeping up with everyone else. It has not slowed him down one bit. We’ll have the cast taken off in 2 weeks now. So far it has been rebuilt twice. These fibreglass casts are tough but Christopher must be tougher!
Robbie is growing so quickly he seems to have gone from a baby to a full fledged toddler over night. He has such a stubborn streak. He’s a true blue 2 year old. But deep down he is a real gentle soul. A joy to have around most of the time. There is a really good relationship developing between Christopher and Robbie. They are good friends and it is so nice to see.
We had our first craft fair last weekend and it was terrific. The weather was too hot and we didn’t sell as much as I would have liked to, but it was a real positive experience and something I’ve always wanted to do. We are looking forward to the Christmas sale now that we have our foot in the door and a little experience.
My three boys seemed to fend quite well for themselves the day I was gone. The oldest seemed the worst for wear. But did very well. This is a year of real change as Christopher grows older and is doing more and more things without Lorne or I. He is invited out for lunch or to party’s quite often without us now and this fall he’ll be starting kindergarten. It will be so strange having him gone every day thru the week. We’ll miss him – Robbie especially. They grow up all to quickly! We enjoy each new stage as much as the one before! Speaking of stages I better get some sleep. Robbie is not feeling well and I think it will be a long night.
Love and Hugs
Carol
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Patricia Jean m Albert Lewis Pearce
(1949) (1973) (1947)
Benjamin Albert
(1976)
Sarah Patricia
(1977)
June 7/87 – Victoria
Welcome to sunny Victoria! We are all healthy and tanned or in my case red.
I am two weeks away from the end of my first year as a preschool teacher, and, although I have thoroughly enjoyed it, I am really looking forward to the summer! As vacation time approaches the feeling that I have chose the right career intensifies (haha)!
Life on Middleton Street is fairly hectic at this time of year with me coaching Sarah’s softball team, Al coaching Ben’s hardball and pitching in his own fastball league. Between ball games we mow the lawn, weed the garden and sleep!
Only two more weeks of kids ball. It has been a short and busy season.
Yesterday we put a firepit in the backyard and will hopefully get many nights of roasting marshmallows and pepperoni out of it. That is baring any complaints from the neighbours. I believe there is some kind of fire regulation against it or some law regarding intrusion os someone’s airspace (with smoke) or something.
Sarah has had a terrific school year with top marks. She was tested at the beginning of the year for the ‘Challenge Program’ (this is a program for gifted children). She was the only one from her school to make it in to the grade four program. Sarah has also started piano lessons this year and is showing a lot of talent in that area.
Ben is also hav ing an excellent year academically. He played soccer again this year but has decided to retire and take on basketball instead. We look forward to that! He certainly has the height for it. He will be eleven in four days and stnds at 5’4”.
I am very proud of both of my children!!
I believe that children are the future and this country of our should be investing more in that future. Children are too often treated as second class citizens. Their education is seen as a burden the taxpayer must carry, rather than an investment in the future.
It is my hope that inspite of this, our children will experience a bright future in a more tolerant world. I believe that the generations coming up will make a difference. To our children I say this: The world is yours to claim, go out and greet it with open arms.
Love
PJ (Pat)
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Karen Doris m Frederick John Webb
(1951) (1979)
Jodie Leanne
(1981)
Oct 7/1987 – Victoria
I sat with a blank page in front of me for 5 minutes trying to decide on a logical order to put my thoughts. Forget it!!
I’m not an orderly person, ask Fred he has always organized everything for me, my closets and cupboards and sometimes my whole day. I guess that’s one of the reasons I love him so much. We are so opposite in a lot of things but mesh so well.
The big thing in the news these days is the “Free Trade Pact” agreement between Canada & U.S.A. --- Headlines today: Two provinces reject Pact. (Ontario and Manitoba)
I feel terrific these days because I quit my job. I still liked working with the old people but I had had it with the kitchen staff and my boss. The staff only care about themselves & how much will be on their paycheques and the boss doesn’t have time to care about anything.
