Lyle Morton
1928-2020
Capt. Lyle Edward Morton, CD
(Ret’d)
October 5, 1928 — April
7, 2020
Lyle Edward Morton was born on
the Morton Road family farm, Watford, Lunenburg County, NS. His early
schooling was in the one-room Watford School No. 59. Here, he met his
future wife Joyce Alice Silver when he was ten and she was seven. In
1952, they married following a very long, close friendship and a very
short—and, for most, an unexpected—engagement.
They were married 15 October 1952. Some said it would never last but,
after almost sixty-eight years of marriage, they proved naysayers
wrong. Strangers and friends alike will remember Lyle walking with
Joyce, always hand in hand.
Lyle joined the Royal Canadian
Air Force at Halifax, August 1948, as a Ground Communication
Technician and proceeded to Basic Training and the Academic Training
School at Aylmer, Ontario. He was quickly remustered to Air Comm Tech,
his first choice of trade, and transferred to Clinton, ON, in 1949 and
on to Summerside, PE, in 1950. Joyce and Lyle made their first home in
Summerside where daughter Charlene Anne was born in 1953. Son Lyle
Armand was born in 1954 at Lyle’s next posting in Clinton,
ON. From there, his military service took him and his family to
Winnipeg, Greenwood, Chibougamau, Ottawa, Shearwater, and back to
Greenwood. Over his military career, he moved quickly through the
non-commissioned ranks and was commissioned in 1967. Some of his most
enjoyable service years included flying on the Argus and Neptune
aircrafts as part of NATO exercises in the Azores, Brazil, Gibraltar,
Great Britain, Iceland, Norway, Puerto Rico, and the United
States.
Lyle retired in 1977 and built
his retirement home on the Morton Road. Always interested in energy
efficiency, he installed solar panels, a wood/oil furnace, and a
wind-powered generator. He enjoyed working in the woods and helping
Joyce in their large vegetable garden. As one who always appreciated
and respected the natural world around him, he was glad to have more
time to go paddling and bird-watching. His volunteer work included
fund-raising for the New Germany Medical Centre. He enjoyed running a
small repair business until visual impairments made this
impossible.
A constant thread in
Lyle’s life was his love of music, complementing his ethic
of community service. Before he left home, he taught himself fiddle
and guitar, and played cornet in the New Germany Band. After he joined
the airforce, he played bugle in the Bugles and Drum Band (Aylmer),
trumpet with the Brass and Reed Band (Summerside), baritone bugle with
the Piston Bugle Band (Clinton), and bass and euphonium with the Brass
and Reed Band (Greenwood). In retirement, he played twenty years with
the Bridgewater Firemen’s Band. In his last years, and even
after he lost most of his sight, he enjoyed playing electric bass with
the Lunenburg County Fiddlers and many other musical friends who
performed at seniors’ homes, variety concerts, exhibitions,
and jams.
It was Lyle’s wish to
die at home in Bridgewater with his wife, son, and daughter at his
side. He is survived by his wife Joyce; daughter Charlene Morton
(Daniel Vokey), Middle LaHave; son Lyle Armand (Jennifer) Morton,
Newburne; sister Shirley Wolf, Temecula, CA; brother Waldo (Ruby)
Morton, Watford; and grandson Fraser Edward (Johanna) Morton and great
grandchildren Emily Ann and Luke Edward Morton, Calgary. He was
predeceased by his younger sister Fay Suthern, Osoyoos, BC. The family
would like to thank the Palliative Care Team, VON, and R.A Corkum
Funeral Home for attending to Lyle’s medical care and final
wishes with compassion and respect, while also coping with the
challenges resulting from the pandemic. Donations in Lyle’s
memory can be made to the Nova Scotia Nature Trust, Canadian Red
Cross, or a charity of your choice. A public graveside gathering and
reception will be held at a later date.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Lyle Morton 19282020..
Death notice for the town of: Wileville, Province: Nova Scotia