ROBERT (BOB) W. JONES

Condolences & Memories (1 entries)

• Although the time spent with my uncle Bob were less frequent as I became older, my younger years were marked by several memorable events. Not in any particular order necessarily but on one occasion my parents left me with Aunt Bernace and Uncle Bob and Jeff (the labrador) at our family cottage on the Bonnechere River in Ontario. Richard and Robert had not arrived on the scene at this point. Uncle Bob, wishing to check out a small lake near by, decided a good way to get there would be an all day paddle up the river and a short portage at the end. What still remains with me was lunch. Cold trout in tinfoil. On the way back, near shore, Uncle Bob hooked a large pike. Not having a net he held the fish behind the head and paddled one handed to shore in order to keep his prize. As I recall, our departure was delayed because Jeff caught the scent of a deer and thought it a good time to give chase. After much calling Jeff returned before having to join the local wolf pack. One Easter our family drove to Kirkland Lake for a visit at Easter. We went to the local ski hill where as a novice skier Uncle Bob tormented me on the way up the T Bar by leaning in my direction. I felt certain I would fall off. Somehow I made it to the top. What a tease. A few years later our family drove to Fort William for a visit. Uncle Bob organized a fishing trip to Sigh Lake for some speckled trout. On the way the brakes on his second hand truck overheated and the boat and trailer had to be abandoned at the side of the road. After a night sleeping in the ditch covered by a tarp to keep the dew off, we made it to our destination. The fishing did not disappoint but having to sit on the bottom of Uncle Bob's leaky home made canoe did. A rainy night left me wet by morning as a small stream seemed to form underneath my sleeping bag during the night. Uncle Bob cooked supper one night... sauerkraut and sausage. It was good going down but it took a few decades before I could look at either again. Then there was the story of my mother helping uncle Bob drag a deer out of the bush in her trench coat... Two other visits in Winnipeg as we were moving to Vancouver Island and later driving a car across Canada were memorable for other reasons. We enjoyed deep conversations on faith, disappointments, books and the Church. Uncle Bob had a huge memory for scripture, songs and poetry. My time was too short with him but one day look forward to many more of those conversations. Garry Gordon, nephew - Posted by: Garry Gordon (nephew) on: Mar 16, 2023