Book of Memories for Donald William Rea

Condolence From The Boyds, Dwaine, Pat, Shawn, Tammy, Trisha & Jerry

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 19:45:52 EDT

Our thoughts and prayers are with you in this time of sorrow. Don was such a wonderful neighbour, great family man and much too young to be taken so suddenly.

Condolence From Laura Preston

Sun, 20 Mar 2011 00:19:33 EDT

To my dear friend Laura, and Holly, Teresa and Karen: I have been thinking of you all constantly and have been sending my love and deepest condolences. If there is anything I can do to help during this very difficult time please do not hesitate to ask. With love, Laura (and Josh, Lorne, Dorie, Scott and Heather)

Story shared: Songs Requested by Don

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:24:48 EDT

It's A Dream Neil Young In the morning when I wake up and listen to the sound Of the birds outside on the roof I try to ignore what the paper says And I try not to read all the news And I'll hold you if you had a bad dream And I hope it never comes true 'Cause you and I been through so many things together And the sun starts climbing the roof It's a dream Only a dream And it's fading now Fading away It's only a dream Just a memory without anywhere to stay The Red River stills flows through my home town Rollin' and tumblin' on its way Swirling around the old bridge pylons Where a boy fishes the morning away His bicycle leans on an oak tree While the cars rumble over his head An aeroplane leaves a trail in an empty blue sky And the young birds call out to be fed It's a dream Only a dream And it's fading now Fading away It's only a dream Just a memory without anywhere to stay An old man walks along on the sidewalk Sunglasses and an old Stetson hat The four winds blow the back of his overcoat away As he stops with the policeman to chat And a train rolls out of the station That was really somethin' in its day Picking up speed on the straight prairie rails As it carries the passengers away It's gone Only a dream And it's fading now Fading away Only a dream Just a memory without anywhere to stay It's a dream Only a dream And it's fading now Fading away It's only a dream Just a memory without anywhere to stay It's a dream Only a dream And it's fading now Fading away When God Made Me Neil Young Was he thinking about my country, or the colour of my skin? Was he thinking about my religion, and the way I worshipped him? Did he create just me in his image, or every living thing? When God made me. When God made me. Was he planning only for believers, or for those who just had faith? Did he envision all wars that were fought in his name? Did he say there was only one way to be close to him? When God made me. When God made me. Did he give me the gift of love to say who I could choose? When God made me. When God made me. When God made me. Did he give me the gift of voice so some could silence me? Did he give me the gift of vision not knowing what I might see? Did he give me the gift of compassion to help my fellow man? When God made me. When God made me. When God made me. Last Night Of The World Bruce Cockburn I'm sipping Flor De Caa* and lime juice, it's three a.m. Blow a fruit fly off the rim of my glass The radio's playing Superchunk and the friends of Dean Martinez Midnight it was bike tires whacking the pot holes Milling humans' shivering energy glow Fusing the space between them with bar-throb bass and laughter If this were the last night of the world What would I do? What would I do that was different Unless it was champagne with you? I learned as a child not to trust in my body I've carried that burden through my life But there's a day when we all have to be pried loose If this were the last night of the world What would I do? What would I do that was different Unless it was champagne with you? I've seen the flame of hope among the hopeless And that was truly the biggest heartbreak of all That was the straw that broke me open If this were the last night of the world What would I do? What would I do that was different Unless it was champagne with you? Anything Anytime Anywhere Bruce Cockburn Tomorrow may come, it usually does Don't know what it will bring to the two of us I just want you to know What I'm ready to do Anything, anytime, anywhere For you When I'm holding you tight, you give me the power To burn like a torch in the darkest hour Tell me what you need I will surely come through Anything, anytime, anywhere For you Passion runs deep, it's scary sometimes When it's larger than life or your peace of mind It's got me all the same And I'm not sorry that's true Anything, anytime, anywhere For you Anything, anytime, anywhere For you Anything, anytime, anywhere For you Pacing The Cage Bruce Cockburn Sunset is an angel weeping Holding out a bloody sword No matter how I squint I cannot Make out what it's pointing toward Sometimes you feel like you live too long Days drip slowly on the page You catch yourself Pacing the cage I've proven who I am so many times The magnetic strip's worn thin And each time I was someone else And every one was taken in Hours chatter in high places Stir up eddies in the dust of rage Set me to pacing the cage I never knew what you all wanted So I gave you everything All that I could pillage All the spells that I could sing It's as if the thing were written In the constitution of the age Sooner or later you'll wind up Pacing the cage Sometimes the best map will not guide you You can't see what's round the bend Sometimes the road leads through dark places Sometimes the darkness is your friend Today these eyes scan bleached-out land For the coming of the outbound stage. Pacing the cage. Pacing the cage.