I have decided to do out of school care for kids from Jodies school. I really love working with kids and this way I have my days free to continue with my volunteer work at Tillicum school, walks, shopping, etc. during the day and be around for Jodie before and after school. I will also have holidays off. That was my busiest time at Sunset Lodge.
The weather is just incredible. I sure hope these warm sunny days can hold on just a few more days for our “Annual Pigout Reunion” at Beach Acres.
We have an addition to our family this year – ‘Buttercup’ she is a Netherland Dwarf Bunny. She is a housepet and a real sweetie. Jodie is thrilled with her.
Jodie has started piano lessons. She is learning on an electric keyboard. She knows Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Yankee Doodle Dandy and a couple of other little songs.
Brownies is another new thing she has joined. She wanted to learn to swim but she has ear problems ie. A hole in her left eardrum.
Jodie started Grade One this year. She had a very shakey start. Everytime the teacher announced recess or lunchbreak Jodie would throw up because she was so scared of going outside with the “big kids”. She has finally settled down and is managing O.K.
Now back to my baking for Thanksgiving.
Love
Karen
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Sat. Oct 10/87 – Parksville
Here I am sitting at Beach Acres in perfect sunshine. I’m listening to the turkey sizzle in the oven. Round one of the golf is now over. The leader is in? Because of Bobby’s handicap system.
All the kids are now at an age you never see them, they are all off doing something creative.
“OH” TIME OUT! Karen is going to open her birthday present now from me, because I’m going moose hunting tomorrow for 2 weeks. Hope this years trip is as successful as last years.
Duffy is fine, but at Uncle Alex’s for the weekend. But I’m sure it will be a long 2 weeks for him. Everyone knows how Duffy misses me.
All the boys will probably sit down and watch the first HNIC (Hockey Night In Canada) game. As we now have TV in the cabins. Actually it will be hard to watch after that great Canada Cup showdown last month. Watching Gretzky and Lemieux play together was great! #99 is still my hero.
Well after writing all this moose fever is setting in. Its time for a run and coke. Maybe it will kill this 3 month old cold I have.
Love you all! Your great also.
Love,
Fred
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Joan Margaret m Robert Allen Ianson
(1958) (1977) (1955)
Jennifer Leanne
(1982)
Kristen Michelle
(1985)
Nov 20/87
Well this diary has made it’s way around the family to us now.
We celebrated our 10th Tyre Clan Reunion at Beach Acres in Parksville on Thanksgiving weekend this year. It’s great to be part of a family that can enjoy being together, so many families split up over the years. It’s unfortunate that Rick and Linda and their boys have never been able to make it out from Edmonton due to the cost and distance they would have to travel. The annual reunion is a very important event to all of us. I remember one year when Bob and I flew out from Calgary and surprised everyone. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the crowd. Another year I was supposed to work all weekend getting paid “double time” but I was so depressed by Saturday morning I phoned work in tears and said my family was more important than any amount of money, I would be back to work on Monday.
Over the years the reunion has expanded more and more as grandchildren appear on the scene. (In 1984 was Robbie only a few days old) This year there was eleven adults and nine grandchildren. I wonder how many will be there for the twentieth reunion? Perhaps Rick and Linda, their boys and grandchildren??!
Now a little something about each of us. Bob is a Buyer at Woodwards for domestics at Woodwynn. He stopped smoking 1 ½ years ago after 17 years and hasn’t had a puff since. Last March he bought himself a mountain bike & is out there every morning rain or shine at 6 a.m. for a ride. On the weekends the kids (&sometimes even I) join him for ;ott;e rodes tjrpigjpit the dau/ He’s certainly feeling a lot healthier these days and even eats healthier.
Jennifer (5 ½) is finishing her level 4 Preschool Ice Skating. She has done very well. She really enjoys kindergarten although the teacher says she is very quiet and well behaved. I sometimes wish she was that quiet at home, she can talk your ear off sometimes.
