Allan George Webster

My family had the good fortune to live next door to the Webster family for 12 years while our children were growing up. We both came from the prairies and so had no extended family living nearby. We became close friends, and in essence, became each other's family. Many holidays were spent together and it became our custom to provide entertainment after dinner - kids and adults alike. If it was our turn to entertain, we took it quite seriously and made the effort to come up with something unique. One of my best memories is of Linda and Allan performing the sixties hit, "Hey Paula", with Linda actually wearing her wedding dress for the performance!

As you all know, Allan Webster was a man of many and varied talents but one thing about Allan that always stood out for me was his modesty. If ever there was a person who had every reason to blow his own horn, it was Allan, but to brag about his accomplishments was simply not in his nature.

Another thing that I think everyone appreciated about Allan was his dry wit, coupled with impeccable timing. I remember Linda once relating a story and going into fairly detailed account before saying, "so to make a long story short".........and then continuing with more details, before Allan quietly interjected, "well, it's really not very short". I could go on and on about all the reasons my family loved Allan so much, but suffice it to say that we all felt incredibly lucky to be such close friends with a truly wonderful man. Each of Allan's family have contributed their own thoughts and memories, and I will begin with Allan's brother, Brian, on the Early Years. ~ Maureen Pateman

Early Years: Allan spent his childhood years growing up on the family grain farm at Hearne, Sask. The farm was quite self-sufficient with a small herd of cattle with 2or 3 milk cows. There were free range chickens and a flock of laying hens and a few pigs. The garden was large. Allan was responsible to help with chores – he was assigned to milk a cow twice each day by hand, which can be quite daunting. Helping out with the harvest was another responsibility, learning to drive the old grain truck and being able to back it up and unload the grain.

Allan had his own horse named Trigger. Trigger suffered from “attention deficit disorder” as he could not be trained to perform all the tricks that Roy Rogers’ Trigger could, no matter how much Allan tried!

Activities centered around the school, Church and sports. Allan was a good baseball player, playing with the Avonlea Little League baseball team. He also took home some ribbons in the school Track and Field. The winter sport was curling. He learned to play cribbage from the old timers sitting around the Hearne General store.

It was at a church sponsored social event that Allan first noticed a very attractive blonde girl from a neighbouring community. Her name was Linda Lind. Allan asked Linda to be his escort for his Grade 12 graduation. And the rest is history!

Allan pursued several different interests throughout his life. One of his greatest passions was music. During his early years he took piano lessons from a few local music teachers. They saw his potential and soon realised that he was quickly moving beyond what they could offer, and encouraged his parents to enroll him with an accomplished piano teacher in Moose Jaw. During the busy harvest season, our Mother would drive Allan to Moose Jaw for these lessons. There were times when Allan would drive even though he was under age with no license.

Allan's career took off from here, giving piano lessons to many local students in our farm home. Later he enrolled in the Bachelor of Music program at the University of Regina. Even while excelling in his studies, he was able to obtain a position of organist at one of Regina’s downtown churches. He was also part of a band called “Shades of Tijuana”. Allan had the gift of perfect pitch. He always strove for perfection in all of his performances.

Allan loved working with wood, be it building a house or a writing desk. He had a thorough knowledge of the building code and knew how to build things properly. He knew all the different woods and completed all projects with precision.

Allan and Linda were passionate about cycling. They enjoyed the challenges of the different trails, but most of all they enjoyed the close friendships they made.

~ Brian

I think you all know the story of Allan and I and the blue velvet dress. What you might not know is that Allan played SHE WORE BLUE VELVET by Bobby Vinton on the grand piano that was in the reception room in the Regina General Hospital nurses’ residence when he came to pick me up; or he might (very rarely) play RED ROSES FOR A BLUE LADY after we had any kind of disagreement,

how could you not love that, I ask you?!

Allan was, for almost 54 years, my Knight in shining armour. He has been called upon to rescue me for running out of gas, flat tires and many other vehicle issues. He once drove to Campbell River to pick up surgical equipment for me because the courier I had booked forgot to do the pick up. He was always there to fix things for me or our children, building, changing, supporting, bolstering, and at the end of it all, making us laugh.

In fact, that was one of Allan’s secret weapons….when I was mad at him he would make me laugh then I’d be upset that he made me laugh..(not really).

He played the piano to make me happy, to relax me and to impress me…I had a few favourites and he knew it!

During his career he always wanted me to critique his shows ; really?! what did I know?!…..but he knew I was his no. 1 fan. He wanted me along on his band and choral trips and if truth be told, he would have had us joined at the hip, if that were possible. We were each other’s best friends.

