Herbert Allen Summerhayes

Summerhayes, Herbert Allen (Bert)

Peacefully at his home in Sutton, on Sunday, September 7th, 2014, with his family by his side. Bert Summerhayes, beloved husband of the late Nancy Jensen. Loving Dad of Kathy, and Grandad of Brandon. Predeceased by his sister Norma Ritza. Brother-in-law of Larry Ritza, Betty Verbeek (Dirk), and Stan Jensen (Suzanne). Lovingly remembered by his nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. Resting at the Forrest & Taylor Funeral Home, 20846 Dalton Road, Sutton, Wednesday from 2 – 4 and 7 – 9 p.m. Funeral Service in the chapel, Thursday at 2:00 p.m. Interment Briar Hill Cemetery, Sutton. Memorial Donations to the Jennifer Ashleigh Children's Charity, 10800 Concession 5, Uxbridge, Ontario, L9P 1R1, would be appreciated by the family.

Memorial condolences may be made at www.forrestandtaylor.com

This is the eulogy Bert wrote:

I was born in my grandmothers house on March 24TH. 1938 . in the township of York. At a young age I had health problems and developed pneumonia. They had not yet discovered penicillin, only alternatives to help fight infections . A mustard poultice, quite commonly used by placing it onto the infected side of the chest is what my mother used.

As I entered adult hood, still fighting for a healthier life, and with many allergies, I struggled at school losing a lot of time from classes with sinus headaches that sometimes would be excruciating. Also with dyslexia, caused by a nervous disorder that interfered with my ability to read or comprehend words, was a struggle.

For the student to-day, they recognize dyslexia as a disability that,can be rectified with proper guidance. Knowing my disability, I began, learning better reading skills, that piqued my interest and confidence and I found difference in my self esteem. I finally graduated into high school.

After I left high school, I joined the work force. My first job, Methods Engineering, even though the pay was good, I never felt comfortable in the office, communications were difficult and at a minimum with my fellow colleagues.

After four years as a white collar worker, I decided to change directions, joining the labor force. However, haven't yet decided my future goals , I decided working in a factory in a better comfort zone. Getting along well with co-workers, and working with blueprints made it more challenging. I had a great drafting teacher during my high school years . After ten years in the labor force working my way to lead hand then to foreman, I eventually put my interests more into construction. I was fascinated with operating large machinery, and what each one could perform. There was much work going on in highway construction at this time, with a pay cheque twice that I had earned in a factory or office. So I quit my factory job and entered into HWY construction as a heavy equipment operator. I spent two months at a heavy equipment school in Milton Ont. learning the basics. The potential of each machine, the limitations of running heavy equipment inspired me. So when I was hired on a job ,I basically knew what to do. I worked hard learning on the job, what equipment did for different jobs, and the capability of each machine . I was eventually able to exercise my talent by doing the finish work . I thoroughly enjoyed the Challenge of sloping and ditching and fine grading when operating a bull dozer. Each job was all part of the challenge , and the pay was worth the effort. At the end of each job, I could see what I had accomplished, much like an artist, when sketching or painting a picture.

There were many times in my schooldays I would spend most of the weekends and evenings drawing and painting scenery. I enjoyed drawing animals and people, mostly

because of the intricate details . I was always interested in art since I was very young. Every one said I was a perfectionist. Maybe so! lol

During the time I was working in the factory, I had the urge to exercise to better my health and gain needed weight. So I joined Vic Tanny's, a health gym quite well known across the GTO. My father at the time was still in pretty good physical health himself, so I enjoyed working out with him. I found that my health improved dramatically since I had taken membership with the health spa. I had gained weight over the years from religiously weight lifting jogging and calisthenics, four to five days a week. However, not still satisfied, I took an interest in the martial arts. Before joining the club I was told by the martial art teacher, I had to lose the mussel bulk for reflex-ability, so a lot of calisthenics and lighter weights and, more repetitions would be required ; a lot of hard excruciating workout ahead of me! I had to lose about twenty lbs. So after a year of hard work weighing in at around 160 lbs. I was at my goal and feeling greater than I had ever felt in my life.

I enjoyed spending time with my mentors and became friends over time. We would go fishing many times on weekends during the summer months up at Love Sick lake and to a property they both had in the Halliburton area.

One day my mentor approached me. And asked if I would like to join with him and his brother to an invite by the Kung Fu society in China town to participate in celebrations , a parade, then dinner that evening. I was quick to respond, and the three of us went down to Toronto. I joined in the parade down Queen street, a complement from the business men and their appreciation for the Kung fu society in their Dedication and protection from the Tongs. Very political and didn't know much about their politics, however, I enjoyed the parade.

After the parade with a few hours to spare before the big feast, my friend suggested we visit his girlfriend for a coffee before evening dinner.