Kristen (2 ½) is also quite the little talker. She and Jennifer get along very well. Kristen misses Jen when she goes to school and if Jen wants to go play at a friends place Kristen cries and says “I got no friends, Jen, you stay, I got no friends”. She usually wins Jen over, who then either takes her with her or stays home to play. I’ll have to put Kristen in playschool next September when Jennifer goes full time.
I have been working part time at Quaker Oats for a year now. Usually it’s every day from 12:30-4:30. But whenever someone is away or sick I work full days. Right now I’m working five weeks while my boss is away for an operation. Mom is here helping out by looking after the kids in the afternoons and making dinners. I think we’d be eating peanut butter sandwiches and MacDonald’s otherwise. It’s hard on the kids when I work full time but it’s not forever.
Bob and I celebrated our 10th Anniversary this year. We are very happy together and have a good life.
Joan
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June 4/88 – Edmonton
It took awhile for the journal to arrive back here. I was kind of pissed off it took so long. But then I sat on it for 5 months or so, so I’m as slow as everyone else. Actually the more I think about it the more I realized it didn’t matter how long it took. When the possessor is ready to write, they write. Not until. Of course, if it doesn’t show up for a few years we should probably hunt for it.
How perspectives change over time! 1 ½ years ago I was operating two businesses and getting ready to open a third. Then I looked seriously at what I really liked to do and what I was doing wasn’t it. So I chucked the lot. I scaled everything down to minimum and idled along waiting for opportunity. I did a lot of personal journal writing in the spring and found that an excellent way to search inwardly for answers. I continue to do my journal when I need it.
Over the last few years I have been involved with the Red Cross as a volunteer and in May ’87 was elected President of the Edmonton Branch. This role gave me an opportunity to explore aspects of myself that I hadn’t thought of before. I took the job responsibilities and opportunities they opened up very seriously and worked at it virtually full-time. It was almost like I was being directed for everything I had learned in my life came into demeand on the afternoon of July 31, 1987 at 3:35 PM. A huge tornado struck Edmonton killing 27 people, injuring hundreds and causing millions of dollars damage along the east side of the city. Large sections of the industrial area were flattened and a trailer park, Evergreen was 50 % destroyed. Several people we know well lived in Evergreen and 4 of the families we know had their homes totally destroyed. I had decdied to go down to pick up Linda who was off work at 4 as we were leaving on holiday that evening. I went to pick her up because the weather had suddenly turned so bad I didn’t want her coming home on the bus. I hadn’t been listening to the radio at home and didn’t in the car because the rain was so heavy I needed all my concentration just to drive. When the hail started the stones were as big as tennis balls and were leaving dents in the hood of the car as they bounced off. You could hardly see any traffic near you it was so heavy and, fortunately, everyone had slowed to a crawl. I was afraid the windshield was going to smash so I put on my sunglasses to protect my eyes. But then it was so sark I couldn’t see. I don’t know what made me turn the radio on but when I did they were just breaking into the music to tell of rumors of a tornado striking Edmonton. The die was cast and our luck had run out! The next few weeks were a nightmare. For hundreds of people, true, but many of us went through our own personal hell. If the phrase “those were the best of times and worst of times” meant anything it had disasters in mind. I think you should know that I am having great difficulty writing this as I can’t see for crying. Most of the memories this brings back are not pleasant and some of the work I did still goes on today and will for years to come. It’s like it never leaves or stops. Each day still brings more phone calls and letters that I have to deal with. And everyone I deal with, every decision I make effects human lives. Some of my decisions change people’s lives forever and they are not all pleasant decisions. All of this may be why I took so long to write. The effect of my work in the Tornado has affected me so profoundly that I cry nearly every time I think back to those days and so many people and words and activities every day bring back the memories. I had to make a speech at a banquet honouring the 1400 volunteers who helped Red Cross during the Tornado and I knew I would break down and not be able to finish. I decided that if I could read something I might be able to get through it so I wrote a poem about my experiences and memories of the tornado. This is it:
Memories of a Tornado
We didn’t work with expectations of pay or reward;
We worked, because people, deeply hurt, needed our help
We offered our help and did whatever was asked;
It was electric;
It was contagious
It was exhausting;
It was magic.
