Leonard Foster Roblee

ROBLEE, LEONARD FOSTER - of Dartmouth, A kind and generous heart stopped beating on Friday, December 9, 2016 when Foster passed away at the age of 95. Born in Springhill, Nova Scotia on October 28, 1921, he was the son of the late Leonard and Myrtle (Patriquin) Roblee. When he was a young child, the family moved to Springville, Pictou County, and later to nearby Irish Mountain where he grew up and worked with his father on the farm. As a boy, Foster played hockey and baseball - he remembered his mother making a ball uniform for him by hand from bleached flour bags. As a young man, he lived in Stellarton and operated Roblee’s Taxi, then moved to Toronto and Hamilton to work, but returned to Nova Scotia in the early 1950’s. His love of automobiles led to a career in various aspects of the industry, running a service station, driving transport, and eventually becoming a partsman for General Motors from which he retired in 1980. Foster was a friendly, well-respected man who will be remembered for the endless jokes and stories he loved to tell. He enjoyed spending time with his friends and family. For many years the family spent summers at Sherwood Forest Camping Park. In retirement he and his wife travelled widely – three times across Canada and into the United States, including a Hawaiian cruise. They also visited Germany, Austria, Bermuda and Barbados. He was a devoted fan of the Toronto Blue Jays. As his vision failed, he would listen on the radio to every game and always enjoyed a conversation about the team and the players. Foster is survived and sadly missed by his loving wife of fifty-four years, Ruth (Harvie) Roblee; son Len, Hamilton Ontario; daughter Sharon (John) Webber, Eastern Passage. He is also survived by grandson, David (Leslie) Webber; three granddaughters; Karen (Bill) Brown; Jeanne (John Galbraith) Webber, and Heather (Jim) MacLeod, and six great grandchildren: Matthew and Jacob Webber, Cameron and Cooper Brown, and Raylene and Janel MacLeod. Besides his parents, Foster was predeceased by his first wife, Jean (MacDonald) Roblee in 1954, and as the last surviving member or his family, was also predeceased by his three brothers, Austin, Lawrence, and Aubrey, and one sister, Mildred. Cremation has taken place and a private service will be held in the spring at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Dartmouth. The family would like to thank the staff at the Dartmouth General Hospital, Camp Hill Veterans’ Memorial, the Ivy Meadows in Beaver Bank, the nurses and doctors at Cobequid Community Health Center who showed such compassion, and especially their friends at The Linden for their kindness and support during the past months. In Foster’s memory, donations may be made to a charity of your choice. Online condolences may be viewed or sent to: www.mattatallfuneralhome.com

You can shed tears that he is gone.

Or you can smile because he lived.

You can close your eyes

and pray that he will come back,

Or you can open your eyes

and see all that he has left.

Your heart can be empty

Because you can’t see him,

Or you can be full

Of the love that you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow

And live yesterday.

Or you can be happy for tomorrow

Because of yesterday.

You can remember him

And only that he is gone

Or you can cherish his memory

And let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind, be empty

And turn your back,

Or you can do what he would want:

Smile, open your eyes, love and go on.