SINGLETON, Geoff

13 August 1926 - 4 May 2020

Springtime 1948 At the Saturday night dance - Eden Park Hotel, Beckenham, Kent, England He walked across the dance floor and asked June to dance. “Are you Irish”? He asked, looking at her red hair and freckles. Cider at the break, then took her home in his little jalopy. July 22, 1949 - Married a year later. Bombing had left little accommodation for newlyweds. A railway station poster invited: COME TO CANADA - WE NEED YOU. Medicals next day at Canada House in London. Four weeks later - August 1950, June and Geoff enroute to Canada. Cheapest travel by freighter - 12 day voyage - 12 passengers sailed from Avonmouth to Montreal. Calm seas, a second honeymoon, and icebergs. Train across Canada - a fabulous scenic adventure Montreal to Vancouver. Perfect weather all the way. 7 a.m. Vancouver arrival - cold and rainy. Fortunately a welcome awaited us. In wartime Britain RAF Meteorologist Sid Clark and Canadian Army WAC Zella from Chilliwack had wed and now lived in Vancouver with their three children. They offered us a place to stay as they also had two of Sid’s RAF pals making a new home in Canada. Zella was my family pen friend. Off the bus to 3545 Dunbeck, Zella opened the door and welcomed us into her arms. Geoff had an interview for an accountant. He bought a book on accounting at the HBC bookshop. He got the bus to Lillooet and got the job! We both work for Lillooet Cartage in beautiful welcoming Lillooet. An adventurous snowy winter. A blissful place. By spring it was time for a new adventure. San Francisco beckoned. We bought a panel van. Geoff fixed it up for camping. After travelling the stunning west coast and working on farms picking fruit, our money was running out. Where to go next to settle a while? Should we head up to that little town amongst the mountains - Calgary? Or how about that Island over there? LET’S TOSS A COIN! It came down for Vancouver Island! We drove down the peaceful wildflower-lined road from Nanaimo south. We had never heard of Victoria. After the dusty Cariboo roads the road south was so fresh and clean. The sea and mountains were welcoming. We walked across Beacon Hill Park to the sea and were amazed such beauty and Mt. Baker. We gazed at each other and knew we had found paradise. So here we stayed. What a wonderful life. Thanks to the poster “COME TO CANADA - WE NEED YOU”. Thank you to Zella and Sid (Corkney Farm, Denman Island). Thank you Lillooet. Thank you Victoria, BC, Canada. Thank you to all friends and family. Thank you Canada. June and Geoff - 5 children, 10 grandchildren. 3 great-grandchildren. 70 years of marriage. Thank you to my beloved Geoff. I love you. June