Derwyn Big D Trevor Owen Thomas

He was born in Welland Ontario, he only attended school until grade 8, Derwyn was one of five children, growing up he loved sports, playing baseball , being the youngest one born his brothers and sisters took care of him a lot, because his Mother and Father were so church originated Mom and Dad were always at church in his younger years his Mother and Father were from Whales and they loved singing in the church choir we actually have a cassette at home with his father singing on it, that we use to play occasionally to remember back Derwyns dad has the heavy Welsh brogue. Derwyn use to pass the time he'd go outside and play baseball with his nephews and nieces, at the age of 17 Derwyn started working for Atlas Steel in Welland his father got him a job at the plant and he worked there for 46 years, Derwyn was very close to his nephews and nieces when he was a young adult buying them stuff as they'd needed it like ice skates etc. his one niece Sharon who's around 65ish still has the skates he bought her as a child he had a big heart even bad in his earlier days. he retired at 65. His sister use to live across the street from the plant so on lunch breaks you could find him at her house a lot of times, because with Ders job which was dipping steel parts in acid,he use to smell like acid a lot of times so he always showered before coming home and sometimes he would forget to bring a towel to work with him so he would go to sisters house to grab one of her towels, have a little lunch and also visited for awhile, Der use to wear a work outfit while working but every other month we'd have to buy him new shirt and pants he use to bring his clothes home twice a week for washing but they always had marks on them because of the acid even though he wore a long apron and long black gloves the gloves use to go 3/4 up his arm and they were very heavy, at work his job was a dangerous one with acid and the acid was always boiling hot., he had to dip steel parts in acid. Derwyn use to enjoy piling his siblings or his kids in the back seat of his car and drive across the street were there was a shopping mall and he loved doing doughnuts in the parking lot , it use to make the kids happy and make them laugh a lot they'd keep begging him not to stop, another thing Der was real big on was bumper cars when Jeff and Belinda were small he use to take them different places were there were all kinds of rides so Der would get in the bumper car with Belinda and Jeff use to get in another one and they would bump into each other Derwyn was just a big kid sometimes. . Working for Atlas Steel the plant use to close once a year for an extra day and it was called family day they would give the employees free tickets to Fantasy Island in the States, and we would take family over for they could have some fun on All the different rides at the park would see his co workers it was a fun free day to spend times with your families and friends. When ever there was an election Der use to go from door to door canvassing for the Liberals party he was a strong Liberal supporter, he would not change parties no matter what the Liberals had done, He actually had met Judy LeMarsh on several occasions, he canvassed for her once. Another thing Der and I use to like doing was going up to Crystal beach and walking around the grounds it was fun seeing everyone having so much fun. Derwyn and I were married in 1987 and lasted 27 years until he passed away meeting Derwyn was the best thing that ever happened to me, we met in July he was a coffee date engaged in October and we had a small wedding in December, we never went on a honeymoon we had a small reception at one of the huge hotels in the Falls and spent our first night together in one of the hotel rooms eating grilled cheese, we put a down payment on a Semi instead of spending money going away, it was what we both wanted instead,now Derwyn had moved from Welland to live with me in the Falls, Derwyns son had moved to Toronto around the same time, and Belinda still live home with Derwyns 1st wife, so Der and I use to go back and forth pick her up in Welland to bring her to the Falls, she use to visit with us for a couple of hours then we take her back to Welland and come back home to the Falls so actually it was a 4time trip twice to Welland and Twice to the Falls.Der use to enjoy having the weekends off from the plant we'd go shopping on Saturdays and visiting family on Sundays. Derwyn lived with me until the day he passed on God saw him struggling and took it out of my hands,God didn't want him suffering any more neither did I it was hard to see him in so much pain and not being able to even walk we had been to so many doctors for help. Derwyn's quality of life was bad at this time, we took one day at a time.,

