Remembering a special person in our community...

The ladies of the Enfield community in 1955 standing at the back porch of our farmhouse.

One of the wonderful things about moving into a small community is playing Community Bingo - everyone is related to everyone and you will find connections that will astound you.

My Mom lived in our  village with her parents before she got married to my dad - that was a few years ago (ahem).  Turns out the man we buy our organic beef from was at their wedding and remembered them well.  My dear husband nearly had his ear talked off after finding that out!

A older friend at church told me many times that she used to live in Enfield.  By the time we moved here she had slipped into the fog of Alzheimer's and we weren't really able to talk about it any more.  So sad - she is a cousin to our neighbours across the road (and down the road too!)

It seems in our little-neck-of-the-woods everyone is related to EVERYONE - except us!  We have no relatives living here but we have dear friends.

One of our favourite older couples are Fred and Ruby Griffin.  Everyone calls them Uncle Fred and Aunt Ruby. We live in their old farmhouse and when people in the community ask us where we live we just smile and say "Fred and Ruby's old place" - even though they haven't lived here for 25 years.

Fred worked hard his whole life and at 93 was still out cutting the grass and pi-diddling out in the yard.  He always waved when we drove past and we waved back.  Sometimes on our evening walks he would be outside and we had some great conversations about how beautiful it was up here and the weather.  Fred was suffering with Alzheimers the last few years so sometimes the conversations were interesting bits and pieces about life on the farm and sometimes repetitions of things he'd told us a few minutes before.  He had a happy sincere way about him - always interested in helping others.  When another farmer on our road had an accident he took it upon himself to go over each day and help with the chores. He didn't want to be paid because then he would feel like he HAD to come - he just wanted to help out.

My daughter remembers meeting Uncle Fred for the first time when we attended a summer church service at the little church "downtown".  She sat and chatted with him for quite a while and remembers that conversation fondly. 

A few days after Christmas Uncle Fred slipped and broke his hip - a difficult thing to recover from when you are over 90. He passed away yesterday afternoon. We'll miss him.

                                           GRIFFIN, Frederick -

In his 93rd year

On Friday January 11, 2013.

Beloved husband of Ruby (nee McLaughlin) for 68 years. 

Dear father of Donald (Judy), Allan (Mariam), Gordon (Shirley) and Ivan (Susan).  Lovingly remembered by his grandchildren Greg (Donna), Jason (Jennifer), Andrea, James (Nicole), Steven (Celine), Matthew (Shelagh), Adam (Heather), Andy (Angie), Dave (Sarah) and Brad (Karlee) and his great-grandchildren Courtney, Katanna, Owen, Olivia, Charlotte, Clara, Eleanor, Sam, Ben, Denver, Skylar, Jayden & Sierra.  Dear brother of Celia (Rae) Cowling and Ruby Smith.

Predeceased by his parents Richard & Irene Griffin and sisters Verna, Vera & Clara.