Lloyd Benjamin Hotchkiss Sr.

Lloyd Benjamin Morris Hotchkiss Sr. was known as many things to many people. He was a loved one, a friend, and someone special. To family and friends who knew him best, Lloyd will be remembered as a very exceptional person. He will always be remembered for his sense of humour. He loved to make jokes and always had a funny story to tell. You could always count on his one-liners. He could make everyone feel better, when at a low moment, with his wisdom and his sense of humour. He loved life and enjoyed it to the fullest. Even after his sudden and unexpected passing, we could all feel his presence and his strength to help us get through the toughest days of our lives.

Lloyd was born on April 25, 1940 at home with the help of a midwife in Thessalon, Ontario. He was the son of Tom and Alice Hotchkiss. Lloyd grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

Lloyd was raised with six siblings. Evelyn (Gordon), Joan (Andy), John (deceased) (Ann), Sheila (Bill), Lynn, and Terri (Steve). Lloyd was usually involved in all sorts of activities with his siblings. He and his siblings experienced rivalries typical of a growing family, but they shared many life experiences over the years.

As a young boy, Lloyd had a number of interests. Like most children, he enjoyed playing and making up games. He was curious about the world around him and was often eager to explore it. Lloyd was an active child who took part in track and field, basketball, and hockey. In his spare time he liked to read comic books. Lloyd attended Edith Cavell Elementary School. To Lloyd, however, the most fun to be had was simply playing and spending time with his friends.

A typical teenager, Lloyd had a fairly happy high school experience, making that critical transition from adolescence to adulthood. He attended Sault Collegiate and Western Christian College. He graduated from Western Christian College in 1959. Lloyd enjoyed some classes more than others, having favourite subjects and teachers. His favourite classes in high school were English and math. The teacher he enjoyed learning from the most was Miss Torkelson. He was a very good athlete and also liked to act up sometimes to make everyone laugh; he loved an audience.

Lloyd enjoyed his college years at Abilene Christian College in Texas where his favourite subjects were history and math. He was the class president at Abilene. He did not graduate with a full degree because he was offered a teaching position at a little country school near Cornwall, ON. It was a one-room school; he taught grades one through eight. He often related stories about his teaching days and would have made a great educator if he continued, however, he only taught for one year.

Always considered a “good” friend to those he knew, Lloyd enjoyed a broad group of acquaintances and several very close friends during his lifetime. While growing up, some of his best friends were Ross Hall, Phillip Bailey, Jelsing Bailey, Carol Bailey, and Gerald Dodd. Later in life, he became friends with Bill and Barb Degrow, Bill and Marjorie Garside, and Willard and Marilyn McAuley, as well as with many golf buddies.

On February 11, 1963 Lloyd exchanged wedding vows with Barbara Jean Reynolds (daughter of James and Elizabeth Reynolds from England) at Eastside Church of Christ in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Empathic and loyal, Lloyd was committed to making his new family happy. Their love story is one to remember. They started to date at the laundromat where Barbara went weekly to do loads of laundry; her first husband who left her and their four children had abandoned her the year previous. Debbie was seven, Trudy was five, Rob was three, and Kelly was only a baby. Lloyd often went with her to help carry the baskets and it developed into a wonderful relationship. They married in February and Lloyd loved and accepted her four children as his own. He even adopted them and gave them his name. Lloyd Jr. and Mike were later born to this family to make it complete. All six children were treated equally and loved by both parents to make a happy family.

Lloyd worked hard to be a good father to his children and he did his best to fulfill their needs. Another blessing for Lloyd was the gift of sixteen grandchildren & nine great grandchildren. His grandchildren are Vicki, Shawna, Jimmy, Rebecca, Angela, Laura, Steven, Brent, Bryan, Heather, Melissa, Thomas, Matthew, Alex, Derek, and Jessica. His great grandchildren include Ethan, Dylan, Brydan, Gregory, Katie, Bryan, Kameron, Jeremy, and Amina. Lloyd was very proud of his children and all of their accomplishments. He was overjoyed to be a grandpa and great grandpa. He enjoyed being with all the kids and was always enthusiastic to play games with them, such as bocce, baseball, hockey, or playing cards. In July 2012, just a month before his sudden passing, he put on his bathing suit to fill a little swimming pool in his backyard to play with Ethan, Dylan and Brydan, his great grandchildren.

