Hello and welcome to a new blog post. Today we begin The Family Years chapter which will cover the years 1950-1999. A long stretch to be sure, and busy years of raising a family, running a business and contributing to the community in many ways.
There were five children born to Charlie and Margaret. Robert Charles Hunter was born June 4, 1952; Anne Elizabeth on July 10, 1958; Mary Kathleen on April 10, 1963; Stanley Arnold on April 8, 1965 and John David on April 25, 1967.
Charlie tells us about those early family years, a bit about each of his children, and his parents’ later years:
In 1957 Dr. Jack and Jeanette Shaver purchased our home on Talbot Street for his home and doctor‘s office. Margaret, Bobby and I lived with Father and Mother (C.D. and Kate Hunter) while I built a new home at 265 Oakland Road. Mother was an excellent cook. She gave Margaret the freedom to do painting at the new house next door. Margaret varnished the knotty pine paneling three times with sanding in between and she did other painting as well. Margaret said that the new baby expected in July would be born with a paint brush in her mouth. “Anne turned out to be the artistic one!” We moved into our new home on February 11, 1958. The house was liveable. It needed the main bathroom finished, floors laid in the kitchen and other finishing to do. When we needed a shower we went next door.
Margaret was kept busy raising the family while I was at work at the Lumber Yard or at the Fire Department. Early on, we raised dairy cattle and later Angus beef cattle. A barn was positioned between the two houses, and the pond was surrounded by fenced pasture. When Anne turned eight or nine, the cattle were gone and a pony, Smokey, was brought into the family. This was the beginning of many years of horses and dogs for Anne, which she loved.
Over the years there were music lessons, hockey practice, dental visits and other activities to attend to. When the three younger children came along, Margaret had some live-in help. One was a woman from Korea, who could not speak English. She stayed only a few weeks. Next, we employed a young girl, Mieke, from Holland. She was very good with the young ones, and stayed for about three years. One year, Linda and Carol Gardiner lost their mother to cancer in March or April. We had them come live with us until school was over in June. After June, they went to live with an aunt.
Robert (Bobby or Bob) attended elementary school in Scotland, Waterford District High School and obtained his Business Administration degree from Western University in London in 1975. He then came to work with me at Hunter Lumber. Bob married Christa Schulze on July 12, 1975 . They live in Grandfather Hunter’s house next door (267 Oakland Road) and have four children – Sarah, Elaine, Aaron and Victoria.
Anne attended Scotland Public School and Burford High School. During her High School days, she joined a Horse Club and entered events at Burford Fair and other events. Anne started at Western University but was not happy in her program. After Christmas she moved to Guelph University where she graduated in Animal and Poultry Science in 1981. Anne married Henry Schulze on June 13, 1981 and they have three children – Heidi, Emily and Rebecca. Anne and Henry both worked for Hunter Lumber. Anne’s love of animals is evident in the horses, dogs and cats she has had over the years.
Mary attended Mt. Pleasant School for Kindergarten, then Scotland School, and Burford High School. In Grade 13, she obtained her ARTC diploma from the Toronto Conservatory of Music in piano. Mary attended Toronto University graduating with a Bachelor Degree in Music in 1986. She then obtained her teacher’s certificate at Althouse College in London. She worked as a youth worker for St. John United in Hamilton, then Music Director for the church. She also took a part-time teaching job. Mary married Steven Seabrook on March 5, 1994 and they have three children – Kara, Eric and Joel.
Stanley (Stan) attended Scotland School, Burford High School and graduated with a Bachelor degree in Systems Design Engineering, Co-op program from Waterloo University in 1989. After teacher training he began teaching at Orchard Park Secondary School in Stoney Creek. He has led a robotics program in the school which brought him recognition by Prime Minister Steven Harper. He married Debra (Deb) Lynn Blaauw on May 5,1990 and they now make their home in Beamsville. They have three children- Leesha, Isaac and Briar.
John attended Scotland School, Burford High School and graduated with distinction with a Bachelor of Mathematics and Computer Science from University of Waterloo in 1991. He works for a Telecommunication Company. John married Andrea Birgit Kamutzki on October 10, 1992, and they now make their home in Port Credit. They have three children – Leah, Timothy and Simon.
On January 31, 1971, Mother (Kate Hunter) died of an aneurysm very suddenly. My father stayed in his own home for a couple of years, but eventually came to stay with us. Because of complications due to diabetes, he became a double amputee below the knee, and had prostheses made for him at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto. They claimed that he was the oldest person that had walked with artificial limbs to date. He was in his 80’s. A few members of the Scotland Masonic Lodge presented him with his 50th year membership pin in 1974. Father was living with us until March of 1977, when both Margaret and I were so tired of night and day duty, that Dr. Shaver sent Father to hospital. Margaret visited him every day Monday to Friday, and said others could visit on the weekend. Father was able to attend David and Ellen Smith’s wedding on July 2, 1977 and passed away on August 2, just one week past his 94th birthday.
Don’t forget the Family Tree that can be referenced under the Appendices tab at the top, or by clicking here.
Til next time,
xo
andrea