GARTH ALAN ROGERS

Condolences & Memories (11 entries)

• Garth will forever be remembered in my family for his encounter of epic proportions with a cement luge track. He was my father's oldest friend and lived in our imaginations as the hero (and sometimes verging on antihero) of the myths and legends that enveloped my dad's Winnipeg childhood and adolescence. When we (my sisters and myself) finally met the flesh and blood man, his exuberance, vitality and intrepidity did not disappoint. The aforementioned violent clash with over 4000 feet of cement luge tract resulted from a combination of Garth's thrill-seeking requirement for maximum speed and his fairly high centre of gravity. When he emerged from a dust cloud at the bottom of the track carrying his luge slide, and removing debris from the open wounds covering an entire side of his large frame, it was not with defeat, but rather delight at having earned the distinction as the first (and possibly only) person to have fallen off the slide. His seemingly dauntless energy has now faded, but still the legend grows. - Posted by: Hayley Merkeley (Family Friend) on: Jul 07, 2013

• from the early days in financial banking to help at food banking, you will be missed, Garth. - Posted by: David Northcott (friend) on: Jul 04, 2013

• Heard the news today, another Pal has passed away. A special Friend, who carried my Father's name. Garth was one of the Boys who loved Life, hunting, fishing and telling tall tales. I've come to believe that we will all be together again, and he is probably organizing a hunt with my Mom and Dad, Uncle Norm, and all our doggies, especially my buddy, Jacob. Happy trails, Tex - Posted by: Tex Merkeley (Friend) on: Jul 03, 2013

• Regrettably, I only met Garth about 8 or 10 times, but always found him to be very honest & understanding, compassionate, & "funny". I know, as he expressed to me during our brief meetings that he loved his children greatly & believed in them to the n'th degree. Apparently he was a greater hunter, although he never boasted. I now miss him, but will remember him fondly. Best Regards to you his family. - Posted by: Filmer Hubble (personal friend) on: Jul 03, 2013

• I will never forget the energy he or his dog brought into my life. Thank you for all the great memories, they are burnt into a young hunter's mind. I am sorry I could not be there today, my thoughts are with you and your family. - Posted by: Raif (Friend) on: Jul 03, 2013

• Our sincere condolences. Sorry we can't be with you on Wednesday but you will be in our thoughts. - Posted by: Karen / Nicole / Carey () on: Jul 02, 2013

• garth came to us a few years ago with a red wine grin, a cigar and a few thousand stories. rip, buddy, give nitro a hug for us. - Posted by: gord and sandy lee (friends) on: Jul 01, 2013

• I think Garth has gone to a place where the smell of autumn is in the air twelve months of the year, where Labrador retrievers have the same life span as their owner, where stories really do get better with each telling, and where bag limits are just guidelines! - Posted by: Bill Burns (Friend) on: Jul 01, 2013

• Garth and I had a life long relationship. Our mothers were in the hospital at the same time, Garth being born 8 days after me. His father was best friends with my uncle Garth, and named his first son in his honour. Garth and I grew up together and had many adventures [many best untold in this forum]. Whenever we got together in person or on the phone we laughed uproariously at many of these wild and crazy times. Garth's later years were not overly kind to him. Losing his beloved cabin at Kendall's Inlet was a body slam that he struggled to recover from. Losing his driver's license so he could no longer hunt or fish was a particularly tough pill to swallow. Throughout these travails he could still muster up his innate good humour. I am going to miss calling him on his birthday on July 23, but I'll be thinking of him and remembering what a wonderful friend he was. Luv ya man. - Posted by: Paul Merkeley (life long friend) on: Jun 30, 2013

• Garth, --- a good friend and genuine buddy. We met in high school through our mutual friend Paul Merkley. Almost as soon as we met Garth and I started fishing and hunting together. There were several fishing trips out West to Kamloops and the Coast as well as “a meeting of the boys” every fall in the middle of the prairies in either Provost Alberta or Senlac Sask. The laughs could not be counted nor the green heads that Garth had shot. Garth as everybody knows was a story teller so our times together were filled with all the stories that Garth had garnered over the past year. Forty years of fishing and hunting together and never an argument except as to who’s turn it was to put on the waders. If I was still drinking Garth I would be tipping a cool one for you. You will be missed. My prayers are with you and your family. Your friend – Chad Mitchell - Posted by: Chad Mithell (friend ) on: Jun 29, 2013

• I have many fond memories growing up with Garth in the '50s and '60s. He always had a smile on his face and seemingly not a care in the world. - Posted by: Bill Yager (Cousin) on: Jun 29, 2013