ERNIE WEEKS 100th BIRTHDAY

They say that you can judge a mans character by the friends he keeps. If this is in fact true, then Vince’s father is--to say the least--a most outstanding individual. At a time in life when most people lucky enough still to be alive find themselves wasting away in an old age facility--forgotten by the world at large, Ernie Weeks is a true phenomenon! And during one incredible week of celebrations, everyone who has been privileged to know him turned out in recognition of that fact.

Ernie’s actual 100th birthday was April 5th, 2011. But festivities scheduled in his honour began well before this date. The Flamborough Chamber of Commerce kicked of his celebrations with the presentation of a special plaque honouring his years of service with that organization. Then it was off to the War Plane Heritage Associations annual meeting where its 150 members recognized his work there as a docent with a party, cakes, and huge matted photograph of Ernie embellished with the autographs of dozens of association friends.

On Sunday April 3rd, Vince and I hosted a special gathering for family and over 130 special friends. Previously we had asked Ernie to think back over his life and tell us the names of people who in some way had shared a memorable relationship with him. And that’s how we came up with the guest list. Friends at the party included people from all walks of his life--neighbours, curling partners, Rotarians, church friends, travelling companions, business associates, fellow pilots--you name it, they were there. And virtually EVERYONE who received an invitation actually CAME--such was the high esteem with which they held their friendship with him. Zarky’s did a wonderful job catering this affair and there was plenty of punch, cake, coffee, and hors d’oeuvres for everyone. The venue was decorated with colourful bouquets of flowers at every table and stands of helium filled balloons. The highlight of the event was a “Tribute” to Ernie delivered by Vince and a slide show set to “big band music” of the 40’s highlighting all the major events in his 100 years of life.

The next evening, the Waterdown Rotary Club held a celebration in his honour. This was followed by another birthday event on April 5th at “Weeks of Waterdown”--the store which still bears the family name after almost a century of existence. Cameras and a “host” from CHCH TV showed up for this event which was highlighted by a “fly-past” of a Harvard from the Warplane Museum.

The biggest party of all however was the last. A full page “ad” was taken out in Waterdowns weekly newspaper, “The Flamborough Review” inviting the ENTIRE community out to a celebration of his life sponsored by a combination of Rotarians, Chamber of Commerce, Weeks of Waterdown and Knights of Columbus! Ernie was “piped into” his party by his old friend Peter Vance in full highland regalia of bagpipes and kilt. There were speeches, letters of congratulation from the mayor, premier, prime minister and even Queen Elizabeth herself, amid throngs of friends and well-wishers. Reporters from two regional papers conducted interviews and articles about Ernie appeared in local newspapers.

It was impossible to hope for more. And Ernie will surely remember this week for many years to come. At 100 years of age Vince’s father still drives a car, lives in his own home, takes frequent trips abroad, acts as a docent, gives talks, entertains, plays a mean hand of bridge, and has the vitality and zest for life usually reserved for men a generation younger. The “Tribute to My Father” which Vince and I wrote together is reprinted below.

TRIBUTE

My father, Ernie Weeks, was born on April 5th, 1911 in the little Acadian village of Bouctouche, New Brunswick, where HIS father George ran a grist mill for none other than the K.C. Irving family--who were not famous then but just family friends. Because Bouctouche was a French settlement, dad grew up completely bilingual--a fact that few people know.

In 1917 his grandpa moved the family to Beechville On. where he bought and ran a mill. Although only a small boy at the time, dad well remembers Armistice Day 1918 when all of Beechville assembled on their lawn to celebrate the end of the Great War. And when their old friend K.C. Irving, who had served during the War in the Canadian Air Corps, invited the Weeks family to Toronto to see an Air Corps plane, my father knew there and then that he would someday learn to fly.

The Weeks family moved to Waterdown in 1924 when my grandfather George bought the old stone store at the corner of Mill St. and Hwy. 5. Dad was 13. As a teenager at Waterdown High School he won the first “Athlete of the Year” award ever handed out by that school. He won it for track and field. He ran the 100 yard, 220, 440 and half mile. He also did high jump, pole vault, broad jump and played on the school rugby team. Many years later an athletic scholarship bearing the “Weeks” name was established at Waterdown High and every year, to this very day, my father presents it to the Athlete of the Year during Waterdown’s graduation ceremonies.

After his own graduation from the first class of the new Waterdown High School, dad enrolled at the University of Toronto in chemical engineering but then moved sideways into philosophy and from there, sideways again to study theology at St. Peters Seminary in London On. While still a seminary student he visited the Hamilton Flying Club during the summer and shifted sideways once again from the seminary into aviation. He was fated to fly.