. Derwyn truly struggled for the last year of his life he had a hard time standing and his demenia had advanced by this time he couldn't concentrate on tv. any more he'd watch it but the program just wouldn't register I had to explain so much of it to him then 2 minutes later he'd ask me to explain it again. Derwyn and I use to watch t.v. in our familyroom which was down stairs my Sister and Kristie Tom and Mollie had got us a 50 inch tv. For our 25 th year anniversary but Derwyn was so use to watching his little set in the bedroom that I'd have to beg him to go down into the familyroom to watch the big set, he would come down but after an hour he'd wander back upstairs to his room and put the little set back on, he was always more comfortable in his own room, so to get him to stay downstairs with me I use to put on home videos of the family Mom and Dad and my sister Debbie and my nieces and most important Derwyn and me he enjoyed seeing happy memories of past events,I think it was his demenia and not being able to walk that Der considered that the bedroom and the kitchen as his safe rooms. Der also use to like sitting in the kitchen starring out the front room window to watch everyone outside walking by he could sit there for hours on end just watching people because it would be to cold for him to go out, oh how he loved the outdoors,.During the last couple of years neighbours would come over to talk when we were outside and even though Derwyn knew who the neighbour was it wouldn't register in his mind, he would always put his hand out and re introduce himself, they knew his memory was failing him. When I met Derwyn he had been divorced from his 1st wife,for 3 years, after his divorce he moved in with his Mother she was old and living alone and helped take care of her until she passed away then they sold the house and he moved to an apartment on Lancaster street in Welland right across the street from the Seaway Mall which he use to walk over to every night to have supper. Being a man and not liking to cook if you opened Ders cupboards you'd find boxes of flaky pastries and cans of corn beef the fridge always had cheese in it oh my how that man loved his cheese, until the day he passed he loved cheese sandwiches. Derwyn and I set up a coffee date at the Double N restaurant,for our first date, I arrived before him then when he came all the waitress's use to smile because he had told everyone in the restaurant he was going to meet his wife that day I didn't know any thing about their little scheme but he was right we did end up together. Derwyn was up in his weight he weighed around 230lbs and I was down in mine I was tiny but when he passed he was around 150lbs due to age and all his health problems Derwyn usually had a huge appetite,,Der always ate his 3 meals a day and never went without a hot cooked home made supper he worked hard he deserved a home cooked supper there was no popping it in the micro wave,he always enjoyed my cooking especially my roasts, but for some reason he didn't like fruit or to many vegetables he never liked healthy foods but one of his favorite was liver and onions with mashed potatoes he loved it, that man could eat it every night if I let him, he also loved scalloped potatoes. when we first got married I loved making pierogi and cabbage rolls I could get him to eat the cabbage rolls but he would not eat pierogi for many many years and all they were was mashed potatoes the kids finally got him into eating them with lots of sour cream and then until the time he left us that got to be one of his favorite meals.Derwyn did no cooking he wasn't interested in it. So , for his work lunch I'd usually pack him 3 good size sandwiches, 2-3 muffins home made muffins or 2cupcakes and some cookies and a juice,his lunches were always big, I was big on baking back then I wanted to make sure he had enough for his lunch and coffee breaks all the guys use to tease him about the size of his lunches but be never gave any away and he never brought any thing home with him, about every 3 months we had to buy a new coffee machine for work he use to put his pot on first thing in the morning when he got to work which was 5:30a.m. Derwyns shift was actually 6-2 but he always liked getting there early to get changed and get the coffee on, and he'd leave it on all day all his buddies at work use to go visit him and get a cup of coffee, they'd throw a quarter in a spare cup he had on hand to help pay for all the coffee he brought into work we use to laugh about it, in his younger days he was in the Masons and so proud he was, he also worked with the auxiliary police in his younger years, he was very close to his brothers and sisters, enjoyed hanging out with them, Derwyn was playing with his brother Jack outside once and they were only little at the time but Jack picked up an axe one time and playfully starting swinging it, and guess what happened he accidentally hit Derwyn in the head with it, well everyone laughs to this day about it because Derwyn always tells people his brother tried to kill him . They were just playing around.

he use to enjoy going to work liked to be around the guys because there was a lot of laughter and the guys liked to play pranks on each other when they had a break. No matter what the weather was like he always made it into work, he enjoyed the guys he worked with was always telling me different stories about them it sounded like they all got along good, some of these men were a lot younger than Der I think they looked up to him as a father or uncle figure.

Work use to get into all kind of pranks even when they weren't on break I remember one story that use to go around toilet paper, if they weren't throwing rolls at each other they would go in and wrap toilet paper around the machines so it would make it harder for the guy to work on his machine without taking off all the toilet paper first, what a mess they would cause. Derwyn had a few great friends at the plant there were a couple at his funeral one fellow stands out to me was Kenny Leblanc Kenny and Der got real close Kenny like Der was into cars so he'd tell us were to go when we were looking for a newer vechile , Kenny had this piece of property on the other side of Welland full of pine trees at the time we were looking for some extra trees for our back yard, he told Der were it was and Der and myself went out there and dug up 3 ever green trees that still thrive in our backyard, Derwyn was kind enough to plant them for me. Back in those days we had a Mercury Sable station wagon oh how he loved that car it was white in colour and it started getting rust on it, well I couldn't have that happen and not having the money at the time to repair it I would get out there with a can of rustloeum white paint and paint the spots that were rusting out, and when Der would go to work the next day Kenny would go over visit with Der and say I see Carols been at it again with the paint hey it looked better than the stupid rust did, and being a white car rust really stood out on it, another close friend was Mark Edwards from work and Stan , who they always called Tony Vern actually when Derwyn retired Vern use to stop in quite a few time and have a cup of coffee with Der it was so good to see them talking about work Derwyn use to work all the over time he could at the plant to help ends meet here at home never complained about working the over time and he use to go in for 5:30am. That's a heck of a shift, I'd get up with him make sure he had his coffee and toast then back to bed I'd go but if it was snowing that morning I would wait for half an hour and then I'd phone the plant always got security to make sure he made the trip safely. Derwyn did have problems with cars and their windows I had a Escort back in the days and he had an Oldsmobile on the week ends Saturday he'd go out and wash both cars and with the Escort there were 2 different times after washing and polishing the Escort he'd slam the passenger door and the entire window shattered, it happened once and then about 6 months later it happened again me and the neighbors couldn't believe it. There was a day that his car needed repair work done on it so he took the Escort to work I had an appointment with the garage to have his car fixed that day , he was fine until he got to Welland then the entire rear hatchback window shattered on him what a mess, he turned the car around and came home and was afraid to tell me like this was the 3rd window that shattered on him, so we had 2 cars out of commission that day, I truly don't think he realized how hard he was shutting the doors oh well they all got fixed. There were many times Derwyn had to walk the picket line when the plant was thinking about closing, brought a thermos of coffee and sandwiches and he was gone, it wasn't long after Derwyn retired the plant did close it was so sad for so many families because it had existed like forever, thank goodness Der had retired by then he retired with full benefits which were later taken away due to the plant closing even his pension took a deduction . Derwyn never use to say any thing bad about the guys at work except his supervisor Bob when he'd get home it was Bob this and Bob that I guess this man drank quite a bit even on his lunch breaks and went and took it out on the guys , the guys were always talking about him, the guys really didn't like Bob to much , When Derwyn wasn't in work clothes he was always a sharp dresser, he loved his clothes, sometimes he would change 3 times a day, and from the day I married Derwyn and for 26 long happy years I cut that mans hair , after I married Der he never ever went to the barber believe me there were times I wished he would of gone just to give me a rest but every 3 rd month he'd get a hair cut by me that's 4 times a year for 26years we saved..