We arrived at his girlfriends apartment however, she was not home, so we went in to wait for her arrival.

It wasn't long before my friends girlfriend with another friend walked into the apartment to discover unexpected visitors sitting on the sofa . This is when my life made a complete 100 degree turn. The girl of my dreams. Her name was Nancy and her name matched her beauty. We were introduced and had coffee and chatted for quite some time. On the way to the big feast , I asked my friend if there was any chance for him arranging a date for me with Nancy. He said he would see what he could do. A few days passed before he approached me,

'We have a date ,and all four of us were going to the Spaghetti Factory in Toronto,” the following Sunday.

I was given her home address, and then the long wait for the weekend seemed to drag in to a month instead of a few days. On the way to Nancy's apartment I stopped off to buy

a box of chocolates ,“very appropriate” at that time. Makes me think of Tom Hanks movie, “Forest Gump”

It was a great day we had. After dropping Nancy off that evening at her apartment, I asked if I could call her. She agreed and our relationship grew stronger each time we spent together, and after about a year, I was moving out of my parents house into our new condominium we bought together.

My daughter Kathy was nine years old at the time, and over a short while they became very close. Kathy had her own room and she would come stay on weekends sometimes with a girlfriend . During the Summer months Nancy payed for kathy to attend day camp, where they had horses, she would learn to groom, saddle and ride . Kathy loved horses and thoroughly enjoyed the day camp.

One weekend we visited Nancy's family in Blind River. Nancy's father had bought a horse that had been in very bad shape from neglect and malnutrition giving him problems walking . Nancys father who loved animals could not see this horse suffer anymore and bought the horse to bring him back to good health. When Kathy saw the horse, she began spending most of her time grooming and feeding the horse. Nancys father said one day to Kathy, “Here is the hardware; “If you can put the bridle on him and saddle him, you can ride him”. Kathy with much confidence, did just that. She would spend most of her time grooming the horse, and they became good friends. That horse would follow her everywhere with, the dog right behind them; a precious site to see.

Nancy worked for OHIP on Laird drive in Toronto. I was still working on construction running heavy equipment. A few years past and we were ready to move on. Issues with the contractor not keeping to his obligations and commitments to the contract , and corruption within the condominium development; with no alternative ,we decided to walk away, losing our investment. A good lessen, well learned .

My father was not too well at this time and not to long after he passed away from Cancer of the esophagus. My mother was alone so we decided to build a basement apartment, and moved in for a few years to be with her, when she really needed someone. After a few years, we bought some property in Georgina ,just an hour and fifteen minutes north of Toronto. Eventually we built our first house on Old Homestead Rd. about a ten minute drive south of Sutton and a fifteen minutes west to Keswick. We built a cedar home on ten acres with a very large stone fireplace in the front room looking onto the pond and the driveway that circled from the entrance to the attached garage. We had to have a stepping stool to reach the top of the old barn beam mantel. With the large stone fire place and a cathedral ceiling , looking out from the large front room window, you could see the pond surrounded with trees. We had a large kitchen with a large dining room and front room with a two piece bath. On the second floor with a circular open stair case. There was a three piece bath and master bed room and two good size bed rooms. Dick, Nancy s sisters husband , had spent a weekend or two helping me with the electrical, as it was his expertise. His contribution was very much appreciated, in

the building of our first house, I would never forget his dedicated help.

Earlier in the fall before we had started planning the location of the house, we had to cut and burn brush for a road onto the property and cutting down trees to make way for the driveway. With my neighbors and my brother in law, the trees were cut down and stacked in a few weeks. The culvert was already put into place over a very deep five foot. ditch. Earlier in the winter we had little snow, giving me the opportunity to cut out the brush to make room for the pond . I would bring my nephew Dirk, Nancys sisters boy, about 9 years of age at the time, and enjoyed helping burn the brush. We would have a great time ,especially when we had lunch, cooking hot dogs on a stick over the open fire.

One room was Kathy's when she came to visit. Nancy and I worked very hard to make our home beautiful and special. We moved in at Christmas time with the help of a friend Peter, who had come down from Blind River to do some work in Toronto. We built a very large patio on the back from one entrance off the dinning room across to the other side to the back entrance,with a large enough patio deck to put three large patio tables on it comfortably. All the neighbors would come visit on the weekends.

When we finished the house interior , we decided after a few years to sell while the real estate was high with plans to build once again.

Nancy was still working for OHIP when we had bought the property and would eventually need a car in the near future. She bought a beautiful Chevy Citation, just the right size for her to drive.

