Thursday, September 21, 2023
I was sad to hear of Berk's passing especially as I lost contact with him when he moved from Oakpark Retirement residence.
I met Berk 65 years ago when my Grandfather, Ernie Johnstone, built Berk's cottage next to the Johnstone family cottage on Spectacle Lake.
We shared many adventures together through the years; hiking, swimming, canoeing and in the winter snowshoeing around Spectacle Lake and Algonquin Park. In 1973 we drove out to Alberta together and hiked the Rockies in Banff.
When I returned from Alberta in 1985 after living there for several years, I continued my friendship with Berk along with my wife Rene and our girls Shauna and Kaitlin. A memorable family occasion was celebrating the Millennium New Year with Berk, winter camping in a tent, along with our dog Woody, at Spectacle Lake. He was always very kind and welcoming to us all and we considered him a member of our family meeting through the years enjoying a celebration of friendship dinners.
When we retired to Westport, Berk was there to lend a hand providing his truck to move some last minute items on moving day. We made a trip up to Barry's Bay to get some White Pine trees to plant on our acreage. They are thriving beautifully today. In the later years, he would stop by our Westport home on his way down to Gananoque theater and we would enjoy a lunch together.
We plan to take a drive up to Spectacle Lake this Fall, climb Blueberry Hill and raise a Dram of Scotch in remembrance of Berk and a life well lived.
Barry Grant