Disbelief in our eyes and voices as our task dawned;
Hesitancy because we didn’t know how to start;
Phone calls that signalled the beginning.
A little boy’s voice on the phone,
‘I’m so scared. The TV says another tornado is coming, I’m all alone. Phlease help me.”
A women’s anguish as she seeks news of her husband;
The stab of pain later when his name is recognized on a list
Noise, phone calls, people
Cold pizza and cold coffee in the middle of the night;
No sense of time passing
The chaos of the early confusion settling down to steady exhausting work;
Line-ups of volunteers waiting in the rain.
Awe in the voices of telephonists as they call out the location of their latest call –
England, India, France, Hong Kong, Australia;
The whole world is waiting and aching to know
Volunteers intensely search registration cards;
Victory in their voices when a match is made
A phone call to England that gets a man out of bed in the middle of the night;
Joy and thankfulness in his voice as he says,
“Only the Red Cross would care enough”
Leaving the building to sleep, people lining up at theatres,
Leading normal lives;
Back again, pain, triumph, noise;
Which is reality?
Volunteers arriving to work shifts at 3AM;
The compassion and concern of telephonists talking to survivors and concerned inquirers
A volunteer leaves after a sift;
Returning for the next shift with spouse or friend;
By the third shift, the entire family
Training sessions and shift changes;
People who have become Red Crossers overnight;
How did they know?
Whe wonder of all the help being offered;
The awareness that we will need all of it – and more
The impression, developed slowly but growing by the hour as each new challenge is met;
That we can do anything
Patience as phoners call back with news to inquirers;
The reward of a grateful thankyou
Hundreds of sandwiches leaving to feed hungry rescuers;
Anger and frustration in trying to deal with a normal world as our work continues into the week
La Zerte Centre – actual contact with survivors, the commotion
The sense of helping real people
Exhaustion and emptiness from too much adrenalin as our task winds down
Bonds formed in adversity and challenge,
raw human emotion
A special group of people
It was a dream
I worked directly and full-time on relief work as the co-leader of the Red Cross response with Gary Cook for 6 weeks after 2 weeks I led myself as Gary had to return to other duties. Then I was asked to sit on the Tornado Relief Committee as the Red Cross representative. We had the task of disbursing $2.3 million dollars in relief funds to tornado victims. That is now completed except for the funds set aside to help 7 people who were permanently disabled. The disbursement of those funds will go on for the next 25 years, at least.
For all my pain and effort I have to admit that there was much to celebrate as well. I received, over the last year, an education and a self-awareness that could not have been attained in any normal way. It was priceless and it has already had an effect and paid dividends. I can honestly say to any doubters of the value of volunteer work that one should give it all one has because the rewards are commensurate with the contribution and there are always rewards. In January I was asked to do a small research project for Alberta Social Services Department. They were so impressed with my work they asked me to write a guide book for their performance appraisal system. Because of my successful completion of that task they asked me to come to work full-time, on contract for several months to do some more projects for them. I hadn’t been there 2 weeks when the pressure started to become a permanent employee as the Management Development Consultant for the Dept. The offers got so attractive I said make it really good and I’ll accept! That’s where I am now – awaiting their offer and working 89 – 4:30 and actually enjoying it. It’s hard to believe but they pay me to sit in an office and come up with original solutions to perpetual problems of managing a large bureaucratic organization! A professional thinker. I may just have found my niche in life. I have only just stopped to notice how much I had written! I guess I’ve been saving it up for so long I had to get it all out. As I read back over what the family has written I’m awed by what we have started and I think you will all be too.