My son Jeff and I were a little concerned that when Derwyn retired he'd wouldn't be motivated to do much he had worked so long all he wanted to do was retire, and he did lose interest in a lot of things.Derwyn just wasn't self motivated he would do any thing I'd ask of him but I usually had to ask, Derwyn use to enjoy playing cards but was a sore loser, he loved dancing but we never went much. Derwyn had 2 children from a previous marriage which he adored Belinda and Jeff, and a grandson James who was only 6 when he passed away but they lived in different towns so he really didn't see them much but they'd always phone him to check in on him, he use to enjoy those phone calls so much, Im just so sorry he didn't see James more, but that just didn't happen, It would of brought so much more happiness into his life . Derywn and I use to love going to church he like the sermon and I liked it all I loved the singing we attended church on a regular bases, until he started having trouble walking do to his dropped foot which was caused by the spine in his back they wouldn't operate so Derwyn and I kept our faith going at home we prayed together every night. Derwyn and I always slept together for mostly all the years that we were married I loved cuddling which he didn't,but In the past 5 years before he passed we had to sleep in different rooms because Derwyn badder wasn't. Working right then we discovered he was Incontinence so then he'd be in one room and me in the next room but we still prayed at home together every night, not to many people knew that, . . Derwyn and I use to love gospel music, and our favorite group were called the Torchmen whatever church or auditorium they were playing at we use to drive to hear them sing, wether it be Welland, St.Catharines Jordon, we just felt so filled when we heard gospel music I still do. He loved cars could tell you every make and model, didn't know how to repair he never worked on them always took them into the garage he loved going to the garage just to talk to the guys, he just loved people and being around them, Derwyn always bought a new car when they came out, I remember one weekend when he wasn't working he was outside washing his car and I'm not sure what he used but he completely stripped the car of its shine to the extent it had huge marks on it the car was a total mess, he was heart broken, so we had to get it repainted that was his birthday gift that year from his father in law and mother in law he was so excited when he saw it because it was a total surprise for him, and he had messed it up so bad he actually stripped the paint off of it. I remember another time the family was coming for supper at our house and Derwyn had a full can of white paint in his hands and of course the lid was loose well didn't he drop that can of paint all over him and the driveway thank God it was outside we had to rush to get every thing cleaned up before everyone came we did no one knew. When we bought our little house he'd be with me I'd usually did most of the painting but he was so good about cleaning every thing up for me and I truly think I got off easy the clean up is harder. His mom and dad were dedicated church goers so basically his one sister Jane and her husband Howard pretty much raised him. Howard use to be a baker ,so when Der was young Howard use to take Derwyn to the bakery with him and even get Der involved in making the bread and goodies they were going to sell.Derwyn thought it was great fun and in the mean time he could fill up on the goodies from the bakery pastries. Howard brother in law and sister Jane always took care of Der, he was very very close to them, Howard passed on before I had the pleasure of meeting him but after Der and I were married we use to drive to Welland every Sunday and either visit with his sister Jane or his brother Jack and sister in law Faye, that would be in the afternoon, then we'd come back to the Falls and go over and visit with my Mom and Dad it was always nice visiting with family, if we weren't in Welland visiting we'd go to my Mom and Dads who lived in Niagara Falls and have a visit with then, we'd go shopping Saturdays next day we'd visit with family and friends usually family it was a good thing. after we got married . I use to cut Derwyns hair for him in all the years we were married he only went to the barber once, I actually did a better job for some reason, and he'd enjoy the pampering. Derwyn was always thanking people for whatever they did.