Allan loved the ocean even though he could not swim. He found it peaceful, beautiful and interesting as we searched out places that can only be reached by boat, and if he could catch some fish, all the better, or prawns or anything to eat! Magic Dragon was a good sturdy boat and I am so glad we had those times together with friends and family. Allan and I re-did the interior of Magic Dragon. We were always fixing things up to be better than when we got them.

After boating we started RV’ing—boating on solid ground.

We considered it very fortunate to have camped with all 5 grandsons, at one time or another. Many wonderful memories made with each of those 5 boys!

Then there was the cycling/camping adventures. There is nothing like a nice long day of cycling followed by food and liquid refreshments!

Allan came up with the idea for the 70/70 bike ride a year or so before his 70th birthday. Ride 70 km to celebrate the 70 years. Proof of our prowess were the designer shirts our friends made to mark the event! Thank you dear biking friends!

The winters spent in California were probably Allan’s favourite type of holiday. He absolutely loved that lifestyle. Sun every morning when arising, games to play or bike rides to go on, no yard work, no grass mowing and no mosquitoes! Wine and good food were aplenty and wonderful people to hang out with.

Allan loved to entertain and loved to cook! It got to the point where our dinner guests automatically asked Allan first for the recipe or “how did you do that?” before ever asking me!!

When it became evident that although Allan had won a few battles, cancer was going to win the war, he told me he did not want to go to the hospital. I made that promise. We fought together just like always, side by side. He would say to me I love, love, love you…and he did. My Knight in shining armour. How lucky I have been!

~ Linda

Things I will remember about my dad, by Julie:

• The smell of sawdust, that lingered in the garage for years, as he built every square inch of our Willis Way house with his own hands.

• His jean jacket and old cowboy boots at the back door, always there to slip on if I had to get something from the garage or woodshed.

• Watching him try to swim in our backyard pool, having never learned how before.

• Playing Nintendo with him as a kid, especially ‘Battle City’ for which as a team, we achieved many high scores.

• My dad vacuuming the house in his underwear – he was not above doing housework, he just got hot.

• Against my mother’s better judgement, he bought us dirt bikes to ride the trails behind our house. I was allowed to ride the 250 if I could kick start it myself, which I did before I could touch the ground.

• His command of a large band or choral group, the respect he garnered from his students, and the perfection of his performances.

• Having to call out to “Mr. Webster!” for attention, as he had tuned out my hollering “dad!” in class.

• The goosebumps I would feel at the sound of him playing piano, especially when he threw in an unexpected key change.

• The Hallelujah Chorus at Christmas time, and finally being part of it myself after watching it from the audience for years.

• His quick mind, especially when playing cards, and his propensity to cheat even when he knew he wouldn’t get away with it.

• His chubby cheeks, which I will try hard to wear more proudly.

• His jokes, which were often lame and only made my mom laugh, but she did every time.

• His joy of being ‘Papa’ to his grandchildren, and all the good times we shared together as a family.

• The love and affection that he lavished on my mom and us kids, which made me seek out the same qualities in a life partner for myself.

• And of course, his musical talent, which punctuated our lives with arpeggios, more than we appreciated at the time. Thanks to Kevin, we have his recording.

• I will also remember his smile, his determination and strength, and his positive attitude despite everything he was forced to endure. He truly was my hero.

• But I will also remember his suffering and that in order for him to be free of the cancer we had to let him go.

• I will try to remember that he is in a better place, a happy, peaceful place, and that he is an angel watching over me that I get to keep in my heart and take with me every day going forward. I am so blessed.

~ Julie

My dad was the most wonderful man. I think he touched many lives because he took the time to really see and value people. Well known for being a masterful music educator and exceptional pianist, he also excelled at whatever he set his mind to, be it carpentry, house construction, mountain biking, boating, baseball, throwing dinner parties, to name a few.

Music was naturally an integral part of our lives. There was often music playing, either on the stereo or Dad himself at the piano or less frequently, with the guitar. We were always so excited when he would finally give in to our pleading and play “Mule Skinner Blues” on his guitar, throwing his voice into the falsetto required. Kevin, Julie, and I were all music students of his at Vanier and I can tell you that for me, there was nothing more magical than being directed by him in choir. He had a bounce in his step and a joie-de-vivre that came shining through his eyes and expressive face when directing and orchestrating beautiful music.