Rick
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July 4/88 – Edmonton
It somehow seems fitting that I write this at this time. It is only a month off from when I personally made a major change in my life. The tornado had a big impact on me. It taught me that, yes, I can still go for 20 hours without sleep and at the end of that still run up three flights of stairs to give one more orientation session to 30 volunteers at 4 AM. My holidays last year were spent at Red Cross House doing what I love managing volunteers! When I went back to work at the Society for Retired I took stock and realized over the last 8 years I was swinging more towards social worker management (Crisis) and that is not me. After much soul searching and prayer I decided to quit, no job to go to and Rick hadn’t worked for eight months and wouldn’t for another two. Friends that know me well knew what was happening to my security blanket. It was pretty torn at this point, but deep down I knew that I had made the right choice. The day or should I say the afternoon of the day I was leaving the Society for Retired I had a call with a job offer that turned into a five month contract. Things haven’t looked back, only got more exciting. My biggest career thrill was to present at an American national volunteer conference in Spokane this last spring. That would not have happened if I had been at the Society. The following week that I gave in my notice a dear friend walked into my office and said, “read your horoscope for today and believe”. I want to share it with you because I normally never read horoscopes. “This is the time for you to strike out into new areas. You may feel uncertain, but don’t let that stand in your way. A financial concern has you worried but it will soon pass”. It certainly has come true for me. It has given me courage to try new things and having my course published for credit at the college made me realize that yes, I can write that Cookbook that has been in the making for years. Our life takes many twists, some sharp corners that don’t seem at first to straighten out but have surprises in store too. Rick and I facilitated a group this last spring called “Our spiritual journey”, it was a fun thing for us to do together. We learned this year how short life can be by assisting so many during the tornado and still being involved with the long term care of the seven families. It makes us count our blessings.
Linda Tyre
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Aug 1989 – Pt McNeil
2 ½ years since our last entry. Jeff is now 17 and Dans is 15. Time sure has flown. Both so different and totally independent.
Jeff
Jeff has his licence (drivers) as we see less and less of him all the time. (less and less of our cars too!). His interests still are tied strongly to the outdoors and I would imagine his career will be in that direction. He has been involved in sports a lot over the last couple of years. He played soccer with the Port Hardy mens league and was involved in coaching of a youth team for awhile. He has picked up a number of coaching certificates in the past 2 years but doesn’t seem inclined to pursue that field as a career.
Jeff has skied for a few years now and last year saved enough money to buy new equipment. He skied regularly but at the end of the season was in a serious accident as he made his last run for the day. He was in collision with a skidoo and broke his right leg at the top of his boot. He spent a week in the hospital in Comox and four months in a cast. He got his cast off in mid-July. We are still waiting for word from the insurance company and may yet have to seek further legal council. It wasn’t the greatest four months of his life but he was still able to fit in golf, fishing and camping.
He may have to have an operation on the leg in two years if the large lump of bone that formed around the break doesn’t disappear.
Jeff is going into Grade 12 in Sept and still likes school. He has kept his marks at a fairly high level and plans on going to University next year. He hasn’t made any definite decisions on an area of study yet. Jeff has been working for Dairyland the past 2 summers.
Danielle
Dans is looking forward to having a drivers licence. I guess we won’t see either car then.
Danielle’s interests lie in the arts and she has produced some very good pieces. In 1988 she was receiving private instruction from a local artist. This was on the recommendation of the school councellor. After six months Danielle dropped it but has continued drawing and painting as a hobby.
As a career, Danielle is interested in psychology. This has been in her mind for some time now so it wouldn’t surprise me if she pursued it further.
Dans has been tutoring students for the past two years in reading and currently tutors a girl going into Grade 4 in Sept. She also has a job in the concession at the arena but that is not steady. For the past week she and 3 friends have been painting buildings for Western Forest Products.
Dans waited quite awhile for the right boy to come into her life. At 15 (16 in Oct) she has her first steady boyfriend. He’s a real nice guy, a year older than her and as big as a football player. Pam and I feel quite comfortable with Danielle going with Chad as the group they are in appear to be quite responsible.