Story shared: Memories

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:14:55 EDT

Don was a husband, a father, a papa, a brother, an uncle and a friend. He was many different things, to many people. Don was the oldest of 5. He had 3 brothers and the youngest, finally a sister. Their family lived in Toronto, but Don’s fondest memories were of weekends spent at the cottage on Rea Shores, on Balsam Lake. That is where family gathered, pot-luck dinners were devoured and sing-songs were belted out around the campfire. Don became a husband to Holly on September 12th, 1981. Don and Holly bought their first house in Holland Landing where Don, soon after became “Dad” to three beautiful girls, Laura, Teresa and Karen. The family moved to Queensville where the girls spent a large part of their childhood. They went to school, joined girl guides, figure skating and this is when Holly began her bus driving career. Their weeks were busy with school and work. Their weekends were spent driving up north to “the lake” surrounded by family and friends. Everything was good until the closing of Southam Murray Printing where Don worked for 25 years as a mailer. Without the tie of the good paying job, Don moved his wife and 3 daughters north to be close to both of their families. This was a dream come true! As a self-proclaimed “PROUD CANADIAN” Don enjoyed himself most far away from the hustle and bustle of town. When they purchased a 72 acre hobby farm, Don finally had his private country property with plenty of grass to cut! When they moved, Don had promised his girls they could have a cat and a dog. Holly’s sister June quickly fulfilled Don’s promise by first dropping off a puppy and then on her very next visit, a kitten. Don joked that June was no longer allowed on the property because she kept dropping off animals. Those animals, Cody and Misty, changed Don into an animal lover. Not that he would ever admit that to anyone. Don’s girls grew up and became young ladies here. He sat quietly, yet proudly by, as they started driving, graduated both public and high school, and started carving their own paths. Although there were strict rules and more than a few arguments, there was always a lesson to be learned. And as much as we disagreed at the time, Dad was always right in the end. He wanted nothing but the best for Holly and his girls. Although he wasn’t really a “hands-on” dad, he would always be there to listen or give a hug when needed. Don and Holly celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in 2006 with a great party! Friends and family drove in from all over to surprise them and share such a milestone. Don honestly enjoyed having everyone there and thought that it was a great comparison to their wedding party that everyone raves about to this day!! A hard worker and provider for his family, Don tried his hand at many jobs to make ends meet. He was everything from a landscaper, to a shift worker at factories, and finally a custodian with the school board. All of these jobs lead up to Don and Holly purchasing their dream home on Balsam Lake. Shortly after, Don retired. This gave him time to enjoy the little things and spend more time with Tucker touring the back roads. On any given day you could have passed him in his Dodge burgundy pickup truck on any road in the City of Kawartha Lakes. Most likely, Holly was riding beside him and they were heading to Tim Horton’s. "Quality Time", as Don called it. As time went on, the Girls grew up, moved out and had homes, and families of their own. Weekend dinners became a priority. Holly would be in the kitchen and Don would be operating the cd player…Stompin Tom, Gordon Lightfoot or Bruce Cockburn would be playing, depending on the day. The occasional argument over how to operate the stereo was all part of the memories. The kickoff of summer was when the docks were being put it. This is when Don would call on the men in his girls lives and anyone else brave enough to venture in the chilly early May water. Ryan was the expert. He was always the first one there, ready to go, in his bathing suit. Stuart was responsible for rounding up the troops, which without fail, would always include his cousin Jeff. As Ryan bravely waded into the water…Stuart would be delaying or busily inspecting the docks on land for “monsterous” dock spiders. Don would always offer a hand but eventually settled into the supervisor roll. There were always lots of laughs, unlimited beer and yes, the occasional hairy dock spider. Don found this more than hilarious watching Stuart squeal from the safety of the shoreline. Don was a man whose grandchildren meant the world to him. Don didn’t have quite enough girls in his life – one more, “Little Jess”, was just the icing on the cake! Though Don didn’t know Jessie from her beginning, he naturally fell into the grandfather role. Told many times…to many people – Don met Jessie and her Dad together for the first time. And as the story goes…Stuart looked at Don, looked down at a grinning little 5 year old Jessie, then looked back at Don, as if to say…she’s with me. We’re a package deal. This story comes up every once in a while, and Don smiled every time he told it. He knew how unconditional a father’s love is for his daughter, and respected Stuart for it. Don had no idea what was in store for him! He quickly became known as “Papa Don”, and he couldn’t have been more proud. His “Little Jess”, also known as “chicken leg road runner”, loved to spend time with him. Whether it was laying on the couch snuggling, picking pretty rocks from the driveway or listening to Johnny Cash, it was all special and meant a lot to both of them. And then there were TWO. Kurtis William Rea was born August 18th, 2009. He was handed to a very proud Papa at the hospital where they spent the next hour in silence, just looking at each other. Papa’s little man was honestly the son he never had. Kurtis was everything to him. He was there for every milestone with a grin from ear to ear. Don was a changed man. Once shy of cameras, he was then asking for pictures of him to be taken. His “Little Boo” giggled at whiskery kisses and at times pointed and said loudly….Papa!! One of their favourite things to do together was make music by banging the washing machine. This was not one of Grandma's favourite things though! Kurtis loved his Papa very much and his Papa loved him more than he will ever know. Don had many friends but his go to guy was one of the more silent types. A dirty blonde, 7 year old boxer lab was truly his best friend. A man who once swore that a dog should have its own bed, ended up sharing his very own with Tucker almost every night. When Don just needed to talk, he would quietly listen. If Don needed company he was always there to lean on. Tucker was the last one to be with him…Tucker was truly a friend to the end. Don was never one to want to be in the spotlight…so we all know that he is probably more than a little ticked for all the attention today. If you have ever talked to Don on the phone you would know that he was never very good with good byes…..so in his own words: PEACE, LOVE AND HUBCAPS

