Buddy Calvin Robertson
Buddy is survived by his beloved wife Adrienne (London) Robertson, 2 daughters, Cheryl Jardine and her husband Gary of Red Deer, Alberta, Donna Titus and her husband Ernie of Sussex, his son, Ron and his wife Brenda of Ottawa, 2 brothers, Russell of Sussex, Leonard and his wife Evelyn of Sussex, 2 sisters, Fern Marr of Rothesay, NB, Laura Crain of Sussex, NB, 10 grandchildren: John, Suzanne, Diane, Sharon, Shane, Shaun, Melanie, Suzannah, Amanda, Heather, 8 great grandchildren: Cody, Tawny, Robert, Brandon, Martha, Molly, Julia, Lily Anne, as well as several nieces and nephews.
Buddy was predeceased by 3 brothers, George, Fred and Bill and his sister Betty Badger.
As all of you know who have ever lost a loved on, this is a difficult day. Losing Dad is tough, and we are still in stock.
But on this day, as dart as it is, there is something to celebrate. We want to share with you some of the many things that Dad contributed throughout his life; things that were a great benefit to his family, to his friends, and to his community.
Growing up in the Depression as he did, he always valued hard work, and being of service. During the Second World War, he enlisted in the Canadian Army, fought in France, and was injured in combat --- all before the age of twenty. For the next forty years, shrapnel continued to work its way out of his body.
After the war, he became a carpenter, and later a construction superintendent, on projects throughout Southern New Brunswick. In our village of Norton, he built the local post office, the new high school, and three homes in a row that became known as “Robertson Boulevard”.
He was always a builder at heart, and together with our uncles Russ and Len, he built a rink behind our house, at a time when there was none in the community. Every day after school, kids from all around would come there to skate. It wasn't a fancy rink, but that small sheet of ice developed the skating skills that helped the Norton teams become the best in the region.
Then one day, when he was in his early 40s, he and Mom decided to enter the restaurant business in Hampton. Everyone advised against it. The odds of succeeding where others had failed were practically zero. Yet somehow they did what seemed impossible: they grew that business, month after month, year after year, until it was very successful. AND THEN, SEVERAL YEARS LATER, THEY DID THE SAME THING ALL OVER AGAIN IN SUSSEX!!!
Those of you who were close to him back then will remember that he had a very clear vision of what customers wanted:
Good Food. Fast Service. And Reasonable Prices.
With great effort, and with Mom's help in the kitchen, he proved his formula worked.
Throughout those years, he loved to support the community. Few things made him happier that to sponsor a team, especially in ball or hockey, and he did that time and again in both Hampton and Sussex.
In later years he decided to build again, only this time it was a grocery store. He called it “Bud's Grocery”, and it served him and the residents of Sussex well for the rest of his career.
We are very proud of Dad:
He was a fighter, and he won an almost impossible battle with alcohol that threatened to destroy his life.
He was a generous man, and he was always ready to help anyone in need.
He was a loving husband and brother, and he gave us all an incredible sense of family.
He was a very hard worker, and he showed us first hand what can be accomplished if you really put your mind to it.
And most of all, he was our father, and he was there for us through thick and thin, no matter what we did to discourage him.
So today, to Bud our father, we want to acknowledge a debt of gratitude that we will never be able to repay.
And to you, our family and friends, we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being here today to celebrate our father's life. For the many acts of kindness you do for others throughout your life, as our father did throughout his, may God bless you now and always.
Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Wallace Funeral Home, 34 Sunnyside Drive, Sussex, (506-433-1176), with visitation on Thursday 2-4, 7-9. The Funeral Service will be from Sussex Wesleyan Church on Friday, April 1, 2005 at 2:00 pm with Rev. Dr. Neville Gosman officiating followed by a tribute by Royal Canadian Legion Branch # 20. A private family committal will take place at Riverbank Cemetery.
www.wallacefuneralhome.com