Danielle spends a lot of her time reading or drawing. That is when she’s not with Chad.
She and Jeff get along very well and share many quiet times together. It’s great to see them confiding in each other.
Pam
Pam has been working at the Ministry of Forest since May 1988. She started by taking Business Administration courses for a year and then landed a word processing job in “Timber”. This has since branched out to include many other responsibilities far beyond my understanding.
She enjoys her job but would much rather be a “home-body”. It’s funny how the “extra money” that was going to give us so much extra spending money has not appeared.
I’m sure if we can ever afford it Pam will work only part time or not at all. She really misses all the extra things she could do at home. She certainly wasn’t bored. One benefit that has come out of this is that she has met a lot of people and expanded her interests.
Terry
I’m doing fine, the old “bods” holding up. Occasional problems with the heart but still kicking.
Last year (88/89) I taught at Fort Rupert School in Port Hardy. I had a Special Needs class. Kids 6 to 10 years old with learning disabilities.
It was a great experience (the class) but the school left a lot to be desired. Principal and Gr 7 teachers had been there 25 years and were unwilling to consider changes to philosophy. We clashed so I left. Back in Pt McNeill this year to teach Grade 2. I’ve been to a lot of workshops and “Institutes” lately and am all fired up about the changes to education brought about by the Royal Commission of Education. The future looks very exciting.
Pam and I hope to leave the North Island in the next couple of years. It’s time to find a larger center further down Island. Had a couple of interviews this year in Qualicum/Parksvill District so I know that I can at least get short listed. If I’m lucky next year to land something, I’ll commute for a year until Dans goes to University.
Pam and I wouldn’t be surprised if Jeff or Danielle (especially Jeff) returned to the North Island as it has really been their home. Pam and I never really accepted it as such
Terry Tyre
Aug 20/89
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We’ve just returned from Pt McNeil today – Terry passed away this last weekend – Nov 23rd to be exact. A huge loss for the entire family. I’m not going to talk about it too much other than to say it was a great honour to be related to such a terrific brother for forty odd years. I’ll never forget you “Brud” – see you sometime.
We are now settled in Duncan – have been for just over two years. Everyone enjoys the lifestyle of the Cowichan Valley – also known as the Warm Land. I’m still with Woodwynn – working in the Victoria store – so it’s the big commute every morning.
My lifestyle hasn’t changed too much still enjoy working around the garden and yard. Fishing of course is still my #1 passtime. The boys are at the age now where they both enjoy fishing and of course becoming very good at it too, I might say. I also spend a lot of time with the cubs and Beavers – Chris and Rob are both involved as is Carol, as a leader. I’m also managing Chris’s soccer team on the weekends.
Lorne
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Nov 27/91
Well we’ve had mega changes since May 1987. Chris started school in 1987 and Robbie in 1989. They have both changed so very much. Christopher has a wonderful active mind always wanting to know how things work, why they work and what they are for. He keeps everything hopping. Robbie is very easy going gentle person. He loves to draw and has a vivid imagination and wonderful creativity. He is tremendously loyal person and loves dinosaurs!
With the boys in school comes a great deal of independence for myself and the boys. We are very involved in the scouting movement . I became a Beaver leader in 1987 and will complete 5 years at the end of 1992. I have enjoyed working with the boys and have decided I would love to work with children as a profession. If financially possible I would like to pursue that in the future.
We moved to Duncan in Nov of 1989. It made for a big change – We enjoyed the change but leaving all of our close friends in Port Alberni was very difficult but we will always remain friends.
Our new neighbourhood is terrific. We quickly made friends with a number of neighbors. The boys love it, we feel so safe here!
Robbie and Chris started soccer in the fall and Lorne is quite involved so it keeps us very busy on the weekends.
In 1987 I also started to work at the TD Bank as a part time teller. I enjoyed it but soon realized banking was not for me. When we moved to Duncan I left the Bank but I did return to the TD in Duncan as a teller where I stayed for a year. In the spring of 1991 I found an ideal job for me (at this time) as a bookkeeper for a farm market. I work 4 hours a day so I’m still here after school.