He could be a real prankster on Halloween he'd love to soap windows and him and a few buddies turned over a car once, Thinking back the day I first met him I thought what a kind gentle face he had, at that time he was around 50 and I was 43 it would be Ders 2nd marriage and my first, Derwyn was a man that would give someone the shirt off his back to he had a heart of gold.,he was very much a people person half the time he couldn't remember their name but always remembered their face, we use to fo shopping in Welland all the time and he use to see at least 5 or 6 people at the mall he'd stop and talk to them all I would just keep shopping. He loved sports especially hockey his favorite team was Toronto Maple Leafs, even though they lost a lot he wouldn't switch teams. Derwyn had so much Toronto maple leaf stuff at home hats,jacket,slippers,gloves, blankets, pants, he even had maple leaf sheets for his bed whenever there was an occasion to buy him some thing it use to be maple leaf stuff. A few friends there was Scott a neighbour Rob another neighbour and our friend Tash who asked him on several occasions through the years to go see the professional play at different games wether it be Buffalo or Toronto he use to get excited but wouldn't go, I wanted him to go so bad I thought being out with the guys would of been so good for him but he wouldn't go any were without me. Derwyn and I both have a friend called Tash who's been like a son to both of us now Tash was a Canadian Montreal hockey fan, there were many many times these 2 men Derwyn and Tash would have fun over which team was going to win the game sorry to say Tash's team usually did the maple leafs were terrible back then, he also loved Wrestling hulk hogan and macho man we couldn't get him away from the tv. When wrestling was on, Derwyn use to love driving and going on long car rides he would say my Dad use to say were out visiting Gods green country, when Ders dad God rest his soul use to see guys out golfing he say to Derwyn look at those silly men chasing their balls. Derwyn and I didn't go on many vacations but in 1988 we went to Florida with my sister and 2 nieces Kristie and Mollie we drove all the way actually he did most of the driving I only did a little and my sister couldn't reach the gas petal I remember how excited he was when we got there he rolled up his pant legs and was walking in the ocean saying over and over again I can't believe I'm walking in the Atlantic Ocean we all just laughed it was a good trip. Another trip we took was with a Christian gospel group called the Torchmen that trip took us to North Carolina were we listened to gospel music, that trip wasn't as much fun because I was sick all the way there and home it was a bus trip, I was eating dry toast and weak tea,wasn't as Nice as Disney world had been. Derwyn and I use to like going to the carnivals when they were in town we'd just walk around the grounds and see a lot of people we knew and always bought 4 hamburgers with fried onions we'd drop off 2 for my parents oh how they enjoyed those hamburgers and so did we they were delicious. Derwyn loved being outside cutting the lawn. Or shovelling the snow actually one time he was outside was going to cut the backyard grass started up the lawn mower and for some reason it was racing the lawn mower so not watching what he was doing he put his fingers under the lawn mower while it was running bad bad idea the lawn mower chopped off his 2 finger tips I had to rush him into the hospital we waited for around 5 hours then after the dr. saw him we were sent home with his hand wrapped and arm in a sling we had to return the next morning to have finger tips operated on poor man suffered all night from the pain, Derwyn always cut the grass or shovelled snow until he couldn't do it any more he had a dropped foot so needed a walker or a cane, I had gone out and got him a brace for his foot that would fit into his shoe to help keep his foot up but he hated wearing it, so after 8 months or so he wouldn't wear it, after he retired from the Atlas his health started to go downhill, he needed a hip replacement, when he was 65 and was told the other hip was starting to wear out too, but he never had the other hip operated on, which he should of been in the hospital for a week, poor guy was in for 6 weeks he was so confused from the antestic they thought he had alzeimers but later confirmed post op delirium ,while he was in for the hip surgery they discovered a small blood clot in his leg the heart specialist came in and saw him and he was confined to bed rest for 2 days and not to walk on his legs, I had been at the hospital for 6 hours that day so I told the nurse I was leaving for a couple of hours which I did but when I returned to the hospital the nurses were so upset with him because of his confusion he just wouldn't listen to them, he kept getting out of bed. He wouldn't listen to them or me so I phoned his older sister Jane who he adored God bless her she was up in her age to by now but she came to the hospital and talked to him and he finally listened and stayed in his bed, but he always listened to her, he was in for 6 weeks the Geratric dr. Dr, Cowan said he had alzeimers but I knew he was just confused they did all sorts of mini mind tests on him like drawing a clock using the phone etc. I think there was around 12 or more questions they asked him and he passed they all, but the dr. Was quite mean and sent a form into the government cancelling his drivers licence, I finally persuaded them to release him from the hospital I thought he was just so confused because of being in the hospital so they did with a 2 week follow up appointment. Well he came home and was back to him self within a day or 2, in the mean time while he was recuperating at home we received a letter from the licence bureau saying his drivers licence had been suspended I was furious at this point the stupid dr. Didn't tell us he was doing that. After the 2 weeks had passed and we went back to the dr. for the follow up visit they were all amazed at how much better he was, I asked them to get his drivers licence back for him, they said no he could go to Hamilton Ontario and re write the test by this time I'm furious so we go to our ever faithful GP who is Dr. Donell and he referred Derwyn to another Geriatric dr. and this dr. Got Ders licence back for him. It's funny this dr. Sorfranos was there when he first started showing signs of Demenia and he was the last one to take care of Der. Next thing that started to go was his hearing because of the noise in the plant were he had worked so he wore 2 hearing aids couldn't hear a thing without them, he had retired by this time and use to enjoy being outside I'd be in the house doing something after I finished I'd go looking for him at this time he could still walk a lot of times I wouldn't be able to find him, I'd run in the house phone the neighbours no one saw him, I'd jump in the car and go looking for him some times I'd find him a couple of blocks away which was a relief but every once in awhile I couldn't find him so I'd start panicking because I knew he had demenia then the phone would ring and the guys from A&F computers would say he's up here Carol well drive him home and we'd all start laughing then Tash or Tony use to bring him home. He use to get bored at home so go for a walk up to see the guys but he'd forget to tell me he was going. Now this would of been totally okay but the road he walked on was one of the main roads here in the Falls Kalar rd. with no sidewalk so he'd just walk to the side of the road and it was about 11/2 miles to the store, I use to just be glad he was safe. There was one time I use to be a big big baker at Christmas time I'd usually make 10 to 12 different squares and all kinds of cookies and many many different types of loaves like banana, zucchini, carrot cake Derwyn use to love this time of year because he was always my taster , Derwyn was always excited when I baked and the I use to bake bread back in those days he would sit down with a warm loaf of bread and the butter and eat over half a loaf I would be making a second loaf the next day at one time he loved to eat until he got older, I remember one year at Christmas time Derwyn putting on a Santa outfit beard and all and he'd go up and down the street handing out candy canes to everyone he saw or he'd go up to the house knock on the door and then give out candy canes he wouldn't talk much because he didn't want them to know who it was, but there was always a ho oh oh and a candy cane in his hand for everyone wether they were a child or an adult he loved doing it he did it for 3 years he loved the holidays so much he was like a big kid at Christmastime. ,I'd have the big Christmas tree downstairs and use to wrap the gifts and put them under the tree, every once in awhile when he didn't think I saw him he'd be under the tree seeing how many were for him, he loved presents.