It was mentioned during the funeral that Brian Stewart and Chris Wootton considered Lloyd as their own grandfather as well. They both knew Grandpa for around twenty years, and during that time had no grandfathers of their own. They both enjoyed grandpa's jokes and enthusiasm and always included him and Grandma in all their activities.

After Lloyd and Barbara got married, the family lived at 283 Kingsford Road in Sault Ste. Marie. Shortly thereafter, Lloyd decided he wanted to finish his university education and possibly get back into teaching. He applied to McMaster University in Hamilton, ON and was accepted; the whole family then packed up and moved to Hamilton in August 1966. Initially, they rented a townhouse on Fennell Ave for one year. Lloyd went to work at Dofasco to support the family while attending night classes to complete his education. During the winter of 1967, however, the family moved into their new house in Mount Hope. This was the first home Lloyd and Barbara owned, it was located at 1059 White Church Road in Mount Hope, ON. They had their house built for them and it was a lovely three- bedroom bungalow made of brick with a stone facing front (it was Lloyd's idea to put stone on part of the front). They lived there for eight years, and their youngest son, Michael, was born while they lived there.

Lloyd was never able to finish his degree because supporting a family of eight became too difficult financially and time wise. Education, however, was always important to Lloyd and he stressed it to his children to finish their education. Even if he did not have a diploma, Lloyd could talk about any subject and was very well informed on worldly news. He was always able to answer a variety of questions that family or friends enquired and always had useful advice for everyone.

While living in Hamilton, they decided to sell and move back to Sault Ste. Marie, because Barbara's father, Grandpa Reynolds had taken ill. They moved to 689 McNabb Street, also a three-bedroom brick bungalow, which was only a year old. This house, as well as the one on White Church Road, were their "dream" houses; they loved both houses and were very comfortable and happy in both.

After a few years, Lloyd decided to make their home on McNabb a "perfect paradise," and built a gorgeous sun room at the back, off the kitchen, with a deck built all around it. After years of enjoying the sun room, Lloyd insulated it and replaced the windows to make the room suitable to enjoy all year round. He built new walls from Flakeboard lumber and put two-inch cedar boards at the bottom. These cedar boards came from the dismantling and construction work done on the Pinehill Church of Christ. He finished this work in the spring of 2012. Unfortunately he only enjoyed the new sunroom for one summer, however, he truly enjoyed it for that time – he and Barbara had their morning coffee in there everyday.

Lloyd also put a new roof on the house with the help of his sons, son-in-law, and grandsons in the fall of 2011. He took up and reset all of the bricks in the driveway in the summer of 2012, cleaning out all the weeds and leveling the bricks. He worked on these bricks up until a week before he died. He did all of this to make the house comfortable and easy for their reclining years.

Fortunately, Lloyd also enjoyed what he did for a living. Showing a strong work ethic, Lloyd worked diligently and did his best to succeed in his career. He was employed for twenty-six years at Algoma Steel, where his primary occupation was Maintenance Supervisor. Before moving to Hamilton in 1966, Lloyd worked for three years at Algoma Steel. While living in Hamilton, he worked at Dofasco for eight years. Lloyd always sought to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

Lloyd enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. His favourite pursuits were golf, puttering around, building things, ice-skating, hockey, and doing yard work. He was content to enjoy his favourite pastimes alone but was also willing to share his interests with others, especially with Barbara, who he always called "his sweetheart."

Lloyd also found pleasure in sports. In high school, Lloyd played hockey, did track and field, and gymnastics. Recreational sports included ice-skating, hockey, and coaching baseball. Lloyd was also an avid sports fan and enjoyed following his favourite events whenever he had the chance. He loved all sports and would channel surf to try to catch as many as he could. His all time favourites to watch were hockey, baseball, and boxing.

Throughout his life, Lloyd was a doer and was always actively involved in professional and community organizations. In college, Lloyd joined the Drama club. Throughout his later years, Lloyd and Barbara were active fans of the Soo Greyhounds Junior hockey team; they were season ticket holders. They called their nights at the Greyhound games their “date."

Lloyd’s faith was also important to him. He was a lifetime member of Pinehill Church of Christ. During that time, he was an evangelist, preacher, elder, song leader, and Bible schoolteacher. He had his license to perform marriages and burials; many of his children and grandchildren had the joy of him marrying them to their spouses. He was instrumental in the planning and building of the church addition, which provides wheelchair accessibility to those who need it. He drew up the plans for this and took up the leadership in appointing the individuals to specific jobs that they were most competent in performing. He was extremely knowledgeable on construction and by-laws and, therefore, the inspections resulted in very little changes needed to conform to the building code.

