Charles John Seifert

Memorial Service

Celebrated at the Barthel Funeral Home

On August 21, 2016

Feel no guilt in laughter; he’d know how much you care.

Feel no sorrow in a smile that he is not here to share.

You cannot grieve forever; he would not want you to.

He’d hope that you could carry on the way you always do.

So, talk about the good times and the way you showed you cared,

The days you spent together, all the happiness you shared.

Let memories surround you, a word someone may say

Will suddenly recapture a time, an hour, a day,

That brings him back as clearly as though he were still here,

And fills you with the feeling that he is always near.

For if you keep those moments, you will never be apart

And he will live forever locked safely within your heart. ~ Unknown

Prayer:

Dear Father of Broken Hearts – We come together today to share stories and tears, to hold hearts and hands in a circle of love and support for John’s family. Thank you for family and friends and the close bond they share. Thank you, Father, for allowing John to pass peacefully at home with no suffering, with Glenna and Judy by his side. You are a gracious and loving God. Touch the souls here with your spirit and help them find comfort in the embrace of memories of their beloved husband, brother, uncle, friend and neighbour for today and the coming days. Amen.

Welcome…from Doreen Leaney the honoured celebrant for this service. -We gather here to remember and celebrate the life of Charles John Seifert and mourn his death, a man known for his kind and helpful heart.

We are here to support John’s family and friends, his wife Glenna, his brother Peter and sister Judy, sisters-in-law Alma, Gale and Linda and their families, John’s extended family and companions on his life journey. John has been predeceased by several of his family, the most recent one earlier this week being his sister-in-law, Velma Parks, who was often like a second mother to him. We are here to pledge to you that we are welcome companions on your path of grief and will be your ears for stories and shoulders for tears when the travels become too much.

On behalf of the family, let me thank you for your presence. It is an important day when we stop to bear witness to a person’s life…and to someone who made a difference among his family and community … and to take time to express our grief, our hope, our wonder and our memories. You made the effort, took the time, and traveled from near and far to be a part of this sacred space. Words cannot express how meaningful your presence today is, and in the days to come, will be for the family. Thank you for being here for this important moment. Together we will share memories; we may laugh and we may cry; for, you see, both are necessary for healing.

The flame of a candle touches us in a unique way. Lighted candles are often seen as symbols of love and memory of one that is no longer beside us. The glowing candle on the table symbolizes John’s life and spirit while he was with us. Glenna and Judy are now coming to light their own candles to show their love for him and acknowledge that they will carry his spirit with them as they continue on without their beloved John.

Candle Lighting

Eulogy and Memories

Shared by Christine, John’s niece, about her special uncle.

-Charles John Seifert was special to all of us in one way or another but to me, he was an amazing uncle.

He always had a strong presence in my life and treated me like I was one of his own. He once told my mom: “Cute kid, but you’ll never sell the voice”. This was because I was always chasing after him biding for his attention in my squeaky little voice. He helped teach me to skate and jump off cliffs in Georgian Bay. He took me to Disney World with Lisa and spun me on the teacup ride until I was sick. He also managed to put up with two preteen girls fresh from camp. We had filthy PJ’s fit for the garbage and hair that hadn’t seen shampoo in a week and were coming to stay on the BonJoy. He took it all in stride in his fun Uncle John style.

He took us for countless boat rides and trips to the cottage. He was always there to lend a hand and give advice, especially if it was about fishing or something nautical. I have so many wonderful memories of Uncle John I couldn’t possibly list them all.

He was a special man and will be greatly missed, but I think it’s important to remember the great times we had with him and consider ourselves lucky to have had such a sweet genuinely nice person in our lives. Rather than dwell on the loss of a wonderful Uncle I would like to Celebrate his life and the wonderful memories I shared with him. We will all miss you and love you very much Uncle John.

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When I spoke with Glenna and Judy, I asked them what John’s favourite colour was and they tossed around blue and green and then concluded that since he loved nature, they would go with either or both, so this is the sweater I chose to wear in John’s honour today.

Charles John Seifert was born on July 31st, 1949 in Guelph. He was one of three children in the family, the middle child. His parents owned a summer resort/tent and trailer park at Barber’s Beach on Puslinch Lake. Needless to say, all three children helped out in any way they could: lawn and yard work, counter help at the snack shop, garbage detail, the works. It may take a village to raise a child but it sure takes a family to run a resort and campground. John learned early on the freedom of working in bare feet; after all, he was working outdoors all day, at or near the beach! One day he was on his way to school and realized he hadn’t put his shoes on so he had to go back and get them. He started school in his community, S. S. #11, a two-room school with all the grades; later he attended John Ross and Centennial high schools in Guelph.

