Friday, September 16, 2022
I first met Charles when he reviewed my research funding applications when I was professor at the University of New Brunswick. He then began attending a Bible study group consisting of professors from engineering and humanities. Charles was the only administration participant and I was the only forestry one. Participation in that group was the beginning of Charles’ personal experience with Christ. Later, he regularly participated in a weekly Bible study with several friends, myself included. He was a humble man who took some years to get to the point where he felt in the right place to participate in Holy Communion. I respected for how serious he was about that.
He was very helpful to his mother who lived in Victoria BC, visiting her often and helping her with moves and with living in an assisted living home. I admired how diligently he looked after her, even though she was so far away.
I liked Charles’s unique sense of humour. He often signed his emails “staff”. Of course, there was no staff other than Charles himself, but his perspective on this was amusing.
He was always pleasant, often funny and always ready to help. His faith in Jesus helped him through several difficult occasions in his life, the latest of which was a battle with life-threatening cancer. Even when very ill, he remained cheerful, positive, uncomplaining and strong in faith. My life, and the lives of many others, were enriched in having had relationships with him.