Phillip Bailey wrote in the church bulletin after Lloyd's passing the following quote: "Lloyd, we all love you and will miss you in our worship to our God. We will experience a big hole in the leadership until others can be trained to be able to fill what you were able to do for the Lord." He also wrote: "Lloyd was a faithful servant of our Lord Jesus Christ and in later years was an elder for the church. He was a kind man who showed concern for those who were not faithful to our Lord. As an elder he pursued righteousness and love for all in the church family. The eldership has suffered a great loss, as his input was always thoughtful and caring. Lloyd tried to look at each situation in a way that best served the Lord and those who we tried to help. He participated in leading singing, leading the church in the communion, teaching bible classes, leading prayers, and taking his turn at preaching Sunday mornings. His leadership will be sorely missed by all who attend here at Pinehill."

Lloyd and Barbara enjoyed traveling and time away on vacations. It was a chance for them to renew and relax, to visit new places, and experience new things. Favourite vacations included Hawaii and England. For their 25th wedding anniversary, their children gave them a gift to go to Europe. On this trip, they visited Paris (their favourite city), Switzerland, Germany, Holland, and Belgium. In Switzerland, they climbed a mountain and built a snowman and dressed him with some of the clothes they were wearing. When reminiscing about their European vacation, they often wondered if the snowman was still there. They enjoyed lots of travel and visited the east and west coasts of Canada as well as many states in the United States.

Lloyd was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. A few of his favorites were Mike, a German shepherd; Dusty, a mutt; Ben, a Belgium sheep dog; and Bentley, a Bichon Frise. Bentley, whom they have had for fifteen years, was his favourite.

When Lloyd’s retirement finally arrived on June 1, 2001, he was well prepared. He retired in Sault Ste. Marie. In retirement, he found new pleasure in playing golf, staying active in church, playing bocce with his family – his kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. On many occasions, Lloyd received gift certificates to play golf at the Root River or Crimson Ridge Golf Courses. He enjoyed it the most when family members joined him on the greens. Even in retirement, Lloyd continued to stay in touch with his old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. Lloyd was active in his community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered him.

In August 2012, Lloyd and Barbara hosted a family barbecue to celebrate Matthew's grade eight graduation, Melissa's graduation from Teacher's College, and Steven's apprenticeship in carpentry. Everyone brought food and put it all together for a feast. Lloyd was so happy and proud when everyone was all together, keeping busy making the burgers and hot dogs and serving the coffee. Lloyd’s family will always remember their Dad and Grandfather that day, not ever dreaming it would be their last barbecue with him.

Lloyd passed away on August 26, 2012 at the Sault Area Hospital in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario suddenly of a massive heart attack. He survived by wife Barbara, his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Services were held at Pinehill Church of Christ and were officiated by Phillip Bailey, his cousin and best friend. Lloyd was laid to rest in Greenwood Cemetery, west side.

Simply stated, Lloyd was a good and kind person, an individual who will for all time be remembered by his family and friends as being a caring and giving person – someone who was a vital part of their lives. Lloyd leaves behind him a legacy of life, long friendships, and many cherished memories. Everyone whose life he touched will always remember Lloyd Benjamin Morris Hotchkiss Sr.

Favourite Memories

There are many stories to remember when we were kids and even when we were grown up. We had many fun times; especially our sleigh rides on Boxing Day. It is very sad that Dad is not with us anymore, but he left us many memories and most of them will bring a smile or chuckle to us when we remember them.

We all can remember lots of experiences we had with Dad. He sometimes flew by the seat of his pants and we all used to call him ‘Clark Griswold’ from the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation movie, as he reminded us of Clark all the time. Once he even went sliding down Finn Hill across the street from where he and Mom lived. He was at the end of a toboggan with Shawna at the front; she was only around ten years old. They were "flying" on the fresh snow and hit a bump. The toboggan went airborne and they were laughing, but hit bottom hard. For many years after, Dad still complained about his sore tailbone and was sure it was from that ride.

He also was hanging Christmas lights around the house on McNabb Street when he fell off the ladder into the front bushes. Luckily he was not hurt, but that is why he was Clark Griswold. He even wore a fur hat with ear lugs like Clark and looked like Chevy Chase, the actor who played him.

