Memorials

"Be open to your dreams, people. Embrace that distant shore. Because our mortal journey is over all too soon."

- David Assael

Mike Timmers:

Cpl Mike Timmers, an air cadet of 608 RC(Air)CS was tragically on killed November 15^th night at roughly 11:00pm. Mike was involved in a head-on collision while returning home from work. He will be greatly missed by family and friends.

Major Peter J.W. May, CD:

From the Hamilton Spectator: Major Peter James William May, CD, passed away peacefully at home on Monday, October 25, 2004 in his 81st year. Peter was born in Ramsey, Essex, England in 1924, immigrated to Canada in 1956 with his wife Sylvia and retired from Mohawk College as Teaching Master in 1989. He joined the Royal Navy in 1942 and served in the U.K., Northern Ireland, and the South Pacific. In 1966, he joined the Cadet Services of Canada, and in 1985 he joined the Army Cadet League as Area Liaison Officer; he worked with the youth of Hamilton for 38 years.
He was Past President of the Hamilton Military Institute; Past Governor with the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires, Knight in the Order of St. John of Jerusalem; Past President of the RSES; Member of the 23rd Service Battalion Senate, and past Commanding Officer of the 2814 Hamilton Service Battalion Army Cadet Corps.

Lt(N) William J Lehr:

Lt(N) Lehr was HMCS Acadia’s Range Safety Officer for years. He had a great sense of humour and loved a good laugh. A man dedicated to the corps as it always came first, spending endless nights in the ships office. Every Saturday morning bright and early for 2 years he was waiting in our building for our biathlon team to show up for practice.
Sadly, on October 15th 2004, Lt(N) William J. Lehr passed away. He will be missed by all.

Col Timothy J. Cramer, CAP :

Colonel Timothy J. Cramer Commander Virginia Wing Civil Air Patrol United States Air Force Auxiliary.

Col Cramer is with our lord after a short fight with cancer. He was very strict and we had our words at time but he was a great leader, teacher and most of all a man I can be proud to call a friend.

O/Cadet Grant Cunningham:

Grant Cunningham was an exceptional instructor, and managed to mix humor with serious instruction in a way that made it fun to learn. He was a great guy who really cared about his cadets.

Grant lived his life large, with passion, generosity, loyalty, responsibility, and a contagious, all- encompassing enthusiasm. He packed more living into his 23 years than others do in much longer lifetimes.

Grant received his early schooling in Three Hills, and was honored to be chosen as the valedictorian at his Grade 12 graduation. He received his Electrical Engineering degree from the University of Alberta in the spring of 2003. But it was the people that Grant met, and the training that he received in the Air Cadet program, that had the most effect on his life. Grant joined the Air Cadets Squadron in Olds in his Grade 7 year. Through Cadets, Grant was able to participate in a Cadet honor band which toured the three prairie provinces, and develop his wilderness skills by living "off the land" at a summer survival camp. Grant was also able to obtain his glider's and private pilot's license through the Cadet program, and in his final year, he had the honor of being selected to tour Australia with Cadets from other countries. As Grant progressed through the Cadet program, he began to teach younger Cadets, and volunteer on weekends at the Netook Gliding Centre during the spring and fall gliding programs. Grant recently learned that he had been accepted into the Canadian Air Force as an aeronautical engineer, and was slated to begin his Basic Officer Training this coming January (2005).

Sadly, a week after camp ended (Aug. 26), O/Cdt. Cunningham crashed the Piper Cherokee he was flying while returning to Gimli to attend a friend's wedding. He was flying from Yorkton to Gimli and went down just east of Lake Manitoba Narrows. It was thought that he encountered bad weather along the route, and had turned around to avoid it. He was not carrying any passengers.

Dustin Engel:
Dustin Engel was a sea cadet sail instructor from 100 Admiral Mainguy in Duncan BC. On Monday, June 21st, 2004 he was tragically killed in an accident when he took a corner too fast in his jeep. He was a volunteer firefighter with the Cowichan District and at the time he was responding to a fire call. He passed away at the scene of the accident on his way to save another's life. He will truly be missed.

Prior to joining the Sahtlam Volunteer Fire Department in January, Engel had been a member of the Royal Canadian sea Cadet Admiral Mainguy, participated in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program, was with Search and Rescue, Wilderness Watch and Forestry Wilderness in Lake Cowichan, played football and was on the rugby team at Lake Cowichan Secondary School.

Prior to Engel's last ride on the a fire truck, the officers on his department rang a fire bell four times - a symbol that a fire call was over and a tradition among firefighters for their fallen comrades.

Captain Rob Wilson, CD - RCSU (Pacific):

Captain Wilson was the Master of Ceremonies for that last six honour bands as well as the announcer of the band competition in 2003. He was involved with 89 RCACS, a squadron that will surely never forget him and all that he did for them during his time with the Cadet Movement. Sadly, he passed away on June 1st, 2004 as he succumbed to injuries received just weeks before as the result of a hit and run accident.

"We have lost a comrade who has touched the lives of
many, do not feel sorrow, as this is not the legacy he would
have wanted to pass on, instead think of how he lived his life
and the memories he gifted us with."

- C.R. Smith, LT(N)

Clayton Adam LaCasse:

Clayton LaCasse attended RCSCC Crusader in Winnipeg when he first joined cadets. He then moved to Brandon, Manitoba and joined RCSCC Swiftsure. On September 29th, 2003, Clayton was killed when his truck rolled on a gravel road. Clayton attended HMCS Qu'appelle many years in a row and finished off his last year as Sail Staff in the summer of 2003.

He was a great person who touched the hearts of more people than I think he ever realized. He was someone that everyone looked up 2, and I am so glad I had the privilege of spending 3 great summers with him. He took time to make people smile and laugh and he will truly be missed by all his friends and family.

- Jamie

"Good friends are hard to find, harder to keep, and impossible to forget"

2Lt Moore:

2Lt Moore was an officer at 1859 Springhill Army, as well as a major supporter of youth programs in the area. He took special interest in new cadets. Sadly, 2Lt Moore passed away from cancer in the summer of 2003. He is greatly missed by his corps, his friends and his family.

Craig Batsel:

Craig Batsel was a cadet with 2313 SALH RCACC in Medicine Hat, AB. He was 16 years old with a full life ahead of himself. On April 15th, 1998, Craig Batsel was electrocuted in a freak accident, when him and his friends lifted an irrigation pipe near a power line.

Amber Dickson:

Amber Dickson was a cadet with the 2313 SALH RCACC in Medicine Hat, AB. Amber was 15 years old and was a great cadet and even greater person. On October 10th, 1997 a horrid crime took place, taking Amber away from us. .

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