When winter came, the family closed up the campground and travelled south for the winter. They stayed in Florida, on the east side and John’s mom and dad worked at other vacation spots for various owners. So…summers were spent at the lake and winters at the ocean…sounds like a pretty idyllic life; not that there was nothing to do…there was always something to do!

As John matured, his type of work at the campgrounds changed. Thanks to his dad, he became, over time, a regular fix-it guy – anything that was mechanical or technical, he either knew or he could figure out. He also became known for the phrase, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!’ In his middle teens he bought a motorcycle and although it ran fine, he took it apart and put it together again…he just wanted to see how everything worked.

By that time, he didn’t go south with his parents in the winter; the schooling was getting too complicated between Ontario and Florida, so he stayed with his brother or other family while the camp was closed.

In the summers again, it would be off to Barber’s Beach, driving the tractor or jeep. The sports he was interested in at that time centred on the water which he loved, mostly swimming and sometimes water skiing. He did play pool though and arcade games, as most teenagers do. He used his small aluminum boat for fishing, too.

Being at the beach all summer gave him plenty of opportunities to meet plenty of people, including girls. Glenna’s family would go to Barber’s Beach and that’s where she and John met. After a while, Glenna began to work at the camp too, first at the counter selling popcorn and other snacks and registering campers. They also sold blocks of ice to keep food cool. Following some time there, she worked in the kitchen of the small restaurant and then John’s mom taught her to do the bookkeeping. John would drive a 30-foot open boat for a tour of the lake and Glenna would sell tickets. When they first met, they were too young to date, but time took care of that and they dated for seven years before they married in 1973.

That area appealed to both of them and so they made their home there. They bought a cottage and had it moved to property they had purchased but they had to prepare a foundation for it first. The ‘cottage’ became their home for 43 years; it was an ongoing project to make it into the home they wanted but, remember, John could do just about anything. Remember, too, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!’ Because they lived so close to the camp, they had the responsibility of checking out the property during the winter months when it wasn’t in use. Later, it was accessible in the winter as well for snowmobiling.

John became a volunteer fireman but after three or four years gave it up. He discovered he didn’t wake up in a hurry and might be more of a hindrance on the road than a help.

In their early years together, Glenna was a hairdresser and John worked for Harter Metal, assembling furniture. After five years, John became a warehouse manager at Tandem Fabrics, a distribution centre for fabrics, with a mill in Moncton, NB. They shipped their fabrics to furniture manufacturers for office furniture and cubicle divider coverings. John was there over 20 years, one of the longest employment records at the company.

Over the years John and Glenna gathered a group of very good friends. They enjoyed spending time with Yvonne and Jim, John having met Yvonne because they worked together. They also enjoyed the company of John’s boss, Tony and his wife Doreen. Other close friends included Mike, another co-worker and his wife Sharon and Jim and Judy from Owen Sound.

After Glenna’s hairdressing days, she worked at Collier-MacMillan in Cambridge for 25 years. She and John were able to drive to work together.

They both enjoyed travelling, but kept it to waterways and boats they could handle themselves. They started with just a small runabout, and then graduated to a 21-ft. cabin cruiser. The largest one they owned was a houseboat. They both loved the water. They cruised Georgian Bay, around Parry Sound. Their own cottage, which they had for 15 years, was on Gouette Island, so they needed a boat to get to their cottage. Over the years there, they cut down trees that had been damaged by wind or storm and pulled out stumps. Their dock, which John built, was open to anyone at any time and they had lots of company. Both family and friends were welcomed and made to feel at home. It was important to John to share his space and time with others.

Wildlife abounded – over the years they have seen moose in the lake, deer, otters, beaver, minks, plenty of chipmunks and the occasional snake, much to Glenna’s dismay.

John and Glenna did travel beyond northern Ontario, too. When they were able to have a few more weeks’ holidays, they went to Myrtle Beach, either later fall or spring and took trips to Mexico, too. They cruised on a larger boat from Florida to the Bahamas with family, as well.

During family times, they sometimes played cards, often euchre, or a game called Newfie Poker, a game I have never heard of before. They enjoyed their family’s company immensely! From their dock they would fish or swim or just enjoy the view. Glenna taught the younger ones the fine art of cannonballing into the water. John loved to watch the kids, nephews and nieces, having a great time. He was always concerned for other’s welfare and comfort, moving rocks below the dock to make sure everyone could get their boats as close as possible without damage. He was never afraid of getting dirty. Glenna would often make sure he had washed his bare feet before getting into bed.