Another funny episode was when we all moved to Hamilton. There we were, five children, a German shepherd dog, a church friend from India, and lots of furniture that did not fit into the truck we rented. Dad put all of our mattresses onto the top of the car, a Rambler, and Mom drove that behind him with all of the kids. Dad drove the truck with Mike the dog, and the Indian guy who was all dressed in white. That truck was loaded to the hilt! Everything did not fit inside, so Dad tied the bikes to the back of the truck, tied the garbage cans to the side mirrors, and put a rocking chair on the roof of the cab – we looked like the Beverly Hillbillies. We did not, however, get far down the highway when the rope Dad tied around the car for the mattresses burned from the exhaust pipe and all the mattresses went flying off the car. Mom was having a fit and honking the horn to get Dad's attention in front of us. He saw what was happening and stopped. We had to redirect traffic until he got the mattresses off the highway and re-secured them back onto the car. We did make it to Hamilton but it was a long ride! The friend from India decided to hop on the Greyhound bus in Sudbury for the rest of his trip. He did not like travelling with the shedding dog and could not keep his white outfit clean. I wonder why?

That was not the only time Dad had problems transporting materials. Another time he went to Cashway on Black Road, just down the hill from his house and bought some lumber for one of his projects. He put them in the back of his Ford truck but did not tie them down as he was only going a short distance. But that short distance was uphill! He got in front of the next-door neighbour's house and the lumber all fell out on the road. Luckily, a Good Samaritan helped him carry the boards into his yard.

When we were little, Dad would hook our dog, Mike, up to a sled in the wintertime and the dog would pull us all around the yard. We would even go to Garson's hill and slide down the big hill and the dog would pull us back up. Dad always made us a rink in the back yard too. Mom remembers one time when her and Dad were out skating and she fell and got a concussion. They used to go skating a lot, it was a favourite pastime but when she hurt her head, she was a little more cautious. Dad even built a skating rink for Steven when he and Rob were living at his house.

When Debbie got married, Dad decided to make the dance floor easier to glide on and he sprinkled baby powder on it. Well, it was so slippery that Mike, the ring bearer and only four years old, fell and broke his brand new watch. Dad never did that again at any of our receptions.

Mom always tells us about the times when she was busy and she would send Dad to meet Mike at River View School to walk him home when he was young. At that time, Dad used to ride the bus to Algoma Steel for work. When he walked up McNabb Street to meet Mike, he forgot what he was doing, and got on the bus to go to work instead of meeting Mike. Mike always made it home safe and Mom knew Dad went to work again for nothing.

The following is a story Dad often told to everyone because it reflected him so much. When Jimmy was four years old, he was misbehaving at Grandma and Grandpa's house so his mother sent him into the bathroom to settle down. He was in there crying and Grandpa decided to go in and console him. Grandpa told him a funny joke, and Jimmy, while sitting on the toilet seat, told Grandpa, without cracking a smile that "everyone knows your jokes aren't funny, Grandpa.” Dad could hardly keep a straight face as he walked out. As the years went on, whenever Dad told one of his ‘Grandpa jokes’ someone would always say, "everyone knows your jokes aren't funny Grandpa.” Dad would always laugh and could always laugh at himself.

Once when Mike played football with the Sir James Eagles, Grandpa took Jimmy to the game to watch Mike play and forgot he had him. He and Lloydie got up after the game and walked out. Jimmy, who was only around seven years old at the time, got on the Sir James Dunn bus where the players were, and told his Uncle Mike that he could not find Grandpa or Uncle Lloyd. Luckily that too had a happy ending.

Then there was the time Dad was cutting the front lawn, and walked away from the lawn mower to pull out some weeds. He left the lawn mower running and took longer than he thought; he was totally distracted. Cars were going by honking their horns at him. Dad would acknowledge the honk and wave but never noticed the lawn mower moving by itself. It jumped over the curb and was going down the hill! Once Dad realized what happened, he ran to get it and again luckily nothing was damaged.

Even as recent as October 2011, Dad, with the help of Rob, Kelly, Lloydie, Jim, Jimmy, and Bryan, put a new roof on Mom and Dad's house. Mom, Debbie, and Lauren were in the house when the phone rang. It was Kelly, calling from the roof. All the guys were up there and the ladder had fallen so none of them could get down. Apparently they banged on the roof but we girls inside did not hear anything. When we went outside to "rescue" them, Dad was laughing and we had them over a barrel if they wanted down. It was at the end of the job and they were all cold and tired. The rest were not laughing but Dad could always see the humour in everything.

