Obituary of Keith GREGORY

GREGORY, Keith Lyal “Bud” September 28, 1926 – September 21, 2014 Bud died in the early morning hours of Sunday, September 21st at the Colonel Belcher Veteran’s Care Centre (Carewest) in Calgary Alberta at the age of 87, just one week shy of his 88th birthday. Bud is survived by his daughters, Lynda of Edmonton and Joan of Canmore, and by his only and cherished grandson, Christopher of Calgary. He was preceded in death by his father Joseph of Calgary in 1971, a veteran of both WW I and II; his brother Roy of Calgary in 1983, also a WW II veteran; his mother Evangeline of Calgary and his beloved wife Vivian (nee Hoover) of Red Deer both in 2000; his sister Joan of Vancouver in 2008. Bud was born on September 28, 1926 in Morse, Saskatchewan. His mother used to sing “My Buddie”, a popular song of the 1920’s, and that was how he came to be nicknamed “Bud”. His first home was above a pool hall and walking under a pool table was his earliest recollection. His most formative years were spent during the Great Depression of the 1930’s. When asked what he remembered most about his childhood, it was always the poverty. Bud said that the first of the three siblings up in the morning would be the best dressed. The only time he recalled ever being mad at his sister was when she cut up his only pair of bathing trunks to make clothes for her doll. Food and clothing were always in short supply. His military career which spanned 1943 to 1976 began at age 16 as a rear gunner, one of the most dangerous and vulnerable position on the aircraft. His Royal Canadian Air Force wartime unit was the 431 (Iroquois) Squadron, 6th Unit Heavy Bomber Group that was based in Croft England and operated over Europe. He completed 30 night missions on the Halifax III and the Lancaster. While an exciting time for a young man, his memories were mixed with great regret and sorrow. The years that followed the war, however, were some of his fondest. He enlisted with the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and traveled throughout North Africa, the Middle East and the Far East from 1945 to 1952. After returning to Calgary, he met and married Vivian and began raising the family he was so proud of. His retirement years were spent on an acreage near Red Deer, Alberta until 2005 when he moved to Canmore to be closer to his daughter, Joan and grandson, Chris. Bud loved a good conversation and had a great sense of humor. He was an avid reader, mostly history and Agatha Christie mysteries, and harboured a secret dream of becoming a writer. Doing crossword puzzles and watching re-runs of MASH were among his favorite past-times. Unfortunately, he was besieged by a number of progressive chronic conditions in his later years that robbed him of his mobility, memory, and most recently his ability to speak – the aftermath of a stroke. These caused him immense frustration. “Don’t get old” was advice he would frequently give. A Celebration of Bud’s Life is scheduled for October 22nd from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the Sage Bistro and Wine Lounge. Bud had a kind and caring heart and a generous nature. In keeping with this selfless spirit that dominated his life please consider honoring him by doing something kind for a stranger, giving flowers or a card of appreciation to someone you love, or spending time with a resident in a long-term care facility. Interment will be a private family gathering in Calgary at the Queen’s Park Cemetery where Bud will be laid to rest near his father and brother in the “Field of Honor”. Condolences for the family can be forwarded through Heritage Funeral Services, Calgary at www.hffs.com. “Let us not look for you only in memory, Where we would grow lonely without you. You would want us to find you in presence, Beside us when beauty brightens.” ~ John O’Donohue