The Seiferts not only had summer times there, they also had the family for Thanksgiving dinner and cottage close up and once cooked a turkey dinner in a wood stove with friends on Beausoleil Island. At their cottage they hosted a family wedding shower, and at home hosted Christmas dinners for more than 30 people.

Times around the cottage campfire were full of stories and roasted marshmallows. Glenna’s sister’s son-in-law, Kirby, was from Labrador and he entertained the family with story after story. One of the tricks was to stay out of the smoke, but if I remember correctly, the mosquitoes wouldn’t get you there. A ghetto blaster would provide the music. While in the hospital, John mentioned to Glenna that his IV pump reminded him of the old ghetto blaster at the cottage.

John became a bit of a ‘techie’, thanks to Judy. With her coaching, he was able to scan his old slides to his computer, making those old photos available today.

John liked jigsaw puzzles, too. That kind of activity was better for him as he slowed down due to a triple bypass in 2003. John retired then and Glenna soon after. Then in 2013 he was diagnosed with Lymphoma. Those two major health events necessitated the sale of their cottage as well as their boats, as difficult as it must have been. So many wonderful memories had their roots there.

John was a caring soul, helping anyone he could. One day he was travelling on the road and came upon a Volkswagen on fire. He just happened to have his fire extinguishers in his car after getting them refilled and was able to use them to put the fire out.

John was a Blue Jays fan and enjoyed watching their games. He also watched the Young and the Restless with Glenna, often making a good guess at different character’s lines as scenarios unfolded.

He had a great sense of humour, too. When he was young, he had an accident in which he lost the first part of his big toe. That left him with a bit of difficulty with balance. He used his toe as the reason why he didn’t get very far in his star football career!

Once he was adding insulation to a boat motor and was using his hands to apply the glue. He stuck his hands in the jar of white goop that Glenna had given him and part way through the exercise, realized it was not glue, but white paint! The family laughs over that incident to this day. John’s sense of humour never left him…ever! On the way home from the hospital that last time, he was joking with the ambulance attendants that were helping him.

As you know, John passed peacefully at home with Glenna and Judy at his bedside.

To honour and remember John, I have something for you to take home with you: a card with John’s name, his signature phrase, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ and some images of his life at the lake. Please make sure you take one from the baskets at the doors and keep sharing your memories of John. ‘When someone becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure.’

You are all invited to stay to share more memories at a reception provided by the family. After all, how can you have a family get-together without food?

If he could, John might say this to us today:

The cares of the world concern me no longer.

I have completed this life. My work is done.

I have loved much and well.

To those I leave behind,

I hope I will remain in their hearts as they will in mine...

Thank you for taking such good care of me

And all of you who have been my friends, thank you for teaching me about life and love.

Prayer:

God of broken hearts and comforting memories, we commit the spirit of John Seifert into Your loving arms, into Your perfect peace, forever. Send us from this place stronger and wiser and more aware of things that matter for having known and loved him. Stitch up the wound in our hearts, dry our tears in Your own good time and help us to carry on with the love of living, the caring and the warmth that you gave to John. In Your name we pray…Amen

…and now…

May you go forward today with a small flickering of light in your soul. May the memories of John begin to bring comfort rather than pain. May the words, touch and presence of others bring solace. And may you be blessed in your coming in and going out, grateful for a life well lived and an enduring legacy left behind.

Again, thank you for coming today.

* * * * * * * * * *

SEIFERT, Charles “John”

Passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, August 17, 2016 at the age of 67. Beloved husband and best friend of Glenna for 43 years. He will be lovingly remembered by his brother Peter Parks and sister Judy Seifert and sisters in-law Alma Thoman, Gale (Gary) Porter and Linda (Merv) Shirley. John loved and was loved by all his nieces and nephews and their families. Predeceased by his parents Charlie and Olive Seifert, brother in-law Gary Thoman, sister in-law and brother in-law Lois and Ron Gingrich. The family wishes to thank Dr. Cescon, the doctors and nurses of Grand River Hospital for their compassionate care and the Bayshore Group and CCAC for their care of John at home. Relatives and friends are invited to call upon the family at the BARTHEL FUNERAL HOME, 566 Queenston Road, Cambridge, (519) 653-3251 on Sunday, August 21, 2016 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. The service to celebrate his life will follow in the Funeral Home Chapel at 2 p.m. As expressions of sympathy, donations to the Canadian Cancer Society or the Heart and Stroke Foundation would be appreciated by the family.