During this time I had left construction and purchased a small Case bull dozer a backhoe,a dump truck and float to transport them to the job sites. I began to work in the business just at its peak, when people were moving out of the big city into these small rural areas to build their dream home. This was a very interesting time for us, keeping me very busy. A few years past we sold when the real-estate was still hot, and bought ten acres of land not too far from were we lived on Old Home Stead Rd.. We built and sold before we had finished some of the interior and managed to finish before closing. We had had lots of offers on the house, as the market was still hot at that time. We bought another, thirty acres just west of the Wiers side Rd. on the second concession, in a small

Hamlet called Shiloh and began too build once again. We bought a trailer to live in while building, beginning in the early spring. My good friend Mike would float his drag

line to the property to dig two large ponds . This would provide enough sand fill , as sand was just right for the septic systems as well as back fill around the low areas on the site ,and around the footings.

I was pretty busy with my job building a golf course in the Uxbridge area. This was a crucial time when my obligations were to finish the course, so I turned down other jobs. I had the pleasure of meeting and working with an engineer on the project by the name of Nick, a golf course planner and owner of a golf course also a professional golfer

living in the Windsor area, who came to help design and build the course for the owner Norm. Norm was a wonderful and caring person with great integrity and ,Nick was a

wonderful and intelligent intellectual, a fun loving person; we became good friends. It had been quite a challenge, as it was very hilly with one spring fed pond pumping out 45 Gal.'s a minute of clear beautiful spring water. We had built another larger pond big enough to land a small plane. The water from the spring was diverted to the back of the pond, flowing into the main stream just north of the property. Norm wanted to divert that water flow to the pond by his cabin. So I drew up plans to built a river running from the first pond to the second pond by his cabin. After the completion of the river that ran approx. six hundred feet with water flowing over rocks, dropping a foot periodically to make it natural along the winding river then, it dropped about another three feet to the pond by the cabin. Several small waterfalls running the length of the river into a second pond by the log cabin, gave it that natural “postcard” look. When designing the river I used my imagination much like when painting a river in a picture. From the second pond a large water fall with a twelve or more foot drop running into the larger pond to the north of the property with a hick-om bottom to keep the water at a continued level. The water exited through the hick-om bottom ,exiting into the river that ran across the top north end of the property. When the project was finished and the plants and trees began to grow, it looked very natural and beautiful. Two years into the finishing touch of the course, I had a visit from Ontario Conservation to see what we were doing. After explaining our project to these two conservationists, they advised me, “by no means ! touch the river . I told them I had no intentions of doing such a thing, the river would never be disturbed. lol

As time progressed on the house exterior in Shiloh, we were beginning to work on the interior. That was our project during the winter months. Nancy with her expertise in colors and decorating, and painting; choosing colors for each room was a great asset. We had three wall to wall fire places .One fireplace in the dinning room, built with cultural stone, one fireplace in the large family room built from hundred and twenty year old bricks I had saved after demolition of an old farm house. Another fireplace in the finished basement with a large fireplace insert. Two, two piece bathrooms and one three- piece bath and the master bedroom had a large Whirlpool tub looking out from surround

windows on to the back view of the property, a his and her wash sink and basins, a shower stall with a toilet and bid'e. All the baths, the main entrances and kitchen had ceramic flooring. Oak and maple half inch hardwood flooring in the bedrooms, dinning room, family room ,living room and hallway. A lot of planning had gone into this beautiful solid brick home. I suppose you could say I was fastidious in my pereparations but not exercised quite to that extent. It was a few years before we decided to sell and move. However, during that time the market crashed because of very high interest rates going through the roof at 24%. This was our big mistake, by leaving it to long and asking to much with a falling market. Also we had bought interest in another house on

Park Rd. with Norm , This was bad timing, making it difficult to manage the two house because of the high property taxes at $9000. a year on both houses. My partner Norm and I rented the house on Park Rd. for a few years but it became too much maintenance work looking after both houses.

After we sold the house in Shiloh losing a lot more money than we had hoped. We moved into the house on Park Rd. My daughter Kathy and her husband were renting part of the house and we enjoyed or new grandson Brandon who had been born when Kathy and Bill lived with us on Shiloh. At the time he was two years of age when they move into the house on Park Rd. We enjoyed the few years they stayed with us until their big move to New Brunswick.

I sold my heavy equipment and went back working for a construction company. However a few years later, I began to have an eye problem, The diagnosis! I had a very serious eye retina detachment, eradicating vision in the left eye that would lead to blindness if not re-attached meaning immediate operation. Possibly caused from a few hits in the head from kick boxing in my younger years. After very long and excruciating healing, I found that I had lost some of my memory. After forty five years of operating equipment, I found it very difficult and frustrating to function and my ability to do the job had deteriorated, causing me much stress, more than I could possibly comprehend.