After purchasing a De Havilland built 3 place Tiger Puss Moth along with two friends, he became a barnstormer, taking people for rides in his airplane at fairs and other festive occasions. He later operated a flying school in Sudbury, instructed at the Hamilton Aero Club and spent 2 years as a civilian instructor for the Canadian Air Force.

Then, in 1943, he was called to Ottawa for a secret meeting. The federal government was worried about the Russians and wanted more information about the arctic. There were no reliable maps of the area with large tracts of the Canadian north still needing to be explored and charted. Aviators were sought who had previous experience as bush pilots with float experience. And my father was chosen. Planning was done with great secrecy. During training, team members had no idea of their ultimate destination. Mail was sent to New York City and then secretly transferred to Goose Bay. Such was the distrust of future Russian intentions that every effort was made to keep the project secret. The 1943 team included 31 airmen and civilians. After being dropped off at remote sites, stone cairns were built with bronze markers. These would later be used as permanent fixes for future aerial photography. The photographs were sent to Ottawa and used to draw the maps.

Dads job, as it was for the other 2 Norsemen pilots, was to find the remote sites, and leave 2 surveyors and their supplies. When they had finished building the stone and brass cairn, he would return and pick up the 2 men and either take them on to the next site or back to base. During his 3 years in the Arctic, my father spent a lot of time living with the Inuit who were willing to share whatever they had with these strangers from the south. Once when the airmen were preparing their own dinner--which involved a large onion--the curious Inuit insisted on taking a bite. The cook let them. They did and then fell to the ground laughing and saying they couldn’t understand why anyone would want to eat something as over-powering as an onion.

Dad married my mother Pauline during the war and, when he returned home, he and his brother Irving took over the store so that grandpa could retire. More buildings were purchased and incorporated into the original establishment and over the years Weeks of Waterdown grew from a small general store into an unique hardware business. But dads store was unique in another way too. Because the man who ran it was unique. My father Ernie REALLY cares about people and has spent his entire life in the service of others. And in that capacity he has made a real difference in the lives of many people in Waterdown and in the community at large.

His earliest role model was HIS father George who, during the Great Depression kept many families down on their luck from going under. A special “credit system” was established at the store during those hard years where families with no money could trade eggs, butter or whatever they had to barter for badly needed merchandise. And for those who couldn’t repay their account at all, he just let the account drop, telling his family “We can’t see people starve.” When dad took over the store that same philosophy of “giving to others” continued. As a child, many a time I can remember townspeople with emergency problems calling in desperation at all hours of the day and night for help. And dad would always stop whatever he was doing, leaving mom and I at home, to meet people at the store, open it up for them, and help to solve their problems with both parts and suggestions. A contractor would want some tinsmithing done, builders wanted glass cut for windows or plumbers might need some pipefitting. These people depended on my father to help them and if it meant having to go in at night to get those jobs done for them, that’s what he did. In the summer there were electricians and carpenters with emergencies on the job and every winter farmers with frozen pipes needing plumbing parts and pumps to service their livestock. These emergencies always seemed to occur just when we were sitting down for a meal, about to go out to a social event and often in the middle of the night. But for dad it was all just a part of life. And he was always ready and willing to give a hand to anyone who needed it. For this reason, I believe, he is so beloved by the people of Waterdown.

But dads kindness, caring and generosity extended far beyond the door of his store. During the 1950’s he was responsible for the organization, purchasing and setting off of Waterdowns Victoria Day Weekend fireworks display for the community at Memorial Park. He is a founding member of the Waterdown Rotary Club and was instrumental in the building and caretaking of Rotary Gardens--the senior citizen residence on John Street just across the road from our own house. And for more than 50 years he has worked on hundreds of fundraising events for that organization and is still involved every year as an participant at Halloween in the Rotary Haunted House. He also finds time in his busy schedule to work as a tour guide at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum where he helps educate children about the air force.

Dad has been honoured internationally with several awards from Rotary including being named as a Paul Harris Fellow for his outstanding work in the community. And the Flamborough Chamber of Commerce has also presented him with its Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2006 my father was recognized nationally for his lifetime of achievement when he received the Ontario senior achievement Award for being an outstanding role model with his indomitable spirit and passion for volunteer work. These awards are presented annually to recognize outstanding seniors who have made significant contributions to their communities. Dad received his from the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario at Queens Park Parliament buildings in Toronto.

My fathers only foray into politics, on the hydro-electric commission, garnered him more votes than anybody else in the municipal election. He has never run for mayor. But if he had, I’m sure that he would’ve won hands down--loved, respected and trusted as he is by everyone who has ever been privileged to know him. Happy 100th birthday dad---and may you have 100 more!

And now I would like to invite the oldest member of the Weeks family--Ernie, and the youngest, his great grand daughter Lilly--who is ALSO celebrating HER birthday today. Her 5th birthday--to come on down and blow out the candles on their cake!