1928 - 2021
Mr. Robert Burns ‘Bob’ Dempster passed away at the Innisfail Health Centre on Thursday, March 4, 2021 at the age of 93 years.
Bob was born at Unity, Saskatchewan on January 25, 1928; having been born on Robert Burns’ birthday, it was decreed by all of the people in town of Scottish descent that he must be named Robert Burns, and so it came to pass. His parents, William and Annie Dempster, were homesteader’s from Scotland; who took up a homestead north of Tako, then known as Kingsview, and they later moved to Unity. Here they operated the Central Meat Market on Main Street. Bob was raised in Unity, where he attended school and became a Boy Scout; as well as an Air Cadet during World War II. After school, Bob would work for his dad, hauling petroleum products to local farmers, and shoveling coal and grain in the slack times.
In 1950, Bob joined the R.C.A.F., which was his career until 1978. During his time with the R.C.A.F., he was posted all across Canada, and even Europe, a couple of times. Bob enjoyed his career, the trade he was in and of course the travelling. It was during these travels that he met Catherine Copp, the girl he would one day marry. It happened in Chatham, New Brunswick, at a dance, the meeting, not the marriage. They married in 1964, at Trenton, Ontario, a few years later. From their marriage a son, William David, was born while residing in Val d’Or, Quebec. The family was now in the travel circuit and they loved it. After an overseas posting in Germany, the family was transferred to Penhold, and they bought a house in Innisfail. In the future, this would become their permanent residency. In 1974, Bob became a member of the A.F & A.M, a move he never regretted. This was probably the most interesting time of Bob’s life. The people he met and the knowledge he gained, from Freemasonry, was a very satisfying experience.
Bob will be lovingly remembered by his son, David (Sherrie), his grandson, Ian and Ian’s mother, Val, his stepchildren, Robert (Hazel) and their children, and Eugene ‘Butch’. He will also be sadly missed by numerous nieces and nephews, though their names are not mentioned, they were all important to him.
Bob was predeceased by the love of his life, Catherine, his parents, William Dempster and Annie Shepherd Dempster (nee Laidlaw), his brothers, Alex, Bill, and Jack as well as his sisters, Dorothy, Margaret, Mary, and Jean. We all have, or had some bad habits, and saying this expresses how Bob felt about people –
“There is a little good in the worst of us, and a little bad in the best of us;
so it little behooves any of us, to talk about the rest of us.”
If desired, Memorial Donations in Bob’s honour may be made directly to the Masonic Higher Education Bursary Fund at www.mhebf.com. Condolences may be sent or viewed at www.heartlandfuneralservices.com. Arrangements in care of: Heartland Funeral Services Ltd. 4415 – 49 Street, Innisfail, Alberta. Phone: 403.227.0006 Fax: 403.227.6437
