DottoDad

MY DAD

This is my Dad.
He's always been the driving force behind our family.
We all go to him for advice on just about everything.
He's one of the smartest men I've ever known and I'm not the only one who thinks that.
I'm proud to be his daughter.

This picture was taken at Dad's 84th Birthday celebration.
Dorothy, Alan & Helen with Dad

The Queen's Jubilee Medal

On November 17, 2002, I had the good fortune to attend a ceremony honouring my Dad and a few other very special people. He was awarded the Queen's Jubilee Medal. I nominated my Dad back in June 2002, after seeing an article in my local newspaper. The headline read, "Do You Know Someone Who Deserves A Medal?" I didn't have to think twice about that.

Dad and I at the ceremony with a Canadian Mounted Police officer.

The following is the letter I wrote and sent in with the nomination form.
Last names, etc. are removed for privacy reasons with **** in their place.

Re: Kenneth Frederick Wismer ********
Do I know someone deserving of a medal? Absolutely! That person is one of two who gave me life. That person is my Father, Ken ********. He has given of his time and talents to benefit his community for well over fifty years and at the age of 83 (July 3, 2002) he still seldom says, “No” when his family, friends or community calls.
He and my Mother met, fell in love, and were married during World War II, when they were both stationed at Scampton Air Base in England. My Father enlisted in the R.C.A.F. and finished training as an Aero Engine Mechanic before being posted to England, where he volunteered for training as a Flight Engineer on the four-engine Lancaster Bomber. He went on numerous bombing runs over Germany and Italy and returned to Fort Erie at war’s end with his Scottish war bride and infant daughter. Somehow my Father charmed my Mother’s parents into letting him take her away, across the ocean, to the foreign country that was his birthplace, where he still resides today. Unfortunately we lost my Mother to cancer on February 28th, 1999.
My Father worked hard as a residential carpenter, took care of his family (3 children), and was an upstanding citizen, who always worked tirelessly for his community. He believes in helping his fellow man and has succeeded in doing that in many ways.
He joined Fort Erie Fire Company No.* in 1952 and held many positions as an active member over a thirty-year period, including Chief, for 12 years. He has remained as an Exempt Member to this day. He also played an active roll for twenty years, in the organizing of the annual Fire Training School for the Niagara District Firefighter’s Association. This year (2002) marks his 50th year of volunteer service with Fort Erie Fire Company No.*.
He proudly holds a Life Membership in the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, and the Ontario Fire Chief’s Association, is a Life Member and Honorary Past President of the Niagara District Firefighter’s Association.
My Father also served as a member of the Douglas Memorial Hospital Board. During his tenure as Chairman he saw the combined completion of the new Emergency Wing and the celebration of the hospital’s 50th Anniversary. He holds a Life Membership to the Fort Erie Douglas Memorial Hospital Association.
My Father is also a long time member (over fifty years) of the Palmer Masonic Lodge. The letters you see on the front of the hospital that spell out its name were hand made of wood, by my father, and have been maintained by him for many years. He often used his skills as a carpenter whenever a worthy project came along. With a little help he built the addition to the Fort Erie Fire Company No.* fire hall, adding several new docks to house fire trucks and equipment.
My Father belongs also to an environmental organization dedicated to cleaning up the local creeks and improving the water quality in and around the Fort Erie area, called Friends of Fort Erie Creeks.
My Father sometimes said he didn’t think he was as good a father as he could have been, but I’ve always disagreed with him. He taught us a lot of valuable lessons, things like the value of a dollar, how to be strong in a crisis, and the importance of family. My Father has always had a favourite line he quoted to me all during my growing up years. “Any job worth doing is worth doing well.” That line speaks well of everything he’s ever done, whether it be his carpentry, volunteering in his community, friendships, or family. He’s always been there to help when he had the knowledge and resources and is always there to be supportive. He believes in hard work and honesty, but most of all he believes in family and friends.
For all these reasons and many more, too numerous to mention, I think my father has more than earned this medal, but even if he doesn’t receive it I know he’s proud of his community and his country and feels good about being able to be of service to them. For him the reward was never in the recognition, but merely in the giving.

Helen, Dad, Myself and Alan with a Canadian Mounted Police officer.

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