Education was important to Dad. When we were little, before Kevin was even born, my dad completed his Master’s Degree at UVIC. This was a 3-summers program so he brought Mom and Julie and I to spend that time with him camping just outside of Victoria. By day, while Dad attended classes, Mom and Julie and I would play at the beach and feed the ducks in the pond of the campground, and at night, when Dad was back from UVIC, we would have campfires and hot chocolate, ending with a special ‘tuck-in’ by Dad: he’d sing us ‘Good Night Sweetheart.’ After that song, we’d lay there listening to the sound of my mom helping Dad type up his papers at the tent trailer table. They were a great team.

No matter how busy he was, he always found time for his children. Even when we became adults, there he was alongside my mom, offering his time and energy to help us with various projects and renovations. When Jonathan and I built our new home, which was only completed last summer, despite his ailing health, there he was again with Mom, laying flooring, contributing helpful suggestions, all the while cheering us on and encouraging us at every opportunity.

My dad was an exceptional father and husband. He was kind and gentle, supportive and loving. So strong in body my whole life – if you ever saw him in shorts, you’d know – and stronger still in mind and spirit as he battled to stay with us another 3 ½ years after being diagnosed. Spiritually far deeper than I realized until recently, Dad truly was an instrument of God’s peace in our lives, and I am forever grateful and in awe of his profound faith.

But of all the things my dad did so well, the one thing he did best was love my mom. The respect and admiration he had for her was so obvious; I know he was grateful for her love every day. To grow up in this sort of environment was an immeasurable gift for all us children.

I’m immensely proud of him and inspired by him, his quiet faith, his work ethic, talent, generosity of spirit, his commitment to lifelong friendships, his patience – oh how patient a father he was – never snapping at or short with me.

There are many things I will miss about my dad: family bike rides and camping trips, his quick wit, his beautiful love for my mom and our family, the joyous sound of him playing the piano and filling our lives with the most beautiful music, kissing his chubby cheeks. So many, many things. But I know he is here among us … lives within all of us in some measure and he will live in our hearts and souls for always. Love you, Dad.

~ Leanne

It’s hard not to miss my Dad. Every time I walk into our kitchen, I see the cabinets he and I built together. The drawer boxes he taught me how to dado so the pieces fit just right. The countless hours spent sanding and finishing. The joy we both felt milling some large pieces of walnut that would become my banister railing. The weeks spent fussing over floorboards so they all flowed with purpose. There were less glamorous jobs as well. The concrete footings we poured for the new deck we built. Moving doors and widening windows. Re-routing wires. Tiling floors.

When I walk into my bedroom, there’s a spot on the floor where he got stuck – his sock pinched between some floorboards we were laying. Classic comedy.

It was a lot of work, but somehow it wasn’t. It was time with my Dad. Quality time where he was passing on all this know-how he’d learned – a lifetime of skills he was passing on so that I could use it to look after my own family the way he looked after his. And music. I can’t play the piano without arpeggiating a few chords the way he always would. In fact, I can barely play at all except for the songs I had him teach me. His chords were always so complex and beautiful – he gave layers and colour to even the simplest melodies. True genius at the keys. He would yell from the kitchen – “you need a flat 5 in there, it’s a diminished chord” – while I fumbled through one of his tunes. As if I had spent a lifetime at the piano the way he had, and should know. I would gently remind him I was a guitar player, and was never going to be as good on the piano. But I wanted to be. I wanted to play his chords. To fill hearts with the same joy.

There are so many memories to cherish, it’s hard to even know where to start. His reflection is everywhere. The music. The projects. The passion. The determination that some might call stubbornness. I can still picture his old jean jacket – the one he wore cutting up firewood that smelled like wet sawdust and gasoline. Our old red boat we took out fishing when I was little. The dirt bikes. Playing catch. Camping. Biking. Playing card games only prairie folks know. His phoney-baloney laugh to make us all smile for pictures. Holding his hand during the waning moments of his life.

We were blessed to have such a wonderful loving and talented man for a father.

Love you, Dad. ~ Kevin

* * * * * * * * * *

Allan passed away at home in Courtenay on Jan. 18, 2022.

Allan is survived by his wife of 54 years, Linda, and their children Leanne (Jonathan), Julie (Paul), and Kevin (Michelle), as well as 5 grandchildren, Jacob, Luke, Elliot, Owen, and Alex. Allan’s first love was always Linda, followed by his love of music. Born in Saskatchewan in 1945, Allan was a farm boy who milked cows and sold cream to buy his first guitar. He went on to study music at the University of Regina and became an accomplished pianist and ‘perfect pitch’ music educator. Settling their family in Courtenay, Allan taught at GP Vanier for most of his career, pouring his heart and soul into its music program, as well as many other community projects. Allan was a loving and involved father, who upon retirement found great joy in spending time with his family and many friends.

A memorial service will be held on Feb. 11th at 1 pm at Piercy’s Funeral Home.