Debbie's Tribute to Dad Said at the Funeral

It is very hard to say only a few words about my Dad. I could tell you about him all day and I still wouldn't have said it all. He was truly loved by everyone because of his kindness and great sense of humour, and strong faith in God. That is what got me through the very long line up last night, knowing how well he was thought of. I am very proud to be one of his daughters. My Dad loved his family first and foremost and was so proud of all of us. Many times he would relate stories of his kids, grandkids or great grandchildren, even to strangers. He was very involved in all of our lives and if any of us needed him, he always came immediately. Whenever anyone went to his house, he always put the coffee on and it was the best coffee. He also made the best popcorn. Even my two grandsons Ethan and Dylan who are only 4 and 6 years old, liked to go to Grandpa's house and play ball or hit golf balls in the back yard. He was never too old to play with the kids.

Dad, I know you are with us today and you will continue to guide us in our lives. You would be so happy to see all these people who loved you. I promise to look after Mom, as I know you would be worried about her. You were the best Dad in the world. I love you and will miss you terribly.

Trudy's Tribute to Dad Said at the Funeral

Dad, I believe that you are still here with us in spirit, and that you can hear everything that is going on. I hope you are laughing at the funny memories and stories everyone shares, and that you are happy and proud to see how loved you were by so many.

I know you would have loved to have been here these past few days, seeing all your family and friends gathering at your house. You always loved having family around. You would have been so happy to see all your great grandchildren playing in your living room together. You always had a smile, a joke or a laugh and could see the humour in anything.

You also loved remembering the good times together. The last time we were visiting, we were remembering our trip to Saskatchewan. We laughed, joking about the car seat Mike rode in, and how it would never be considered safe today. It was just a seat that hooked over the back of the car's seat to lift him up so he could see out the windows. We remembered Rob and Kelly laying in the back window and on the floor. You were so fond of that memory. No one travelled then, but there we were, six kids squished in a tiny Rambler, travelling to Saskatchewan.

I remember travelling with you as an adult, when you and Mom went with Jim and I to Virginia. Can you remember our "private tour" off the White House grounds by the secret service officer? Or the day we went to a witch-hunt? You also really enjoyed the parade in Colonial Williamsburg, when everyone from 14-60 was required to join the military. They drafted you (by grabbing you and forcing you to go with them), and made you perform some drills. When you were done, you looked 20 years younger. You loved that day.

Dad, I know that you would want us to take care of Mom and I want you to know that we will do that. I don't want you to worry about her. You raised us to respect our mother and to be there for each other always. If you could say anything to us today, I know it would be "take care of your mother." I want you to know Dad that we hear you and we won't let you down.

Rob's Tribute to Dad Said at the Funeral

Dad, it has been an honour and a privilege to have you as our dad. You have been a perfect role model and inspiration for each of us. Your honesty, integrity, and fairness were known to all who knew you or worked for you. Your love and devotion for Mom were excellent examples to everyone who saw or knew the two of you.

You guided all of us through life. I know you were most proud of your family. You absolutely loved the babies and would love to have them near. You loved having family gatherings and barbecues. You also enjoyed one on one visits and always had time for one. I always appreciated your wisdom and often sought your advice and suggestions. You were a great man, Dad.

As sad and lonely as we will be, we must remember that he has gone to the paradise we all yearn for. He has taken care of us and it is now his time. We will reunite with him in God's time.

My Dad is a Christian. He is faithful servant of The Lord and has lived his life on earth preparing his future home in heaven. What an appropriate location to celebrate Dad, he loved this church and served tirelessly here.

As my dear wife Brenda said to me, "Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was walking the halls of 300C at Sault Area Hospital early Sunday morning." "Come with me Lloyd," He said. Dad faithfully took his hand and followed, as we all knew he would when his time came. He is done his job here in this life. Well-done Dad. He has accepted a new job in heaven. I love you Dad. Thanks for the memories and lessons on life. I will never forget you

Kelly's Tribute to Dad Said at the Funeral

My Dad married my Mom with four kids when he was just twenty-two years old. He immediately adopted the four of us and proudly gave us his last name. He and my Mom had two more sons together making it a total of six kids. I am the youngest of the first four. My Dad truly loved us all equally the same and absolutely considered us all his kids. He had to work a lot harder and a lot longer and did without many things to provide for his family. He did so willingly, and never complained. He always put God and his family first. He would stand up and defend my Mother at any cost. He would have laid down his life for her without hesitation. My Dad loved nothing more than getting together with his family. He loved his grandchildren and great grandchildren with all his heart. Words cannot describe how missed my Dad will be, but if he would have known someone in our family had to go, he would have asked God to take him first. My Dad was truly a great man and I'm so proud to be his son.

