Edgar FEATHERSTONE

FEATHERSTONE, Edgar Passed away peacefully after a long struggle with ALS on March 22, 2005 at the age of 83. Beloved husband of the late Mary G. Featherstone (February 2005). PredeceaNsed by his parents Elizabeth and Ernest of Hull, sisters Gertrude Guerin and Alice Crosbie, brother Tom all of New Zealand and brother Ernest of Australia. Loving father to sons, John & wife Laura of Toronto and Paul & wife Kathey of Calgary. Devoted Grandfather to Devin, of Prince George and Marin, of Calgary. Will be sadly missed by his in-laws Jean and Dan Hannay of England and many nieces and nephews in Australia, England and New Zealand. Will be fondly remembered by his good friends throughout Canada, the USA and Britain. Born in Hull, England July 6, 1921, Edgar started his working life at age 13 as an apprentice with the Hull Cooperative stores. Among his duties was the delivery of groceries by bicycle, he soon developed a passion for bicycle racing and joined the Hull Thursday Road Club, that being the apprentices day off. At the outbreak of WWII he joined the RAF with aspirations of becoming an aerial gunner, but poor depth perception grounded him and he was trained as an aero-engine technician. He spent most of the war years in what is now India, Pakistan and Iran. Returning to Hull after the war Edgar worked as a taxi driver, his most memorable fare being the comedians Laurel & Hardy. During the late 40's he set out on a journey by boat, train & flying boat that took him across Canada, the south Pacific as a shipboard waiter, through NZ and into the heart of Australia as a driver of a mobile optometrist's clinic. Edgar returned to Hull in 1950 where he met Mary Abbott, a district nurse. After moving to Canada and in 1952 marrying Mary in Toronto, Edgar enlisted in the RCAF. Subsequent posting saw the family move to Bagotville, QC, Zweibrucken, Germany, Saskatoon, SK, Gimli, MB, Alliston, Camp Borden & Oro Station, ON. Upon retirement from the Canadian Armed Forces Edgar, Mary, John & Paul moved to Windsor, where Edgar taught for 15 years at Western Secondary School in Essex County. The years following his teaching career were spent travelling with Mary to Europe, Australia & NZ, spending the winters in Naples, Florida until ill health prevented further journeys. His final years were eased by Mary's TLC and skills as a nurse. Special thanks from the family go to the kind and caring staff at Chateau Park Nursing Home in Windsor, Ontario. Following Edgar's wishes a private family memorial will take place. Donations in lieu of flowers to the research fund of the ALS Society of (Windsor) Essex County, 1426 Front Road South, Amherstburg, Ontario N9V 2M6. Published in the Windsor Star on 3/26/2005.