RAYMOND GLEN JAST

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RAYMOND GLEN JAST April 6, 1954 March 25, 2009 Six months ago today, Ray left this realm for a place without illness or struggle. Loved and missed by his wife, Lorraine; son, Simon, age 18; daughter, Heidi, age 16; and mother-in-law, Trish, all of Adelaide, Australia; by his sister(s), Trish and Tamara; and by cousins Ralph, Lisa, and Paul Turney. Ray was predeceased by his father Ted, in 2002, and his mother Florence, in 1986. Ray was born in Winnipeg where he spent his first 26 years. In 1975, he graduated from the University of Winnipeg with a B.A. in Political Science. In 1982, Ray sought adventure and moved on his own to Adelaide where he obtained permanent residency. He met Lorraine, and they were married in 1988. Simon was born in 1991, and Heidi in 1993. Ray felt a deep love and attachment to his children, and he believed that sustaining a family was one of his most significant accomplishments. In 1993, Ray returned to Winnipeg, so that he and Lorraine could care for his aging father, and allow their children to experience Canadian life. In 2004, two years after his father passed away, Ray bought the home of his dreams in Adelaide over the Internet, and the family returned to Australia. Ray spent a year doing renovations, including a large second floor window with an expansive view of the Pacific Ocean. Ray's home and the beach beside it were tightly connected to his heart. His passions? Running marathons; exploring the beaches and hills of Adelaide on day-long bike trips; always working to improve each family home; seeking out movies that spoke to his imagination; and last, but not least, music. Music inspired Ray, and he felt a close bond with it throughout his life. In the words of one of his favourite song-writers, "And if I pass this way again, you can rest assured, I'll always do my best for them, on that I give my word; I offered up my innocence and got repaid with scorn, 'Come in,' He said, I'll give you shelter from the storm.' " Ray was a man who unfailingly did what he believed was right; a father and husband who seldom stumbled under the weight of those responsibilities; and a brother who will be forever missed and loved. Services for Ray were held in Australia. Interment took place in Adelaide, and in Winnipeg at Glen Eden Memorial Gardens. "He's ordinary, but there goes my hero, watch him as he goes. . ."

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Sep 26, 2009