,. I my self have always loved computers but Der didn't but our friend Tash brought Der his own computer and set it up for him, he would go on it and would play the slot machines for hours, he loved playing games on it, it was a great pass time for him.Der use to love to go to the Casino he enjoyed the slot machines there to we went quit a bit before he go so sick then he couldn't any more, but I had to watch him on those because he'd be on the $1.00 or $5.00 machines we were suppose to play the 25 cent machines. The next problem with his health was he started dragging his foot he couldn't lift it so after yet another dr. And more ex rays they discover he had a dropped foot, poor guy could not raise his foot so he had to wear a brace doctors refused to operate it was caused by his spine in his back, they refused to operate because his health was so poor and to sedate him for a operation would just confuse him more,his Demenia was all ready bad enough,after this happened he couldn't go to the casino any more even going out with me for groceries use to be hard on him.even visiting got hard for him without the walker, people had to start coming to our house rather than us always going to theirs, this is when we could see a big change in him he couldn't walk without his cane or walker ,at home he'd use a cane or he'd house walk which is wall to wall he had a way of keeping safe at home but outside or if we went to visit he always had his walker with him there use to be one right at the back door he could grab onto when he went outside, last year I put an alarm on the back door and the front door so he couldn't sneak out on me I was so afraid he'd fall outside, and no one would see him, he was always sneaking out. I had to control his medication or he would get carried away taking pills, Derwyn always thought if one pill helped 2 or 3 might even help more, had to watch him here.

,I actually had 3 walkers in the house and around 5 canes, but he always had his favourite cane. Derwyn had a bad cataract in one eye and good vision in the other, but they wouldn't remove the cataract because of his health but he saw pretty well out of his good eye thank God for. Derwyns arthritis was getting worse affecting most of his body, then they discovered a abdominal aneurysm that was appr. Around 2008 which was operated on immediately, it was huge we had to go back to Hamilton to have his anerysum checked every year for 4 years, the day we had to go our very dear friend of both of ours Tash took us to Hamilton and stayed with us until the operation was over with Derwyn wanted to come home that night but Tash who use to call him Big D for some reason he said No big D you have to stay for the night, Derwyn was always frightened when I wasn't with him because of his memory,. Belinda and John her husband came to Hamilton the day of the operation, When he was in recovery I went into see him he was pretty dopy from the sedation I told him his daughter Belinda and John were here just out side the door and made the trip down from Welland to see see her Dad but he only wanted me to be there I actually had to beg him to let her come into the recovery room to see him and he listened to me for a change but the visit was short and sweet I feIt fe so sorry for them making the trip for nothing I'm telling that man could be stubborn if he set his mind to it.Tash took us back and forth to Hamilton a few times and then my niece Mollie started taking us back and forth because I was afraid I would miss the turn and would get off at the wrong turn, I am so thankful to Mollie and Tash for doing it to help us out like that they both loved Der, Derwyn enjoyed long car rides going on picnics and being out doors, he was an avid drinker of coffee and he loved his cans of pop and enjoyed his sweets, Derwyn would drink 5-6 cups of coffee a day if I let him but once he retired and got sick he was cut down to around 4 that I knew of but the guy use to slip the odd one from me not knowing, I usually was 2 cups a day, he's looking down from heaven now at me telling me to stop drinking so much coffee because since he passed away now I'm up to 4 or 5 a day which is really to much, now I know why he'd loved his coffee so much. We had a birthday party for Der one year I told everyone to bring chocolate bars, he got over 60 chocolate bars,I had to take them and hide them he just kept eating them, he was allowed 3 a day, I could put a bag of cookies in front of him and he'd keep eating them until the bag was empty, and doughnuts oh boy I'd go out get a box of Tim Hortons and he'd eat at least 8 of them in one day I'd usually have 2 and he'd eat the last 2 the following day, I was jealous of this because he would never put on weight lucky man,, Derwyn was diagnosed with alzeimers at the age of 66 but there were very few signs pointing to it he had seen 3 Geratric doctors at different occasions actually Derwyn had seen over 10 Drs.most specialists In a 12 year time trying to get him help with all his health issues,but it was the last couple of years his health took a turn for the worse, taking him out for a car ride got to be difficult I had trouble getting him in and out of vehicles but he loved being in the car so much, Derwyn was adored by all his nieces and nephews they use to all play together when they were young because there wasn't that much of a age difference or maybe he was just a big kid that never wanted to grow up. My side of the family always loved Derwyn so much my Mom and Dad especially my Mom she use to always make a big fuss over him, until Mom and Dad passed away. My sister and her girls Kristie and Mollie our 2 nieces never ever forgot to get him a gift or card on his Birthday or Father's Day Christmas Easter whatever holiday it was he'd usually get one from my sister too they were always there for Der. With love and support, My mom and dad were up in their age so my sister and I were caregiver to both of them as well as I was to Derwyn I use to make an extra big supper for all of them, Derwyn use to take meals over to them and give Mom a hug and say Carol sent this over, he'd come home then would sit down and enjoy his own meal, then would do the dishes for me, he'd tell me you cooked the meal and I'll clean up he was always good that way to me even though we have a dish washer for some reason I don't use it much. Whenever we had a family supper like Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas they started being at my sisters or my nieces Derwyn always came with me it wouldn't be Thanksgiving if he wasn't with us but since he couldn't walk it use to take 2 or 3 of us to get him out of the car and into the house, the last one we were at the table all together was Christmas 2013, Der loved receiving gifts at Christmas or birthday parties he would scoop them up and put them away before everyone saw them almost like he was thinking their mine and no ones going to take them from me I don't think he got many as a child, when no one knew what to get him at Christmas time a sure hit was those big tins of cookies or chocolates he'd open up a tin of cookies and they'd be gone the next day same for a box of chocolates sweets just didn't last in our house, When Christmas or my birthday use to come around he would never know what to get me it was hard I knew he'd buy me any thing I could ever want that was the big heart he had, so we'd go out looking in the stores and if I'd see something I'd point it out to him and he'd get it for me, he never hardly surprised me because I usually picked out the gift twd the end Id end up putting it in my shopping cart and paying for it, but he always wrapped it for me, worst wrapper ever but he tried, then he use to be so excited to give it to me at Christmas thinking I'd forget what we bought so cute and Id go right along with him I didn't want to hurt his feelings it was Christmas. The 1st Christmas we had just got married in December and put a down payment on our small house and he went out and bought me $6,000. Worth of jewelry, we couldn't afford that it was all on his visa bill, so I kept a couple of little things a watch and a pair of earrings and took the rest back to the jewellers had his visa re credited and he never knew.During the last 5 years of Ders life this was when he couldn't walk any more without his walker so he was unable to really go shopping but every. Christmas or birthday he would ask me what he could get me for my birthday or Christmas, he couldn't go out and shop but was always thinking of me so a couple of times I'd go out and get a bottle of perfume or something small and bring it to my sisters, she'd phone Der and ask him if he wanted to get me some perfume that she'd pick it up for him, he was always so happy he had gotten me something he was always good to me and I loved him for what a special man he was. When we first got married and for many many years I have get togethers at the house for Christmas, Easters or Birthdays for family I use to love making a big meal and do all the cooking for everyone Derwyn enjoyed the get togethers so much he really looked fwd. to having family over and I wouldn't let anyone help me with the clean up afterwards we'd eat visit and when everyone had gone home Derwyn use to help me in the kitchen do the dishes and clean up, no matter how late it be he was always beside me helping out I did this up until the last 5 years of his life because he was having so many health issues I had to stop I didn't have the energy that's when my sister took over and we've been going to her house for special occasions, the last one we had was Christmas of 2013. I.remember making an upside down pineapple cake once and the middle hadn't completely baked but you could eat around it, gave Der a piece he loved it he went down into the kitchen and ate it all before I told him I was unhappy with it he was okay, he loved his coffee and cereal in the morning, but started eating his cereal dry, but he was enjoying it, I remember one time buying a 2lb bag of brown sugar which I use to put on his cereal for him, well one day I forgot to put the bag back in the cupboard it was a full bag I accidentally left it on the kitchen counter then when I went to look for it couldn't find it. I therefore asked Derwyn if he saw the full bag of sugar he said yea it was good, to my amazement he had taken a soup spoon and ate the whole bag with all the sweets he loved it's lucky he wasn't a diabetic. Another episode with Derwyn was one day I discovered we had no dry cereal for his breakfast the next morning, so I decided I would make him porriage when I got up, so the night before I went to bed I put an empty pot on the stove with a 2 cup measuring cup filled with porriage next to it so I'd remember in the morning it was a reminder for me, well he beat me up that morning he was such an early riser like 5:30 but when I went into the kitchen to make the porriage it was gone, so when I asked him about it he gently told me that he had ate it, he had dated it without being cooked and he didn't even put milk on it, you never knew what that man would eat God Bless him. Derwyn always loved Christmas the house had so many lights on it with the Christmas trees up and all the decorations he use to always look under the tree to see how many gifts had his name on them when I wasn't looking he loved surprises especially at this time of year. I use to put up so many Christmas decorations even the bathroom would have decorations in it, then in the later years of his life I started decorating his bedroom for him he'd always have a small tree in there and a couple lite snowman which he loved because he spent so much time in his room watching tv. as he was having trouble walking the rest of the house had lots of decorations to so wherever he was he had them to put him in the Christmas spirit, it was a good thing.