Lloyd’s Tribute to Dad Said at the Funeral

Thank you all for coming, many – long distances, in memory of my father. This is a testament of how much my father was loved, and how much he meant to all of us.

It is a struggle for me to get up in front of people to begin with, and this reason is by far the hardest thing I ever had to do.

I admired my father in that he was able to get up and speak in front of a crowd, carrying himself with grace and dignity each and every time he spoke.

You can never prepare for this moment, but I hope my dad would be proud of the way we carried ourselves.

My father was a gentle, proud, and caring man. He would do anything for his children and grandchildren. He was always there when we needed him.

I am so grateful my dad adopted my four older brothers and sisters when he married my mom. I could not have gone through this or my life without them. I thank them all.

Like my parents, my son, Thomas, and I have season’s tickets for Soo Greyhound games; it will not be the same going to the games with my Dad not there. Thomas and I have always gone to our seats and looked up to give my mom and dad a wave.

Whenever I crack a joke or a one-liner, my kids say, “That was a Grampa joke.” People say that over time you ‘become your parents,’ well, if I turn out half the man my father was, I will be very happy and proud.

My brother-in-law, Enzo, reminded me via e-mail the other day that my dad presided over the service when my mother-in-law passed away, and he said it was a ‘celebration of her life.’ This makes me realize my dad did have a good life and he lived it well. Although I may not have said it enough, I loved my father and I am extremely proud to be his son.

Dad – you will be sadly missed, but never forgotten.

Mike’s Tribute to Dad Said at the Funeral

I’m Mike - the youngest of Dad’s children. Well, I always told Dad that he saved the best for last. I did not get my Dad’s sense of humour. Maybe you’re relieved to hear that. But then again maybe I did!

I would like to tell you about my Dad and why he is great. My Dad lived for 3 things: family, the church, and working hard. He spread himself between these things. He had balance. He sacrificed for these things.

My Dad was really talented. He was a great public speaker for many venues; he was a mechanic, engineer, builder, leader… I could go on. He was just plain smart. He could have been anything he wanted. As I recently realized, he was exactly what he wanted. He had it figured out!

He was a top-shelf family man, devoted member of the church and had a top-notch work ethic. He had it figured out. If anyone did not know or realize how great he really was – it was because he was also incredibly humble.

My Dad will be ok. He spent his life building this next destination. He will not have regrets. He lived his life the way he wanted to even when others did not agree. More people should be like that.

From a father-son perspective, he gave me support. I have a particular memory from when I was around eighteen years old. I was about to start a high school basketball game. (I played many sports and Dad was either my coach or my biggest fan.) And I am not sure why, but I looked up into the stands to see if he was there to watch me, and there he was. I did not know if he saw me at that point but it did not matter. I felt good to have him there watching me. He was always there to support me through all facets of my life.

These last few days have been the toughest days of my life. I have been really struggling to get through it. I have been at my wits end several times – how to think, what to say, how to act. Finally, it came to me. Think like Dad. What would Dad do? I found my answers. He is giving me strength – he is still giving me support.

When my Dad would get excited or approve of something he would always give me the “thumbs up.” I don’t know if he did that with other people to. So right now I want to give him the “thumbs up” – he did it right. One, Two, Three – (thumbs up) “He did it right!”

He did what he wanted to do.

I Love you Dad, Forever.

Our Gramps - Tribute to Grandpa Said by Shawna at the Funeral

Grandpa's fifteen grandchildren all sat together and this is what we want to say about our Gramps. We all know how important we are to Grandpa - his family was everything to him. We are a big family, and he made us a close family - that made Gramps so proud.

Gramps was always such a positive person; he took an interest and was genuinely excited about anything any of us did. As grandchildren, we all share our own unique memories of Gramps, but what we all have in common is the unconditional love, laughter, and happiness that he gave to each of us.