Condolence From Julie McLeod

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:49:47 EDT

Condolence: I would like to express my condolences to the Rea family. I work at the child care center at DGH and remember many wonderful and funny conversations I had with Don. I only saw him a few times outside of DGH after he left but he always made it a point to stop and talk to me. We even blocked traffic once in the Zellers parking lot to talk while Holly ran in to get something! Don was such a treasure to know. I am very sorry I missed the visitation and funeral. Holly, your husband was a wonderful man and I am truly sorry for your loss.

Condolence From Susan Swartman

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:09:42 EDT

Holly and family, I send my deepest thoughts and prayers for the loss of your dear husband and much more. Time does have a way of making things alittle better. Love Susan Swartman, Bobcaygeon.

Condolence From Brent Stewart

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:58:16 EDT

Holly and the girls, My deepest sympathy, my thoughts are with you guys at this very sad time. Brent Stewart

Condolence From Nora Leeder

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 13:00:58 EDT

Dear Holly and girls, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I remember sharing many great stories and laughs with Don when he worked at DGH. I know how much he loved each of you. Holly - I am so sorry that I can't make the calling or service because I would like to give you a big hug. I enjoyed working with so much and I appreciated what a great friend you were to my dad. May you all find peace in the many wonderful memories that you have. I am sure that wherever you went you brought joy and laughter.

Condolence From aimee yeomans & coty beers

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 11:29:57 EDT

So sorry Holly and the girls for your loss. Don was an awesome guy :). Im glad that i got to know him keep strong were thinking of you.