, Every year on his birthday Easter,Fathers day Anniversaries valentines day what ever the occasion I always got him a card and present because he loved gifts so much. Toward Ders later years the only enjoyment he got was sitting outside watching the neighbours and hoping they would find the time to stop and talk with him which they often did. We had a neighbour next door Christina who heard how much he loved coffee and she was kind enough to go out just to get him a Tim Horton coffee which was so kind of her,and when ever she saw him outside she was kind enough to come over and talk to him not just get upset because he didn't have much to say God bless her she would make the conversation flow Chris was very kind and sympathetic towards him, they moved just before he passed and I thank God she gave him that little bit of attention he was looking for we have another neighbour who use to see him sitting on the patio and would often come over and visit with him, it was difficult for them to have much of a conversation because of his Demenia but they tried. Derwyn always enjoyed having company come and visit, Derwyns nieces and nephews Sharon, Janie and Rickie use to come up every couple of months to visit with us and brought him his Tim Hortons coffee, he use to enjoy their visits, his Sister Jane had passed on and these were her children I was so thankful they were there for him, My sister Debbie was another one who brought him doughnuts and coffee , Debbie was good to him, I'm telling you this man loved his coffee but I had to limit him towards the end because coffee was causing all kinds of problems for him it was the caffeine, he started having accidents if he got to much caffeine, we had been married a couple of years we decided to get a small dog we got a cacapoo which grew to be around 40 lbs. she wasn't small but wasn't to big either,we named her Cindy that little dog was so close to Der but when he got upset with her he'd send her to the basement which she wasn't fond of, I remember one day that little dog had Derwyn and me pinned down the basement for some reason we were both down there and she started barking and snarling at us for no reason, we got passed her and up the stairs but we were both afraid we were going to get bitten but we didn't. Then when she died I cremated her and she is now in heaven with Derwyn and our one cat Stevie their all together waiting for me. Derwyn was always afraid to be without me in the last 2 years which kind of made it difficult for me to go out for groceries or any thing else so I'd leave him for an hour he'd watch tv. Until I got home from errands, and when I was out I would be praying I wouldn't find him on the floor when I got home there were he would listen and sit and watch tv. Like his demenia was pretty bad at this stage in his life, he loved being outside there were a couple of times not many I'd come home with the groceries and find him sitting outside which was a big no no because he could not stand on his legs without his walker, I was always so afraid he'd fall on the concrete and no one would be around to help him, so I came up with a little scare tactic I told him if the neighbours saw him outside with no walker they would phone the police that was the only way he'd listen at this stage in his life, at least it kept him inside for an hour were he was safe, I installed hand rails on both sides of the stairs both sides of the wall going upstairs into the bedroom they were so handy,there a few times he would fall and the neighbours would come over to help me get him up but he never hurt himself thank goodness,our neighbours were always there. Derwyn would walk up and down the driveway with his walker trying to strengthen his legs which helped him a lot with his mobilization. In the winter months he would walk around the family room with his walker to strengthen legs his legs were so weak, this was quite challenging at times he didn't mind using his walker out side but inside was a whole different story I use to have to phone friends and family and have them phone him to encourage him to use his walker and he'd listen to them, thank God they were there for me because he could be stubborn when he set his mind to it he had Demenia and would forget what was good for him. I use to tease him about his legs all the time he had little chicken legs with no hair on them they were so thin and his body big, but like I use to tell him I wish the heck I had his legs that was every woman's dream tiny legs and not have to shave them.Derwyn use to love his sandwiches but when he'd make them it would be the simple way piece of meat, 2 pieces of bread and usually ketchup he would never butter the bread or put anything else on it he was a simple man I'd be just the opposite bread butter meat lettuce and tomato but not Der as long as he was happy that's all that really mattered one of his favorite sandwiches was cheese as long as there was cheese in the house he'd be happy, actually one of his nieces brought him up a package of cheese for his birthday one year it made him laugh, I had been told by the doctors and a couple of neighbours that it was time to put Derwyn in a nursing home but I just couldn't do it because it would of broken his heart, it was a struggle but we got through it. Derwyn was funny he always wanted a cup of coffee every night but I never let him have one he had enough problems with sleeping. n the last year of Ders life he use to go to bed around 8 o clock and would be yelling for his sleeping pill but he had to wait until at least 9 because if he took it earlier he'd be up all night, then he started going to bed at 6 this was to early but he use to sleep until 6 in the morning, I had to put a bed rail on the bed because I was always scared he'd roll off, which had happened, I don't know what his body was made of but God bless him he never hurt himself and never bruised.We had new neighbours move in beside us in 2012 Leo and Chris it was the 2nd month they were living there and Derwyn was sitting in the kitchen having another cup of coffee and a sandwich, he got up used his walker to go through our small living room then put it aside he just had about 10 feet to walk until he got to the railings on the stairs and he was going to use the dining room table to help guide him, well he started to walk which was so hard for him and he took a fall right beside the table I tried everything to get him up which I couldn't on my own because he was dead weight so I ran next door and Leo and Chris were kind enough to come over and it took both of them to get him up and into the bedroom but they did it I truly saw what great people they were, well once back in his bedroom he couldn't sit on his bed he had no strength he could only lie down, then he couldn't turn on his side he could only lay flat he had no strength to turn over, I knew something was wrong not sure what but something. I phoned my sister who came over to see him she sat down beside him talked to him for awhile he was coherent but weak so we decided to let him get some sleep and see how he'd be the next day, so after she left I bathed him a little on the bed made sure he had new pjs on I even shaved him in bed because I had a feeling he would be admitted that night then I let him fall asleep, sleep would be good for him, he fell asleep that night and didn't wake up until 7 am. When Derwyn woke up the next morning I heard him get up and was starting to walk downstairs he was fine his old self, he never remembered what had happened to him the day before. The next time he saw our dr. I mentioned it to him and was told he probably had another one of those infract strokes, it was very difficult to know when he had one I just never knew because their called silent strokes and that was so true you never know when a person has one. Back in 2011 I did try to get help