Our favourite memories from all of us are:

• accepting Derek and all of our spouses as his own grandchildren

• he appreciated all of God's animals

• calling elk

• catching squirrels

• buying toolkits

• working with Grandpa outside

• taking family trips every summer

• playing and watching our hockey games

• playing golf together

• going on sleigh rides

• misplacing the grandchildren

• Christmas Eve at Grandma and Grandpa's with mountains of wrapping paper in the living room

• tobogganing on Finn hill

• Clark W. Griswold and the Christmas Vacation movie

• putting barrettes in Grandpa's hair

• his jokes

• card games

• scaring us with his tricks

• the blue jay trick

• building the rink shack, the church, and re-doing the roof with him

• watching him build the back room

• going to Greyhound games

• making his popcorn

• our backyard fires

• his Olympic swimmers and NHL hockey players

• making you feel special whatever you did

And Gramps, we still haven't figured out where that secret passageway is in the basement!!

We will miss his Grandpa jokes, his witty one-liners, his smile, and his wisdom. Grandpa, you were the leader of our family and you instilled that leadership in all of us. Our promise to you is to do our best to keep this family together like you have done for so many years and we promise to take care of Grandma and to keep your memory alive for our children and future generations to come.

We all love you very much Gramps.

A Letter from Heaven – A Poem Read at the Funeral by the Grandchildren

When tomorrow starts without me,

and I'm not here to see,

If the sun should rise and find your

eyes, filled with tears for me.

I wish so much you wouldn't cry,

the way you did today,

While thinking of the many things

we didn't get to say.

I know how much you loved me,

as much as I love you,

And each time you think of me

I know you'll miss me too.

When tomorrow starts without me,

don't think we're far apart,

for every time you think of me,

I'm right there in your heart.

Grandpa would have been so proud of these fifteen grandchildren at the funeral home. They each looked after their parents who stood in line without any breaks for four hours. They brought them refreshments. They chose all the pictures for the video display the funeral home had running and they also chose all the personal touches. They brought in Grandpa's golf clubs, his Greyhound jersey, his fur winter hat, his Bible, and many pictures he treasured.

After the visitation, they sat around a large table and made their speech. When they were all finished, they joined hands, and said a little prayer. Positively Grandpa was looking down at them and smiling.

Dad's Mealtime Prayer or Blessing that he Said at Every Meal for 49 Years:

Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for all your blessings and especially the food that's been prepared before us. May it strengthen our bodies to do your will. This we ask through your son, Jesus name. Amen.

Another version:

Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for all your blessings and especially the food that's been provided before us. Please bless the hands that have prepared it. May it strengthen our bodies to do your will. This we ask through your son, Jesus name. Amen.

Mom's Tribute to Dad

To me, Lloyd was my "life," my husband, the man I shared the good times with, and the not-so-good times, but through it all, we had a deep love for one another and this love got us through anything that came along. He was the cherished father of our children, grandfather and great grandfather of our beautiful grandchildren and great grandchildren. They all loved him and his sense of humour so much.

He was always very proud of me, as many people have commented, "he adored you." He always called me "his sweetheart." Also, he never forgot to compliment me everyday, especially Sundays. He would say: "You are still the best looking woman in the world," to which I would reply, "as long as you always think so, then I'm happy, nobody else matters." I sure miss this now. It was good for the way it made me feel - I felt cherished. He was always worried about me and would often say, "Don't you ever leave me, I could not go on without you." We had our arguments as all do, but now looking back, I wish I had done more to avert some of the outbursts we had.

We had such wonderful trips and vacations together, times I will always cherish. Lloyd was very intelligent and was a great person to go to when you needed information on any subject. He was a great person and is missed by everyone.

In closing, I say "goodbye" my love. I miss you more than I can say. I love you dearly and only wish you were here so I could tell you in person. I hope God will convey this message to you my darling.

Miss you so much.