Condolence From Earl & Dorothy McFeeters

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 08:41:58 EDT

Dear Holly and Family Our thoughs and prayers are with you at this sad and difficult time Love Earl & Dorothy McFeeters

Condolence From Ramona and Bob Carter and family

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:53:22 EDT

The years has passed but the memories have not. Our sincere condolences are with all of you now. Ramona and Bob Carter

Photo shared: Don and Holly's 25th Wedding Anniversary

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:31:44 EDT

Photo shared: Don on Balsam Lake

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:30:57 EDT

Condolence From Joeann Ellis and Verna Rea

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:29:24 EDT

To all the Rea family who have lost a husband, father, brother, grandfather or uncle. It has been a long time since I have seen Don, it was more likely that I ran into Holly somewhere in Lindsay and was able to say a quick hello. It seems like such a short time ago that we attended Don and Holly's wedding. Please know that our thoughts are with all of you during this most painful time. Joeann Ellis and Verna Rea

Condolence From Greg Arkwright & Family

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:23:44 EDT

My thoughts to you and your family at this time. Don was a great guy to work with and was able to brighten everyone's day with his great sense of humour. It was an honour to know such a great man.

Photo shared: Proud Papa!

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:23:31 EDT

Photo shared: Holly and Don

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:21:17 EDT

Photo shared: Papa and Kurtis

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:19:15 EDT

Photo shared: Jessie and Papa Don

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:18:42 EDT

Photo shared: View from Deck

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:18:12 EDT

Photo shared: Teresa and Don (Father / Daughter Dance)

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:17:21 EDT

Condolence From Kelly Worsley & family

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 23:09:01 EDT

Karen,Holly,Teresa and Laura. So sorry for your loss. Our thoughts and Prayers are with you at this difficult time.

Condolence From Ray & Sheila Mackie

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:12:00 EDT

Dear Holly and family, we are so sorry to hear of you loss, please accept our condolences at this time. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

Condolence From Annette & Herb Pounder

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 15:22:55 EDT

Holly & Family Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time. Herb and Don have shared many laughs over the years. We will keep these memories with us always. Herb & Annette & Family

Condolence From Albert Ball

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 13:41:33 EDT

Dear Holly and family Our thoughts and prayers go out to you at this time and know that faith gives us hope for the great bye and bye. Don and I shared some great times together at work and other places. I will remember him as a straight shooter and always spoke of his family that he loved.

Condolence From Tony and Tracey Barton

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 12:40:17 EDT

With deepest sympathy Holly and family.May you find comfort in each other and in the many happy memories you share,our prayers are with you in this very difficult time. Tony and Tracey Barton

Condolence From Lorinda Taggart and family

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 12:15:54 EDT

I only knew Don for a short time through Bobcaygeon Public School but have often thought of and missed our conversations since his retirement. He will be truly missed. Our thoughts are with his family at this time.

Condolence From Lynda & Adam Thierjung

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:55:27 EDT

Holly & family - so sorry for your loss, you are in our thoughts and prayers.

Condolence From Wayne & June Foster

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:53:13 EDT

Dear Holly & family - we are very sorry to hear about Don. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Condolence From Kevin, Donna, Jade & Jasmin Dawson

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:49:10 EDT

Holly, Laura, Teresa, Karen and family - we are so sorry for your loss. We will miss Don. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Condolence From Donna,George and Carling Brown

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:26:40 EDT

Dear Holly,Laura,Teresa, Karen and Family members. We are very sorry for your loss. Our hearts and prayers go out to you all.

Condolence From Lucy Junkin

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 09:32:59 EDT

Dear Holly and Family, I'm so sorry for your loss . My prayers go out to you all. God Bless you all .

Photo shared: Rea.JPG

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 07:31:40 EDT

Condolence From Bonnie Patterson

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:26:58 EDT

Dear Holly, Laura, Teresa, Karen and Families...No words can express our sympathy. We are all thinking of all of you at this very sad time xo Jim, Bonnie Patterson and Family

Memorial Candle lit by nancy hayman

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 19:11:43 EDT

Nancy,Sharon,Rick,Keith and families. Love you lots!