Charles Marmaduke Rees, age 90, died peacefully at the Perley and Rideau Veteran’s Health Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Friday, April 30th with family by his side.
Charlie was predeceased by his wife, Gloria (Cobb) and son, Jason and will be deeply missed by his children Todd (Karen), Tracey (Brad), Tim (Karen), Lori (John), Heidi (Harry), grandchildren Jared, Mackenzie, Laura, Leslie, Marc, great-grandchild Thomas, sister Joan, sister-in-law Carole (Norbert), sister-in-law Phyllis, and the nieces and nephews who knew him.
Social butterfly to the extreme, strangers would not remain that way if Charlie had a chance. He would literally talk to anyone and everyone.
He loved music and dancing, a good game of cribbage, driving, playing sports in his younger life and watching it in his later years. He regularly attended church while living in Newfoundland where he loved to welcome, read and assist as an usher and, after his recent move to Ottawa, he attended his daughter’s church.
With much fondness, he loved to share the story of the Christmas he met Gloria and how he proposed only 7 days later and wed just another 7 days after the proposal! He enjoyed people’s shocked reaction but would also beam with pride that he and Gloria were still together. They were married 57 years at the time of her passing in 2017.
Charlie was proud of his children and grandchildren, and their accomplishments – big and small: Bobby Orr hockey skills, angelic singing voice, trades acquired, schooling completed, jobs obtained, etc.
It was not unusual for Charlie to hand out loonies and toonies to children he would meet. Children indeed were a delight to him and he particularly enjoyed times shared with Jared, Mackenzie, Thomas, Adelle, Megan, Marcus, Nicolas, Timothy, Eslin, Carrie, Bailey, and Talia.
Growing up, Charlie’s children can attest to the fact that he had a bark that was 100 times worse than his bite. It was that loud, strong voice – along with his perfectionism – that made him such a good parade commander for so many years in St. John’s on November 11th and July 1st. He was a staunch protector of the honor, respect, and remembrance which those who have served in war deserve.
While living in St. John’s, he enjoyed his weekly visits every Wednesday to the Armed Forces base in St. John’s for coffee, then to the Royal Canadian Legion office nearby, ending in a visit to the veterans at the Caribou Memorial Veterans Pavilion. This he did for about 20 years.
As a Korea War veteran and Newfoundlander, he was extremely grateful to have had the privilege of traveling to Korea and Beaumont-Hamel, as well as to Ottawa for the 60th anniversary of the Korean War armistice and the unveiling of the Korean War memorial. He wore his medals proudly.
He was able to give several talks at high schools in St. John’s on Remembrance Day and was invited back every Remembrance Day to his grandchildren’s school where, to many students, he became known as Poppy.
Charlie was an incredible finish carpenter – hope chests, toy chests, bunk beds, kitchen cabinets, fences, deck, finished basement, backyard man cave with pot belly stove, to name a few. He was quite handy when it came to the many household renovations his wife was more than happy to initiate, a reviver of household appliances, and a taxi man, until he ushered his children toward their own drivers licenses by providing his own personalized driving lessons.
Story telling was one of his favorite pastimes. One he still remembered recently was how, as a young boy, he and a few friends went fishing in their small boat in Conception Bay and became stranded on a small uninhabited nearby island when the wind was too strong to row against. Thankfully, a few local fisherman spotted them and towed them back to Lance Cove. He ran to a family store and asked for cigarettes to thank the fisherman, half of which he kept for himself and his friends. It was then that a twinkle in his eye and a grin would appear.
He also recounted the time as a young boy during the Second World War when German U-boats attacked iron ore ships off Lance Cove, Bell Island where he lived with his parents. He recalled the sound of the explosion and going down to the beach with others and witnessing locals going out in their boats to rescue survivors.
Later in life, he began sharing stories of his time in Korea and many of his war time experiences have been recorded and are available on the Veterans Affairs Canada website.
The family would like to express their immense gratitude to the staff of The Perley and Rideau Veteran’s Health Centre. The care given to our father especially in these difficult times cannot be adequately expressed here. Quite simply, they were his family and friends during the COVID-19 lockdown.
A live video Memorial Service will be conducted Noon (EST) on Tuesday, May 11, 2021, hosted by St. Peter and St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Ottawa via their Facebook page.
A funeral service is planned for Newfoundland when COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. There, Charlie will be buried with Gloria and Jason.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Charlie’s memory can be made to one of the following:
The Perley and Rideau Veteran’s Health Centre, 1750 Russell Road, Ottawa, ON
The Caribou Memorial Veteran’s Pavilion, 100 Forest Road, St. John’s, NL
Dementia Society / Alzheimer Society