Love you forever and ever,

Barbara. xxxxxxxx

HOTCHKISS, Lloyd – Unexpectedly passed away at the Sault Area Hospital on Sunday, August 26, 2012 in his 73rd year. Loved and devoted husband and sweetheart of Barbara (nee Reynolds) for 49 years. Beloved father of Debra Beckerson (Jim), Trudy Calvert (Jim), Robert (Brenda), Kelly (Mari-Lyn), Lloyd (Debbie) and Michael (Stacey). Proud grandpa of Vicki Stewart (Brian), Shawna Wootton (Chris), Jimmy Beckerson (Elaine), Rebecca Tanguay (Matthew), Angela Calvert, Laura Calvert (Paul), Steven Hotchkiss (Shanna), Brent Hotchkiss (Jessica), Bryan Hotchkiss (Lauren), Heather Hotchkiss, Melissa Hotchkiss, Thomas Hotchkiss, Matthew Hotchkiss, Alex Hotchkiss, Derek Jackson and Jessica Dias. Doting great grandpa of Ethan, Dylan and Brydan Wootton, Katie and Bryan Hotchkiss, Gregory Beckerson, Kameron Hotchkiss, Jeremy Hotchkiss and Amina Tanguay. He will be missed by his faithful pet “Bentley”. Brother of Evelyn Deplonty (Gordon), Joan Hester (Andrew), Lynne Michaud, Sheila Danic (Bill), Terri Alquire (Steve) and the late John (Anne). Brother-in-law of Don Reynolds (Joyceanne), Lily Masters (Jim), Lloyd Reynolds, Dennis Reynolds (Waltraud), late Jim Reynolds (June) and Mary Reynolds. Son of the late Thomas and Alice (nee Bailey). Uncle Lloyd will be missed by many nieces and nephews. Friends may call at the Arthur Funeral Home & Cremation Centre on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 from 6-9 pm. Funeral service will be held at the Pine Hill Church of Christ on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 at 1 pm. Mr. Phillip Bailey officiating. Memorial contributions to the Sault Area Hospital Foundation, Heart & Stroke Foundation or the charity of your choice would be greatly appreciated by the family. Lloyd was a retiree of Algoma Steel after many years of dedicated service and was an avid Soo Greyhound fan. He was an Evangelist and a faithful servant of our Lord Jesus Christ and in later years was an elder at the church. He spearheaded and worked tirelessly to ensure the completion of the church addition to provide wheelchair access for those who needed it. Thank you to Dr. Staples and the nursing staff of 300C.

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HOTCHKISS, Lloyd – Unexpectedly passed away at the Sault Area Hospital on Sunday, August 26, 2012 in his 73rd year. Loved and devoted husband and sweetheart of Barbara (nee Reynolds) for 49 years. Beloved father of Debra Beckerson (Jim), Trudy Calvert (Jim), Robert (Brenda), Kelly (Mari-Lyn), Lloyd (Debbie) and Michael (Stacey). Proud grandpa of Vicki Stewart (Brian), Shawna Wootton (Chris), Jimmy Beckerson (Elaine), Rebecca Tanguay (Matthew), Angela Calvert, Laura Calvert (Paul), Steven Hotchkiss (Shanna), Brent Hotchkiss (Jessica), Bryan Hotchkiss (Lauren), Heather Hotchkiss, Melissa Hotchkiss, Thomas Hotchkiss, Matthew Hotchkiss, Alex Hotchkiss, Derek Jackson and Jessica Dias. Doting great grandpa of Ethan, Dylan and Brydan Wootton, Katie and Bryan Hotchkiss, Gregory Beckerson, Kameron Hotchkiss, Jeremy Hotchkiss and Amina Tanguay. He will be missed by his faithful pet “Bentley”. Brother of Evelyn Deplonty (Gordon), Joan Hester (Andrew), Lynne Michaud, Sheila Danic (Bill), Terri Alquire (Steve) and the late John (Anne). Brother-in-law of Don Reynolds (Joyceanne), Lily Masters (Jim), Lloyd Reynolds, Dennis Reynolds (Waltraud), late Jim Reynolds (June) and Mary Reynolds. Son of the late Thomas and Alice (nee Bailey). Uncle Lloyd will be missed by many nieces and nephews. Friends may call at the Arthur Funeral Home & Cremation Centre on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 from 6-9 pm. Funeral service will be held at the Pine Hill Church of Christ on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 at 1 pm. Mr. Phillip Bailey officiating. Memorial contributions to the Sault Area Hospital Foundation, Heart & Stroke Foundation or the charity of your choice would be greatly appreciated by the family. Lloyd was a retiree of Algoma Steel after many years of dedicated service and was an avid Soo Greyhound fan. He was an Evangelist and a faithful servant of our Lord Jesus Christ and in later years was an elder at the church. He spearheaded and worked tirelessly to ensure the completion of the church addition to provide wheelchair access for those who needed it. Thank you to Dr. Staples and the nursing staff of 300C.