ARTHUR HAMILTON STROCK

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ARTHUR HAMILTON STROCK August 9, 1918 - May 20, 2011 Concluding a blessed life, Art passed away peacefully, with family at his side, in the afternoon of May 20, 2011 at Deer Lodge Centre, Tower 4, at the age of 92. He leaves to mourn his devoted daughters Marjorie, Helen and Anne; son-in-law Hugh Penwarden; grandchildren Laura (Steven), Mark (Christina), and Kristjanna; great-grandchildren Victoria Hogue, Siena and Giulia Oleson, and a fourth great-grandbaby due to debut in June. Art was predeceased by his beautiful wife Dorothy (nee Hayward) in 2002. He was the last survivor amongst his siblings and their partners: his beloved brother and lifelong hero, Tom (Jean), his half-brother Bill (Antone), his baby sister Betty (Merv Parker) and his half-sister Evelyn (Larry Becker). He was also predeceased by Dorothy's siblings and their spouses: Marj (Herb), Stuart (Jean). and Roland (Ethel). In his 92 year and nine month life, Art suffered many losses including his daughter Annie's partner, Ken, and many, many friends from his circle and community. Art's parents were Harvey Elmer Strock and Elizabeth Barr. He was born in the family home and was raised on Lipton Street in Winnipeg. He attended Principal Sparling School and Daniel McIntyre. He participated in many sports throughout life, but excelled in gymnastics and tennis as a young man. One of Art's most treasured memories was playing Huckleberry Finn in the musical Tom Sawyer, and well into his dementia, he could remember the lines and lyrics from that production. Arthur had an impressive career. From 1935 to 1936 he worked for the Winnipeg Tribune, responsible for circulation and advertising for the publication in the Winnipeg Beaches area. From 1936 to 1938 he worked as an assistant trader on the floor of the Winnipeg Stock Exchange for Wm. E. Reid Co. In 1938, Art moved to Niagara Falls to work for Burgess Battery Co. while attending the University of Buffalo where he completed a Bachelor of Business Administration in the Faculty of Commerce. In 1941, Art enlisted in the R.C.A.F. He was trained and taught radar technology at the University of British Columbia, Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston and the U.S. Naval Training Centre in Corpus Christi, Texas. He was sent overseas in 1942 and worked in various postings including the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. He returned to Canada and was discharged in 1945. Arthur was a proud veteran but a strong advocate for peace. After his term of service, Art worked for about a year at Ray-O-Vac as an accountant and in 1946 moved to Stovel Advocate Publishing Co. In 1962, he purchased Sanford Evans Printing and Publishing Co., which he grew into the largest private printing company in Western Canada. In 1973, he sold the company to Teledirect Canada, a subsidiary of Bell Telephone, and remained CEO until his retirement in 1981. Art and Dorothy were married in February, 1948 and eventually built their home and settled in Fort Garry in 1952. They fulfilled their passion for sports at the Wildewood Club and developed lifelong friendships within that community. Of all of his accomplishments, Art's most stellar accomplishments were that as a father and husband. He and Dorothy worked hard at creating a home for their daughters full of love, support, humour and joy. Art always had time for his children and made sure that he spent ample time with us on weekend outings, working around the house, summers at Victoria Beach and annual family car trips to visit relatives or simply to explore. He placed considerable value in education, hard work and a positive outlook on life. Following Dorothy's death in 2002, Art demonstrated to his daughters and grandchildren remarkable adaptability and tenacity. In his final decade or so, he required the assistance of his family to navigate life with dementia. His dependency on us was a gift, an opportunity to get to more fully know this wonderful man without filters or pretence. There are many to thank for enriching our Dad's life. Our thanks go to Dr. Sheldon Permack, Home Care, Family Managed Care, the staff at the Victoria General Hospital, and of course, the remarkable staff at Deer Lodge Centre. We are most appreciative to the Deer Lodge staff who worked with our Dad from their hearts. In addition, there are many people who worked for our family in the care of our Dad, particularly the staff of Tina Rivera's company, Tina's Tender Loving Care, each of which Dad developed a special bond. In accordance with Arthur's wishes, a private family service has been held. In lieu of flowers or cards, please consider contributing to Dad's favourite charity, The Salvation Army, or do something deliberate and kind for an elder in your life.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on May 28, 2011