Finally I had to quit construction and after much agonizing frustration and depression led me to other venues that I never in my life would have considered. Anyhow, Nancy very supportive,and advised we go out and enjoy site seeing. We went to St Marie among the Huron, a village in the Midland area across from the Martres Shrine on HWY 12. I enjoyed taking pictures of everything and anything anywhere, home or away. This was the best rehabilitation I could have at this time in my life. It was a very

discombobulate time for me and I'm sure for Nancy even though she never showed it! But that was Nancy !

After visiting the Village, I spoken to the curator of the site, this piqued my interest in visiting a 1776 re enactment event in Midland, called Discovery Harbor, on the following weekend, Nancy and I packed a lunch for the trip to Discovery Harbor in Midland. The battle had already began. Quite the show firing of black powder blasting a flame out the barrel of the cannons and muskets, a blast lowd enough; it shook the

ground . Spectacular event, very impressive and time to talk to many re en-actors after the show. We had spoken with many re en-actors that day, taking pictures, making it a wonderful weekend. With Nancy by my side, I always enjoyed what we did together. We began to go to many events, talking to many re en-actors, with lots of pictures and becoming very interested in our history. Each group would be set up in an area depending the depiction of either contingency with their flag flying their colors to identify British or Americans,with all tents perfectly set side by side in two rows on either side with a big fire pit in the center for cooking their meals.

It was at this time I began to get back into my art work. I would pick out the pictures I liked most , sit at my art table with choices of pictures and draw.

After a year into my drawings one winter weekend I was given a spot at a flea market to sell my art work.

This was the weekend that lead us to a beginning of a very long and wonderful hobby, “ re enacting”.

Having my art work on display, a gentleman by the name of Wayne came by my setup . His reaction by pointing at each individual picture, was! “ I know this guy”, “pretty well all of them!”, “Are you a re en actor”? I said, no!, “And how, if I wanted, would I get into re enacting”? He said he was a re en actor and with a group who are involved in many different venues of re enacting. He ask me if I was interested, and if so, to give him my phone number and he would be in touch with me in the early spring when they had their annual meeting..

When spring arrived, with the birds singing, snow had pretty well melted and the warmth of the sun brought out the first buds on the tulips, I received a phone call. It was Wayne, the gentleman who I had spoken to at the flea market. We were invited to a pot luck the following Saturday . We met some wonderful people that day and thoroughly enjoyed the meeting & were introduced to everyone in the group and with wonderful home cooked choices of potluck.

After many years in re enacting had past by we still camped with some of the members of the group, Wayne also Larry and Lynda, very wonderful folks . However, as time went on we began to find roots more to what we preferred, “Native contingency”. Nancy and myself began making clothing to suit the period with a lot of help from other re en actors. Our friend Lynda made period clothing for most re en actors ,so Lynda made my first shirt . I bought a pair of moccasins from another member of the group who made them out of seal skin ,hides given to him by his brother ,who lived in the Arctic, and with the hide they lasted a few years of heavy wear.

It was during this time I was hunting with my good friend Mike who I had dug my ponds whenever I was building a house. We would go moose hunting in the Blind River Area during moose season , a lake called Matininda. It was a long boat ride to the cabin belonging to Nancy's sisters family, letting us use it during hunting season. One night we had arrived late from hunting all day, I decided to make bannock for the following day. It was dark because there was very little light from the candle. On the propane stove I got out my ingredients to make the bannock deciding to add flavor . Thinking I had brown sugar in the bowl”, I pored some onto the cooking bannock. Mike said “ This is not sugar; “it's coffee”! Well it was a little late and poured what I could back into the bowl. That following day we had coffee bannock. Wasn't to bad. lol

We then began to go to northern Quebec. A 26 hour drive to harvest Caribou. The meat was better than any beef or venison I had ever eaten other than buffalo.

One year we left on a warm day to head for caribou country and after a very long drive

found that the caribou were not yet in the area. So with no other alternative drove home

empty handed. The following week Mike called to say the Caribou were now in the area and if I would like to go back . I thought about it for a while, about two minutes and said ! “Pick me up!” This time the temperature had dropped to forty below. We got our two caribou each and headed back home. Enough meat to last a few years. I tanned the hides. They made wonderful furs for sleeping on in the wikon during re enactments.

It wasn't too long before I met a native re en-actor. He was with a militia group but felt he didn't fit in and ready to pack it in. After talking to him through out the weekend at an event in Georgina about fifteen minutes from where we lived, he said, he was

interested in starting a native group depiction as British native allies. Nancy and I took an interest and became one of his new members, and before long our group took roots

becoming one of the largest native groups in the re-enactments, depicting F & I war , 1776 revolution & the war of 1812 as well as in movie shoots, first contact. At this time we had been sanctioned by his clan mother of the Wolf clan of the Huadenosaunee.

