We have alot of great memories.  We loved listening to the stories of when my father "Correy" and Alvin were young whipper-snappers in Nova Scotia.  He was a kind and humorour man and will be greatly missed.  Our love to the family.

Dear Maureen, Aunt Marion, and all the family,

Hope this will help to show our feelings for Uncle Alvin which we can’t begin to tell in a few words. We all loved him very much too and ditto to all of you. Here goes:

Our “Uncle Johnny”

This was a nickname he gave to Pat & Linda probably during his visit home in 1950. 

Pat & Linda: First memory of “Uncle Johnny” - when he and Uncle Marvin returned home for a visit in 1950 - two years after they had traveled to Vancouver to find work. They had gone out in an old car which apparently broke down in Saint John - was repaired and coaxed along across the country. In 1950, they came home in a new car. Linda’s memory - Uncle Johnny singing “It’s a long,long way to Tipperary. (He later laughed about this and said he didn’t remember. At that time Linda was five and Pat was three and how excited we were to see our uncles and how we loved them.

Next memory of Linda’s - a letter Uncle Johnny sent from his hospital bed late in 1956 after we lost our father in the mine explosion in Springhill. The letter still exists in with momentos. Also lovely present sent to us at Christmas - a rhinestone necklace which Linda still has and wore in a Barbershop Remembrance Day Show. It was also sent around 1956.

We will always remember Uncle Alvin as a bright spot in our lives - 4000 miles away but always very near and dear in our hearts.

Sister Ida’s words - “Alvin was one in a million, so special to me and my girls and their children also. And to Marlene (who was 15 months old at the time of the Springhill Disaster) so generous to her during her growing years and her teenage years and also to her boys at Christmas and other times. He was a very warm, caring and supportive brother. His visits home were always very much looked forward to and in the past few years, phone calls, newspaper articles of interest and cheques at Christmas. He was a man who shied away from being made a fuss over - laughed it off and he was a great conversationalist and we had many through the years.”

Brother Glen’s words - “Alvin had a great sense of humor, was very generous to his family, especially his own mother” . And Glen spoke fondly of him as “a happy warrior”.

What a guy, our “Uncle Johnny”. I guess we still thought he might get back for one more visit. How we will miss him.

Love to all of you from Ida, Linda , Pat, Marlene,Glen and all our family.

Our “Uncle Johnny”

This was a nickname he gave to Pat & Linda probably during his visit home in 1950. 

Pat & Linda: First memory of “Uncle Johnny” - when he and Uncle Marvin returned home for a visit in 1950 - two years after they had traveled to Vancouver to find work. They had gone out in an old car which apparently broke down in Saint John - was repaired and coaxed along across the country. In 1950, they came home in a new car. Linda’s memory - Uncle Johnny singing “It’s a long,long way to Tipperary. (He later laughed about this and said he didn’t remember. At that time Linda was five and Pat was three and how excited we were to see our uncles and how we loved them.

Next memory of Linda’s - a letter Uncle Johnny sent from his hospital bed late in 1956 after we lost our father in the mine explosion in Springhill. The letter still exists in with momentos. Also lovely present sent to us at Christmas - a rhinestone necklace which Linda still has and wore in a Barbershop Remembrance Day Show. It was also sent around 1956.

We will always remember Uncle Alvin as a bright spot in our lives - 4000 miles away but always very near and dear in our hearts.

Sister Ida’s words - “Alvin was one in a million, so special to me and my girls and their children also. And to Marlene (who was 15 months old at the time of the Springhill Disaster) so generous to her during her growing years and her teenage years and also to her boys at Christmas and other times. He was a very warm, caring and supportive brother. His visits home were always very much looked forward to and in the past few years, phone calls, newspaper articles of interest and cheques at Christmas. He was a man who shied away from being made a fuss over - laughed it off and he was a great conversationalist and we had many through the years.”

Brother Glen’s words - “Alvin had a great sense of humor, was very generous to his family, especially his own mother” . And Glen spoke fondly of him as “a happy warrior”.

What a guy, our “Uncle Johnny”. I guess we still thought he might get back for one more visit. How we will miss him.

No words can describe my Uncle Alvin.  He was one-of-a-kind.  I will always remember the phone calls when we were little... he would say, "This is Mickey Mouse" with his voice disguised.  Then, as I got older I loved our talks that inevitably turned to politics.  I swear he would say things just to get a rise out of me.  I loved our visits to their house... sitting at the kitchen table or in the living room visiting.  He would ALWAYS make us laugh.  When he said something a little off-color, Aunt Marion would say, "Ohhh Al."  And he would call to her, "Marion.... Marion."  One visit, they even bought me a special doll cake for my birthday.  He was so much fun and so sweet and generous.  I will miss him so much.

Alvin I am so glad that I visited with you last month. You always made me laugh with your funny humor. You had a heart of gold and you will be missed so much. Laura Osuna and  family.

OBITUARY

Mr. Alvin Thomas Skidmore

16 August, 1923 – 25 March, 2010

Ocean View Funeral Home & Burial Park

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