Small business now intriques me> I would like to learn more about small business in case we ever decide to “do it on our own”.
We’ve returned from Port McNeil today where there was a memorial service for Terry. Such a tremendous loss for this family. Will miss his smile and his “energy”. Hopefully we can all make our lives a little more meaningful and emulate Terry’s example of how he lived life to the fullest!!
Love and Hugs
Carol
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Nov 27/91 – Duncan
Hi this is my first time writing in this Diary. I am 9 years old I’m in grad 4. I play Soccer My team name is coast RooFing. We play Lots of games. I like taking things apart. My Friend mr. Green let’s me help him Take things apart. I like to go Fishing. I am in cubs. It is Fun. Intil next time good by
Love From
Chris tyre
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Nov. 29 1991.
Hi Im Robbie. I Like to Draw and Draw Dinasours, and tanks. I’m Looking forward to Christmas. I want a road warrior Hockey Pads.
Love from Robbie
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July 30, 1995 – Victoria
Oops!! How time flies! I just found this while sorting through some books – sorry folks. Anyway…..
A lot has happened since we said good-bye to Terry in 1991. Almost a year to the day later mom passed away after a long battle with heart disease – Nov 19/92.
We all miss Dad, Mom and Terry terribly but have wonderful memories to fall back on.
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I bought ‘Playtime Preschool’ in 1991, so have been busy running that ever since. I am about to start my tenth year in the preschool – hard to believe. I’m starting to look around for other ventures before I burn out – that’s still a long way off!
Al is still with Social Services working hard as always!
Ben graduated with honours June of ’94. At this point in time he has moved out with a friend and is working fulltime at a gas station – enjoying learning aout life & trying to figure out what he would like to do in the future.
Sarah graduated with honours this year. She will attend Uvic in the fall. She will take some theatre courses & Anthropology. Sarah did an excellent job as “MaMa Rose” in the musical ‘Gypsey’ this spring & is considering a career in theatre. She also sang at her cousin’s weddings – Marnie’s & Steve’s.
We are delighted to have Joan, Bob, Jennifer & Kristen living in Victoria now! Good Luck to them all with Heirloom Linens!
And also
Good Luck to Carol and Lorne with Sonshine Florists!This is fast becoming an entrepreneurial family!
Love & Best Wishes to all,
Pat
P.S. I just realized, I haven’t had this book for four years – I just got it a few months ago from Lorne!
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March 17,2010 – Victoria
“that which was lost is now found”
Around July 30,1995 the location of this chronicle was lost. We searched high and low, far and wide, and discussed often at subsequent Thanksgiving Reunions what might have happened. Now, obviously, it has reappeared and the player (read culprits) will have to speak for themselves. My role is to fill in, as much as I can, some of the events of the last 15 years. Much has changed:
- This year will be our 33 annual family reunion. Those younger than 33 have never known Thanksgiving any other way, even if they have not been able to attend.
- We are all 15 years older, 67 – 1
- New family members have come and (gone): Brigitte, Jenaya, Joanna, James, Courtney, Tia, (Lisa), (Rob), Devon, (Glen), Ian, (Wayne), Christian
- Another generation has arrived: Sasha, Serena, Hunter, Logan, Elliot, Lily, Cleo, Annika, Johanna, Mya, Chloe, Feenie & Jack
- Computers, Iphones, Blackberries, Facebook, the internet, PVR’s, cablevision, skype, Videoconferencing, have become part of our everyday lives.
- Many (read most) of the younger generation can not read handwriting, so we must print our entries – legibly!
- Rick & Linda, Pat & Al have retired.
- Lorne has joined Terry, Mom and Pop in our memories.
- The 6 children of John & Doris are now the oldest generation in the family in Canada. All older Aunts & Uncles have passed on, leaving cousins in other parts of Canada.
Joan
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