with Der I called CCAC and they came in and did some paperwork and asked me if I wanted him admitted to a nursing home I couldn't do it then and I would get back to them they also offered to have someone come in and bath him but he didn't want that either so I'd sponge bath him and he'd get a shower every 2nd week which got to be hard because when I showered him I would be as wet as he was, fun times..Derwyn lived at home with me until the end because I was truly afraid if I admitted him to a nursing home that he would completely give up when his sister Jane was alive she always told me that and in my heart I felt that to and I loved him to much for that, it was tough because he couldn't walk without a walker because of a dropped foot, was deaf without his hearing aids had dementia, had an abdominal aneurysm which was operated on , blind in one eye, hyperactive throyid he was on so much medication, heart, blood pressure, medication for his arthritis which was really bad, he was on 8 different medications, then he had trouble with bladder in the later years, Derwyns long term memory was okay it was his short term that was very bad. I had sooo many pictures of family and him and myself in the bedroom because I didn't want him to forget me or family members, I had them scotch taped on his wall all over his room, he started talking to the pictures, I'd go in to tuck him in at night and make sure he was okay and when I'd be walking out of the room I'd give him a kiss and say good night, he use to say to me aren't you going to say good night to them and he'd point to the pictures which use to break my heart because I knew his memory was going, in the last 6 months or so he knew who I was but he thought we had just met not that we had been married for 26 years, then he'd ask me what time the next shift was coming on, Der told Jeff our son one time that I slept on the floor next to his bed he was so confused around this time it truly broke my heart, because I was the only one that took care of him I had no outside help, Everybody was understanding but truly no one really saw how hard it was, there was bedding 3-4 times a week it was tough and any thing he needed I was the one always getting it for him, I had to wash him, pick out his clothes for the day half dress him he'd start dressing himself and I'd usually finished, I made his shave himself with an electric razor because he'd just sit on his bed and do it but during the last few months I started shaving him to he just couldn't do it right, twd so the end he didn't know how to turn the shaver on, but he was home with me safe, around this time he started having accidents,with his Bowles that was really hard for me to help him with but he couldn't do it himself, he was always so embarrassed when it happened but he couldn't help it, we'd get through it. During the past year or so family, friends and neighbour could see him reclining but I wasn't sure until around November of 2013 I saw a drastic change in him, he was going to bed earlier and earlier and then laying down in the afternoon he had no strength didn't want to do anything except go outside and he couldn't do that it was winter, I just felt in my heart that he was slowing down, but he made it through our 26th wedding anniversary which was Dec 5th and he made it through that Christmas it was our last family Christmas together 2013, we had it at my sisters house. During the last 8 months of Ders life he use to try going to bed on his own he could sit on the bed and swing his body onto it but he couldn't get his legs swung over so I'd have to lift his legs onto the bed and make sure he was over far enough that he wouldn't roll off then I'd cover him but he would throw the covers off within 10 minutes then an hour later he'd be screaming I need help or isn't anyone going to cover me, I'd recover him and the same thing would happen again he'd usually do it around 3 times every night until I told him this will be the last time I'll cover you, then he'd stop throwing them off but before i went to bed I'd always check him to make sure he was covered, he also had a habit of calling out I need help but when id check on him he'd be fine he was just so lonely and scared he couldn't understand what was happening to him and neither did I, he just wanted to see someones face, up until the end. Then the week before he passed he was losing his appetite which wasn't Derwyn he always had a hearty appetite, through the years he had so many infract strokes he had one the day I had to admit him, he had taken a fall not a bad one but I had to get a neighbor over to help me get him up got him back on the bed and was hoping he'd rest but he told me he just didn't feel right and Der wasn't a person who said that for no reason he just couldn't stand on his feet he had no strength that's when I phoned for an ambulance he was coherent and talkative but just had no strength and he was admitted ,we were both so scared when he was admitted they found he had mild pneumonia, hyper active throyid and a blood clot in his leg that we had no idea of when he was at home, he had a mild cough at night but nothing to really worry about had no fever or other symptoms and seemed okay through the day he would just cough a bit at night I had actually had our dr. Listen to his lungs a couple of weeks earlier and they were clear, but the dr. Gave me an antibiotic just in case that Derwyn was taking, the 2nd day he was in the hospital he had another infract stroke which made it hard to communicate with he could hear us but couldn't talk or swallow,he passed 2 days later.so he went in on a Saturday around noon and left us on a Tuesday, at 6:50 pm he was in emergency until Tuesday night around 6:30pm. They transferred him to ICU which me and family thought now he's going to get better he'll be even monitored better at 6:50 I was speaking on the phone with our son who lived in Toronto at the time telling him he should come home Dad wasn't doing well then I put the nurse on the phone to speak to him and when I heard the nurse say he was on 100percent oxygen and the blood clot had just burst I ran to his bed crawled in beside him and just kept kissing him and talking to him until the nurse told me he had passed , then I truly lost it, he couldn't be gone he was in ICU he just got in the room , I'm so thankful my Sister Debbie and our friend Tash were there with. me when he passed, we were all crying, but my sweet sweet husband had gone he was out of pain. in my heart I always thought a stroke would take Der but in the end it was the blood clot. Derwyn had been diagnosed with Allzeimers in his earlier years until 2013, he went to see Dr. Sorfranos Geriatric who looked at Derwyns ultra sound of his brain and he said that he had had 7 infract strokes up to year 2007 and he was sure Derwyn had had more since and diagnosed him with Advanced Vascular Dementia which is very similar to Alzeimers. I'm just so thankful we had 26 wonderful years together the last year and a half was very hard for me but I still had my Derwyn at home with me, he was warm safe and eating good I truly believe if I had put him in a nursing home he would of totally given up feeling no one loved or cared about him Derwyn was a very caring gentle natured man who never had any thing bad to say about anyone that was one thing I admired and loved about him, he will be truly missed by all that loved him .rest in peace my precious one I'll always love you and thank you for giving me 26 happy wonderful years I'm so glad I met you and your love was so strong, I hope and pray I'll see you again someday, please save a place for me next to you, my life stopped the day you left me, and life will never be the same for me, I know life goes on but it's so lonely without you in it. Rest in peace my sweet man, I hope I see you again and well be together forever.

