Tribute to Austin
Ten years ago today the world lost a great man. A man that my own little son is named after.
Austin as a young boy came accross on a packette ship with his Mom and Dad and older brother and younger twin siblings from Sweden. He talked about the rough seas, the crowding, the lack of hygiene. The little girl twin died during the crossing and he could remember his Dad having to drop her overboard as there were no other choices. He didn't remember coming west. Just the boat crossing and then being in Calgary and then the trip out to the area that his parents homesteaded. Ending up in deep in a Alberta winter with nothing but a trunk and the remainder of the family. Sadly within a year his older brother Ralph would die of a mosquito bite. That just left Austin and the remaining twin. It was hard. It had to have been hard. They didn't speak English, they had nothing but the land and the promise of posperity. Austin grew up into a fine young man. He worked on the Grand Trunke railroad, the road to Alaska, the elevators in Nordegg and Rosebud and others that he could no longer remember. He waited until later in life to take a wife. He chose the prettiest girl around though. They were blessed with a baby boy Ralph nine months to the day after they were married. No more children seemed to be in the coming though. He worked hard on the homestead. He took both his parents and his wifes parents into his home as they aged and battled with health problems. He had a horse that he loved dearly and would do anything with. A son Myles joined the family as a big surprise many years later. Austin would be one of the first people ever diagnosed with alzeihmers in 1967. He knew that a hard time layed ahead for him and Lilly. He encouraged her to go to school and learn bookeeping, and administration, and taught her how to run the farm. Good neighbors were a huge help. A ten year old boy grew up slowly watching his father disappear from the person he knew to someone that didn't know him. Austin has hospitalized for years in a number of different hospitals. He was a strong strong man. It took a long long time for the alzeihmers that stole his mind to eventually allow his body to be ravaged by pnemonia. Ten years ago today it was a bitterly cold Alberta day. A blizzard blowing, snowing and almost impassable roads. So on the type of day that Austin first arrived in Alberta was the type of day that he left it. I am pround that my little guy is named after this incredible man, I wish with all my heart that he could have seen his youngest son grow up into the wonderful man that he is, and to be able to see his two grandchildren. Austin I know you look down on us, I want you to know that you are loved and missed.
Austin as a young boy came accross on a packette ship with his Mom and Dad and older brother and younger twin siblings from Sweden. He talked about the rough seas, the crowding, the lack of hygiene. The little girl twin died during the crossing and he could remember his Dad having to drop her overboard as there were no other choices. He didn't remember coming west. Just the boat crossing and then being in Calgary and then the trip out to the area that his parents homesteaded. Ending up in deep in a Alberta winter with nothing but a trunk and the remainder of the family. Sadly within a year his older brother Ralph would die of a mosquito bite. That just left Austin and the remaining twin. It was hard. It had to have been hard. They didn't speak English, they had nothing but the land and the promise of posperity. Austin grew up into a fine young man. He worked on the Grand Trunke railroad, the road to Alaska, the elevators in Nordegg and Rosebud and others that he could no longer remember. He waited until later in life to take a wife. He chose the prettiest girl around though. They were blessed with a baby boy Ralph nine months to the day after they were married. No more children seemed to be in the coming though. He worked hard on the homestead. He took both his parents and his wifes parents into his home as they aged and battled with health problems. He had a horse that he loved dearly and would do anything with. A son Myles joined the family as a big surprise many years later. Austin would be one of the first people ever diagnosed with alzeihmers in 1967. He knew that a hard time layed ahead for him and Lilly. He encouraged her to go to school and learn bookeeping, and administration, and taught her how to run the farm. Good neighbors were a huge help. A ten year old boy grew up slowly watching his father disappear from the person he knew to someone that didn't know him. Austin has hospitalized for years in a number of different hospitals. He was a strong strong man. It took a long long time for the alzeihmers that stole his mind to eventually allow his body to be ravaged by pnemonia. Ten years ago today it was a bitterly cold Alberta day. A blizzard blowing, snowing and almost impassable roads. So on the type of day that Austin first arrived in Alberta was the type of day that he left it. I am pround that my little guy is named after this incredible man, I wish with all my heart that he could have seen his youngest son grow up into the wonderful man that he is, and to be able to see his two grandchildren. Austin I know you look down on us, I want you to know that you are loved and missed.
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