We inspired many spectators who came to watch the events liking our performance on the battle field and in our camp. During the earlier years when we had began the group, one weekend at the Chatham event, A depiction, “The death of Tecumseh” that was always held on the day of the original battle when Tecumseh died . Two couples from Ohio arrived claiming Shawnee status, asked if they could join with us for the

weekend. They had been stopped at the boarder and had to leave some of their belongings there.

It was a rainy Friday and everything could get wet before the tent or wikon was erected. So we all hung out in one tent. This was the beginning of a great relationship to this day. They would drive all the way to Ontario from Ohio to be with us for an event. The longest drive for all of us was, Quebec city for a Rev. War event .

. Many times we were invited down to Ohio where we would get together with our Shawnee friends and have hawk throwing contests and drumming . One time when I was practicing throwing my hawk with Brandon watching , another member came by and picked up a small leaf and placed it on the hawk block, then said! “ lets see if your good enough to hit this leave”. I wound up and with careful aim threw the hawk and it cut the leaf into. They both could not believe what they just seen and I was just as surprise. I knew it was just a lucky shot and doubt I would ever be able to do a shot like that again in my life . But I let on by saying . “Are you satisfied now.” lol

Nancy and I had great fun, especially with our grandson Brandon coming along with us. When Brandon was of age to travel on the plane from New Brunswick by himself , would stay for a few weeks each year. So we had the pleasure of his company and had lots of fun with him . As years past on, he began working at the family store making it difficult to come visit . But changes come and go and this was time for change. We really missed him not being with us and so did our re enactor friends. It leaves many good and sometimes funny memories , things to talk about when being together. Such

as one time when Nancy and I at Fort Niagara. It was a very stormy and violent rainy day. The coordinator of the event told everyone best to pack up or, hunker down as a big storm was coming. I only had my tent up that weekend because of the weather. It was fast to take down . So with a lot of effort we quickly took down the tent and packed our belongings. While placing things in the back of my truck ,a gentleman and his wife from another group came by and asked me if I had bought the bear hide that was laying on the truck tailgate. I told him I had tanned it myself. He ask me what else I did , and my reply was , I also make pipes and make kinnikinnick for the pipes. He asked me to explain what kinnikinnick was. I explained the herbs I used to make this kinnikinnick. However it could give you a buzz if you smoked to much of it at once. I gave him a pipe and some

of my Kinnikinnickas a gift. After a while he came back with a bottle of very expensive wine. I was grateful for his offer. I then asked him where he lived. He told me Bradford. I replied, I live in Georgina and we are neighbors. He then said he worked for Georgina. I asked what he did. He told me he works for the Georgina police department. OH !! I said and we both laughed about it. So much for telling anyone they get a buzz from my kinnikinnick.

We had a lot of movie shoots during these years, depicting other tribes of different

periods. One year we went to Lithuanian to do a film shoot , by the name! “ Washington

the warrior”. It was a great opportunity to visit another culture and meet different people. However the flight was out of my comfort zone. And a long way from Nancy. We had a five hour wait over in Amsterdam waiting for the next plane for Vilnius, Lithuania. The trip home, I was not looking forward to.

When I was in my late teens I had a friend who asked me if I would like to go with him in his plane to Huntsville so he could put skis on his plane. I thought it would be different and what could possibly happen. I had great trust in him as a pilot never questioning his expertise and flew to Huntsville. We fueled up at Maple Airport and took off. After fighting heavy winds crossing lake Simcoe, fuel had gotten short making our destination questionable without refueling, but we proceeded onto our destination. When we arrived in Huntsville to land in a farmers field, we had almost set down on the field the wrong direction to the plowing furrows. We took off immediately and circled to locate a better landing area , however the propeller stopped as we were heading back to the landing area. The plane was out of fuel. We had no choice and landed with mud splashing up making it a ruff landing ,but we got down jumping out of the plane to see what damage had occurred during landing. The under carriage was damaged, so we had to find our way home. I thought of this while flying at thirty thousand feet in this 747. Hope it doesn't run out of fuel. We might hit the furrows the wrong way. lol

There were many great years we would drive to Blind River visiting Nancy's family about a seven hour trip from home north, and then west of Sudbary. It was always a good trip and for many years would spend a long weekend twice a year. Nancys brother in the early years got married . The reception had more people than I had ever seen at

one wedding, about a thousand people. What a wedding. Then one year Nancy's father took ill and sadly past away. This was a very sad time for us all. A very wonderful person who had great bush skills. I wished I had had the chance to learn from him. Nancy's mother after a few years ,went into a home and we would go visit her, taking her for dinner or to Nancy's brothers. We would also visit her Aunt and Uncle and Cousins making it a good weekend away.