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THOMAS, Derwyn Trevor Owen,

It is with great sadness that we announce Derwyn’s sudden, but peaceful passing on February 18th, 2014 at the Greater Niagara General Hospital in his 78th year. Beloved and devoted husband of 26 years to his soul-mate, Carol (nee Savriga). Father of Jeffery Thomas of Toronto and Belinda Gingras of Welland. Grandfather of James Gingras. Brother-in-law of Faye and Ida Thomas, and Deborah Stovell. Proud uncle of many nieces and nephews, and a loyal friend to extended family. Predeceased by his parents Dave and Mary Thomas of Welland, and siblings David Thomas, Phyllis Luchyshyn (Myron), Jack Thomas, and Jane Doan (Howard). Born and raised in Welland, Derwyn was a loyal and dedicated employee of Atlas Steel for 46 years. No matter how bad the snow was, he made it into work. He was a full time member of the Masonic Lodge and an affiliate of the auxiliary police. In his earlier years Derwyn enjoyed playing baseball with his nieces and nephews. He was a great fan of wrestling and his Toronto Maple Leafs. On nice days you could always find him outside chatting with his many neighbours. Derwyn was a man who had a kind and caring disposition and got along with everyone. He will be greatly missed and always remembered. In keeping with Derwyn’s wishes, cremation has taken place.

The family will receive visitors at HETHERINGTON AND DEANS FUNERAL CHAPEL, 5176 Victoria Avenue, Niagara Falls on Tuesday February 25th from 1:00-2:30pm.

A Memorial Service will be held in the Chapel at 2:30pm and inurnment to follow at Fairview Cemetery.

Memorial donations to the Alzheimer Association would be appreciated.

Online tributes and condolences may be made at www.hetheringtonanddeans.com