Wanamaker, Reg C.

Reg C. Wanamaker, in his 104 ^th year, of Oakville, Ontario, peacefully passed away just at Dawn, on March 24, 2022.

Beloved Husband of Ruth (2005) and Father of Reed.  Predeceased by his Parents William and Beatrice, Sisters Dorothy and Vivian.

It's said, we're all given a "Road of Life" to journey down, from that first breath taken, to our last.

Would it be Sheer Determination, Strength of Character or Genes that would see him outlive his Mother (102), Grandmother (103), making it into his 104 ^th year?

Here is but a Smidgen of the things that occurred along Dads journey.

He would be born on the Family Farm in Sine, part of Rawdon Township, north of Stirling, Ontario. It would be 1918 and during the Spanish Flu outbreak.

In the 1920's, his parents would gather up their now 3 siblings and head off to Toronto to begin a new chapter in their lives.

His father, a Construction Building Superintendent for Milne & Nicholls (a company still in business today), would occasionally take his young son in tow to the numerous jobs he supervised. They varied from the construction of office buildings in Downtown Toronto, to the scores of homes built in Oshawa, for GM.

But, one notable project he would be taken too was the construction of the Dorfman (Raydor) Estate Home. This building now serves as the Headquarters of Golf Canada and the Canadian Golf Museum and Hall of Fame at the Glen Abbey Golf Course in Oakville.

Now in his early teens and being educated at Toronto's Central Tech, an interest in Aircraft Design and Flying would blossom. While at school, he and his Buddy, Albie Pow (later to become a well known Canadian Glider Pilot) would take an interest in Gliding. Upon graduating, together they would buy a Tiger Moth and base it out of Baker Field, a private airfield just south of the present day Yorkdale Mall, off Dufferin St. in Toronto.

With the outbreak of WW2, Albie would go off to head up De Havilland's War Aircraft Manufacturing operations, while Dad would join the RCAF.

Once enlisted, training would take him first to the base at the Toronto Island Airport/CNE, followed by stints in Trenton, Mountain View, Hagersville, Goderich and Defoe, Saskatchewan.

Dad would be one to go proudly serve Our Country as a Bomber Pilot, based out of numerous Stations across England during WW2, flying the Halifax, Wellington and at the latter part of the war, Lancaster.

Following the War, he chose to leave the Service, marry his prewar sweetheart Ruth and settle in Oakville, that community exposed to him in his youth.

Being creative to the core, he started Atlantic Manufacturing, a Furniture business at the foot of Forsythe St., Oakville. Fabricating Baby Furniture for what would become the "Baby Boomer Generation" and selling to the likes of Eaton's, Simpsons, even Honest Ed's. This would eventually become known as Federal Furniture, with an Aluminum Door, Window and Siding division added. In later years this site would become the Townhouse development now situated at the corner of Anderson and Forsythe Streets.

While this fledgling business kept him busy during the day, evenings would be spent, single handedly, building a home for his Family, the one he resided in well into his 102 year.

During the 1960's, he became a member of the Oakville Kinsmen Club, making many long lasting Friendships.

When retirement came along, not one to ever be idle, his aircraft design skills were soon put to good use. He become the "Lofter" at C & C Yachts, Bruckman Plant, here in Town. During his tenure, the likes of Manitou, Phantom, Trunorth and Evergreen, amongst others, were proudly handcrafted.

Through his retirement years, avid gardening produced tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, all from seed. He was especially proud of the colorful geraniums that dotted his corner lot property.

Even into his senior years, when the "Lanc" from the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Mt. Hope (one of only airworthy aircraft in the World ) would cruise along the shore of Lake Ontario flying directly over his home, those four engines would perk up his ears and his eyes would light up.

Oh how he loved Flying !!!!!!!!!!!!!

In keeping with Dads wishes, cremation has already taken place and has now flown home to rest beside his wife Ruth, of 60 years, at Glen Oaks Cemetery, Oakville.