Time goes too fast between maintaining the property and reenacting. Before long old man winter was knocking at our door. This is the time when the wood for the fire place had to be ready and the furnace was maintained and the fuel topped, before the long cold months ahead. Christmas eve we would go to Nancys sister and her family. We would have Christmas morning at home and then visit my mom and take her for Christmas

dinner at my sister and brother in law, their daughter Catherine and son Tod . Sometimes mom might have already been at my sisters waiting for our arrival.

They live in Oak Ridges on a dead end street with a creek ten feet from their front room window running along side into a large pond on the other side of the street making it a pleasant view. Sometimes you would see the ducks or a muskrat swimming past the window., or ducks swimming between the cattails.

The family gathering was usually once a year, taking pictures and at Christmas open

gifts my sister Norma would always make a beautiful meal with all the trimmings. In the summer time we would go visit my sister Norma and Brother in law Larry and mom. Enjoying barbequing, Larry would make it a real great feast of very tasty hamburgers and sometimes steak with all the trimmings to complete a wonderful meal and a lot of enjoyment went into it.

As years past, mom became ill, we were down to Toronto to see her when we could and my sister Norma and husband Larry were always there making mom comfortable. It was not until she fell in the house that set her back, eventually losing her strength. After a few months she became bed ridden not doing to well. At ninety two she past away. Unfortunately Nancy and I were in blind River at the time and we drove home immediately.

Years past before my sister Norma became quit ill herself. Larry was very supportive in looking after her but overtime she was beginning to slow down. Her platelets and hemoglobin dropped and she had blood transfusions to help the hemoglobin to rise but didn't have the strength she needed to fight her illness. Not eating, was taking away much of her strength, and the will to live. Another very sad time for the family.

Nancy and I continued to attend the events during the years meeting many people interested in our group though we had lost some of our members. We gained a few members but nothing like it had been. Kim worked very hard to keep it together. I think the film shoots helped keep our heads above water and kept our group together. To-day we now camp close to another group sharing a fire and going out on the field together . We still kept to our own war chief and followed his orders.

However reenactments would come to an end for Nancy and myself.

Life goes on, and Nancy and I look back in time, the wonderful years we all had together and what we had accomplished over the forty years of love and trust. However unexpectedly even that would come to an end.

In the year of 2012 in around March, Nancy developed a cough that did not sound good , at this time I also developed a sore throat.

But this didn't stop us from doing what we liked most, so we had a meeting and we all got together at the house for a pot luck and we made some clay pottery and pipes .Kim had collected clay from the river were he lived . It was then when Nancy began to show some problems with her breathing and would get out of breath easily, and I began to worry.

We called our family doctor whom we have had for thirty eight years, and made an appointment for the two of us. Our Doctor is one who is like no other. With his pleasant way, a tribute too his expertise, dedication, and his integrity, made him special too Nancy and myself. He immediately made an appointment for Nancy to have blood tests and chest ex rays. My throat, he gave me a prescription to ease the soreness. Nancys appointment to visit the doctor for the results of the ex-rays were found negative, she

had fluid on the right lung. Nancy was given an appointment for more tests at St.

Micheal's Hospital in Toronto to have the lung drained. Not a pleasant thing to have done but ,Nancy never complained. They made an appointment. She had a large pleural effusion and had a radiologic follow up. And further a CT scan, a colonoscopy and gastroscopy of the upper GI Cancer. After many months of tests and discomfort the right lung effusion with associated atelectatic changes. I stayed with her during the week of tests sleeping in the truck every night. I would awaken at early sunrise and have something to eat, then stay with her until eleven o'clock in the evening ,then go back to the truck to sleep. There was no way I could leave her alone. After a week of CT scans thinking this may be parapneumonic and related to underlying infection . The doctors were amazed she had no real co-morbilities what so ever, nor any medication at her age. The diagnosis pathological malignant mesothelioma the epitheloid type. She went through five treatments of chemotherapy and four radiation treatments with no result. Cause! “ asbestos”. Nancy was put on medication and I would inject her with a shot of fragmin 10,000 units subcutaneously daily.

However weeks into her illness after the Chemo therapy, she began to lost weight and they stopped the Chemo after five treatment. Giving her radiation did nothing to help her. Her strength gradually went down . I don't think the chemo was a good idea and maybe just had the radiation treatments might not have done much. It seemed like a losing battle with this asbestos mesothelioma. All I could do is keep her as comfortable as possible, making sure she ate, but even that had been lost. We had home care and the nurse would come in on a regular schedule. As time went by, Nancy' pain make it impossible to make her comfortable . On Feb. of the 7th. Nancy passed away with her

sister and myself by her side.

