2017
Alan Graham Smith
November 7, 1929 – November 18, 2017

Alan Graham Smith 7 November 1929 – 18 November 2017

Our beloved father, Alan Smith, died after living with leukaemia for many years; it wasn’t a battle to be won or lost but a quiet coexistence allowing him to continue enjoying his life until almost the end. He died quietly at home, according to his wishes.

Our father was born in Glasgow, Scotland and came to Canada in 1947. He met and married the love of his life, our wonderful mum, Iva Pearl Beck, in New Brunswick and they raised five children, who though not perfect turned out pretty well. If you listened to Da talk about us, you would think he had five saints rather than the hellians we often were; he was very proud of us and always had a story to tell about our latest escapades. If successful parenting means raising five children who are happy with who they have become, he and mum did an exceptional job. Lucky us!

Born: November 7, 1929 Death: November 18, 2017

Da was also immensely proud of his grandchildren. They share his tenacity in plotting their own courses even when their paths weren’t the easy ones. They have the courage to change their mind even when the choice isn’t popular. Da was always happy to watch his children tear their hair out worrying about their kids; he called it the reward of being a grandparent. He was blessed with wonderful grandchildren and he is sorry he will miss seeing what they become.

Da loved his family more than anything, second to that was gardening and driving around the yard on his John Deere cutting every blade of grass that dared get out of line. He came late to gardening, only after our mum died. He couldn’t bear to see her flowers floundering under his care. He once commented that he didn’t understand why she hadn’t killed him as every autumn he would go out and help put her gardens to bed only to dig out all her carefully planted perennials and toss them into the compost bin. He tended her gardens and planted many more on his own. It gave him great joy when strangers knocked on his door to ask if they could walk through them. Even in the weeks before he died he was planning for next year. He loved to cook and bake and was good at both, especially after learning that in cooking one can create but baking is science and following a recipe gives best results. He was still well enough to be in the kitchen this summer and

happily helped make Sarah Mairi’s beautiful chocolate birthday cake at the end of August.
He was very proud of his 29 years of service to Canada, both in the Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force.
It wasn’t just a job; it was an adventure, the stuff of many a great salty dip. Sitting in the backyard over a beer he would often start with “did I ever tell you the story about or the time that I” and you knew you were in for a great laugh or a lesson you were better to learn from somebody else’s mistake instead of the hard way…… maybe something like “did I ever tell you about the night I spent in jail”? He was tenacious, learning how to play the bagpipes beautifully or quietly earning a college degree at night having joined the military with little education.
Alan left behind his five children; Sheila Graham-Smith and her spouse Gary Shaw, Drew Graham-Smith and his spouse Norm Bourque, Janet Graham-Smith and her spouse Doug MacKeen, Heather Smith and her spouse Karen Soria, and Fiona Sensenstein and her spouse Jeff Sensenstein, his six grandchildren Rebecca Brittin and her spouse Coby Brittin, Bethany Sensenstein, Graham Sensenstein, Sarah Mairi Graham-Shaw and her spouse Kitty Coyne, Jennifer Chaisson and Scott Chaisson. Da also leaves behind three great grandchildren; Alyssa-Anne, Luke, and Janiel. He was so excited to get to know Luke and Alyssa-Anne this past summer, and to welcome their brother Janiel on the 28th of August. Da had a special place in is heart for bubbies and he spent Janiel’s first few months cooing and singing to him and filling his tiny head with enough stories to last a long life. It was wonderful to hear the soft words of Ali Bali Bee being murmured to his newest grandbaby. He also left behind so many wonderful friends, from church, yoga, the Masons and Eastern Star and so many other of his activities, some, like Mary, Liz and Millie were as close to family as we are.
Da died leaving Janiel in charge of the house; but left his big brother, Luke with the great responsibility of the ceremonial raising and lowering of the Canadian flag that has always flown proudly beside our father’s house. Things are in good hands.
We are extremely grateful for the support provided to our father by his caretakers from VON, his palliative care team, his oncologist, Dr. Merryweather, and, finally, Heather Hannifan, the Client Service Agent

with Veterans Affair Canada, Integrated Personnel Support Centre 14 Wing Greenwood. Your help meant the world to our father and to all of us.
Nobody is truly gone when their stories live on and so when one of us turns to another over a beer, a wee dram or a cuppa or stretches out to poke the fire and suddenly says “did I ever tell you the story about the time when Alan did…. or do you remember the time when Da did… ” he is still with us.
Rest easy, Da, we have charge. Fair winds and following seas.
In accordance with his wishes, Alan will be cremated, and a small family service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers alternative expressions of sympathy may take the form of memorial donations to the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens. (www.historicgardens.com)
Alan would be most happy for that. Arrangements have been entrusted to Middleton Funeral Home, 398 Main St. 902-825-3448. Online guestbook may be signed by visiting: www.middletonfuneralhome.com

Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Alan Graham Smith 2017.source

Death notice for the town of: Middleton, Province: Nova Scotia

death notice Alan Graham Smith 2017- mortuary notice Alan Graham Smith 2017