My world was upside down and I didn't know what to do. The excruciating pain losing the love of my life, losing Nancy was absolutely devastating. As for my soar throat I had been examined during the time I was looking after Nancy when she was still capable of mobility. I was rushed to the hospital in New Market one night after waken from a sleep choking with blood. Nancy called for an ambulance to take me to the hospital. After a week of tests and annoying patients surrounding me, I had to get the hell out of there when an E.N.T. doctor gave me a visit. After a long talk and an examination with a scope she gave me an appointment to have a biopsy. It prognosis came back that I had “quamous cells cardoma” throat cancer caused from the sun many years ago. However I cancelled my appointments three times over two months as my obligations were to look

after my Nancy. I didn't really care much about my problem at the time . And after the loss of Nancy, Kathy came to stay with me, made me go and deal with the cancer. It took 32 radiation treatments and staying at the cancer lodge ,a bus would

transport me every day except weekend for radiation at the Odette center. I finally had the last radiation treatment and came home to stay. However I had lost forty lbs because

the lack of appetite. I only drink Ensure and requested a feeding tube as I had no taste or hunger. During the summer months after I was feeling better, Kathy had come

back to Ontario to be with me. Also to come home with sad news that she had left Bill. Kathy was ready to travel back in the summer to New Brunswick and, I was not going to have her drive that distance by herself. So I had the feeding tube taken out to be with her on the trip and began to drink the ensure. To maintain my weight I had to drink six ensures a day. When we got back to Ontario I began trying to mixing soup with a hand full of greens adding garlic as well, as well as making porridge for breakfast and two eggs for lunch. This was what our friend Linda prescribed , she is very knowledgeable in nutrition. Linda would come visit every weekend to see how I was doing.

While I was traveling from the Odette center home on weekends I had many friends bring me frozen dishes of soup and stews. However , I was not yet eating and had to place them in the freezer for a later date, until I could eat normally again.

I began to gain weight back and felt much better when I did begin to blend solids together.

During this time I had developed pneumonia and had to go to the doctor. I was given antibiotics but I still had the cough. He arranged an appointment for a CT scan of my chest . I was then given an appointment with the radiologist for a read out of the CT scan. The news was not good . I have small effusions nodules in both lungs 1 cm. not very big and possibly I can have radiation to shrink the nodules. Cancer had apparently seeded into the lungs. I was then given an appointment with another radiologist who specializes in lung cancer .

I'm feeling good but still not eating solid foods. I did go from 125 lbs to 140lbs. Hope I will have a chance to eat solids soon. I love food and sweets. I'm looking forward to

Rama and their Christmas special. They have turkey with bread stuffing and real mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce. Nancy and I being so stuffed from eating so much would spend ten buck each on the slot machines too walk off the food we ate. Big time spenders. We would also go to the Chines Cannan buffet or to the Mandarin chinese buffet in New Market. My favorite dessert is the bread pudding at Rama. However, you can now get it at the Mandarin. The secrets is in the special cream you put on the pudding.

Most years at Christmas time we would go to Nancy's best friend Chris and her husband Jen for dinner and to exchange gifts. Chris is the person who introduced me to Nancy forty years earlier, and are still very good friends.

In the spring we sometimes would have everyone come visit and have our annual

meeting. Everyone would bring a pot luck making the gathering enjoyable. Most times we went to friends in Brantford for our meetings because most members lived in the area. We would bring our sleeping bags to cozy up on the floor over night and then head home after a good breakfast at the restaurant close by.

When camping out at an event, we had what you call a wikon a large round shape lodge six feet high made with poles and canvas painted to imitate either birch bark or elem

bark depending in the area we were depicting, but mostly elem bark. We had caribou hides and deer hides to sleep on and the ground was a large buffalo hide that would almost cover the wikon. When it came close to 2012 ,we were all looked forward to the 200 Th. by-centennial of 1812 however, everything changed drastically that year.

Each year in the middle of winter, Cannington dog sled races would be held by the Metis association and we all went too set up for the weekend. However, we never slept in lodges . Too cold.

Then every winter and early spring we looked forward to the pot lucks the Metis had in Oshawa.

There was fiddle music, singing drumming and dancing . What a wonderful time we would have. There was a silent auction with a draw . I would give one of my art pieces as a donation to the draw. The donation would help pay for the use of the premises plus other costs. Nancy would bring a great pot luck.

I particularly liked when we stayed in the long house over the weekend at Kanata village in Brantford. A long house made of elm bark over thirty feet high and hundred and fifty feet long and about twenty feet across. We would have a fire keeper who would attend to the fire, then rotate with someone else who would attend the fire while they slept. I will always remember the great people we met and shared in the re enactments. One time as we were all comfortable in the long house there were David and Wolf had taken the first shift as fire keepers . That particular evening I was trying to get out of the sleeping bed. I was half way out and looking for a foot hold to get down. My leg was rotating like I was trying to kickstart a motorcycle. Wolf looked up and he said . “ what are you doing?' I' have to have a pee. David said . “What did he say?' Wolf said in his

Forest Gump imitation.” I think he said he has to have a piey.” Everyone heard and laughed. We didnt sleep much that night.

Nancy and I never regret the forty years we had together. I lived a very good rewarding life with her and my daughter Kathy and grandson Brandon and all our family and friends who stood beside us in good and bad times.

During the years we met people we became to love and share this wonderful historic hobby and to learn our history, history that we all endured, making it possible to be in harmony with the past. My good friends Kim, Gary, Tehahenteh, Cedar ,Three Bears Debie and Linda, Doug and Marilyn plus many other friends who shard our knowledge, during those years, made it very special. I learned a lot by listening to others with their knowledge, and to read the history that shaped our continent.

The struggle our ancestors had both First Nations and European. I wish that some day the atrocities First Nations have endured over five hundred years, will finally come to a close in their favour.

I spend a lot of time at home and find it very lonely with out Nancy. We would talk, a lot and laugh, and many times I would sneak up behind her and give her a big hug and a kiss on the head as she sat on the chesterfield chair reading a book by the fire place or

doing her crossword puzzles, and I would say “I love you so much”And she would reply ,”Me Too.”

I am very grateful to those who have been close to us, helped through all of the sadness and sorrow. Lynda , Debbie, Anna Marie, Joan and Kieth, Kathrine ,Chris and Gene plus many many others who would visit and in the goodness of their hearts, bring me frozen dishes of stew and other dishes to eat even though I could not eat solids, however I appreciate their kind generosity. I met Joan and Kieth many years ago when another friend introduced me to them while buying some flints for our muskets. It was then I met these wonderful and very thoughtful people.

I had a friend for forty five years and when Nancy became ill I never seen him again . Since my illness he has never been around . I had another friend and his wife was a good friend to Nancy but after her crossing never heard from them . You can never underestimate the actions of a person though you think they really care but then put distance between you. It is very hurtful with no explanation. However I have many friends who stuck by me through all of this excruciating pain.

Kim is a very interesting person and a very loving friend who would share his knowledge of history in conversation on many venues. Gary a member of the Butler Rangers, also a member of our group, stuck by us through thick and thin. He and his wife Jo Anne was also an inspiration to me and I always enjoyed their company.

When I was young and in public school, I grew up with a friend Chuck . We stayed friends until he joined the army at a young age. We never seen one another for fifty or more years, until one day, his brother whom lives in Georgina had read many of my articles published in the town newspaper. His brother called to let him know Nancy and

I lived in Georgina. We were brought together once again, never lost contact again.

It is a year pass from the day February 7TH. Nancy's crossed over. On Sunday her friends Debbie Clymere , Linda Beliny , Damien, Becky Big Canoe ,Erna Winters , Tehahenteh and myself came together for the ceremony too end Nancy's travel to the ancestors. Tehahenteh did the ceremony while we burned tobacco and then the youngest male would serve the food. Served first was Nancy, then everyone else and all food must go. After we had our feast, Erna then drummed the fair well song and we smudged with Sage. On the following early morning, Kathy took the spirit plate out to the tree line.

Tuesday of the following day I had an consultation with the chemo Dr. He advised me to take the chemo for the liver as it was progressing therefore more important than my

lungs at this time. It was difficult to decide what I should do, I did not want chemo and in the meantime I had been taken chaga to drink, asparagus and hemp oil. I let the Doctor Know what I was taken. His words were ,it was my prerogative of choice . So whether it will interfere with the chemo or make it work together is no ones guess. I hope I have made the right choice. I only have one chance at this lottery. The TC scan shows the lungs are not as much a threat right now however, the liver has nodules that have progressed considerably making my choice as soon as next visit in a week. The chemo would be once a week for three weeks depending if it has progress or reseeded. I came home and after the third chemo I became very ill. I had developed a infection in the lung and a temperature of 102. Kathy rushed me to the closes hospital and they gave me some antibiotics and sent me home. The following week I had an appointment with the chemo Dr. and he immediately put me into quarantine for a week and a few days. The chemo was not helping. So I was well enough to go home and relax. I'm now on my own and with a positive look on life I will beat this .

I'm now beginning to eat some solids and hope to improve on my eating habits. It is like learning to eat all over again. I take Essiac twice a day and drink chaga tea three times a day. I haven't tried the Wormwood yet. It could compromise what I'm taking . I hope this will help put the cancer into remission. I try to keep a positive look on this whole scenario. And with the help of my daughter Kathy and other friends it is keeping me positive.

I suppose this is the way life revolves and we might find one another in the after world. If it is meant to be, I hope that we will all meet once again. And if we do I wish for Nancy to be by my side once again.

Bert Maka