MY DAD IS MY HERO!

When I was in university, every Education class I took would have some type of get to know you activity or worksheet. Inevitably one of the questions asked would be, “Who is your hero?” Most students would answer with famous athletes, movie stars, and rock stars. My answer would always be, “my dad!”
Some of my fondest early memories of my dad was attending Roughrider games with him. He had company seats on the 45 yard line, and from the time I was seven until I was 14 we never missed a game, no matter how cold it got. He also took me to the Roughrider father and son banquets where I would get to meet my secondary heroes, like George Reed. I had a painting of George Reed commissioned because I am a huge Roughrider fan, but mostly because it reminded me of my dad and our time together on the 45 yard line, and at the Father and Son Banquets. We attended two Grey Cups together, the most memorable being the 1972
Grey Cup in Hamilton, with all of our Eastern Family. I also have fond memories of Lloyd reading to me at bedtime, instilling in me my love of the written word and books. I especially remember the Dog Who Wouldn’t Be by Farley Mowatt. We would both laugh uproariously over Mutt’s antics. When I was 7 my father also took our family to Barbados and Montserrat. This was an adventure of a lifetime for a seven-year-old boy and instilled in me a love of travelling. He also took us to Red Lodge, Montana, Banff, Bahamas, and several times to Ontario on the train. My father was my hero!

There was always music in our house and my father instilled that love of music in my brother Larry and me. The record player was always going: B.B King, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole all of whom Lloyd has seen live in Hamilton. Lloyd also loved world music, especially Harry Belafonte, Miriam Makeba, and Caribbean music. That love was another gift Lloyd passed on to Larry and I. Lloyd’s love of music was never static, and he changed with the times adding more modern artists like CCR, Linda Ronstadt, and to our shame, Disco. His record collection was legendary, in size and variety. When my brother was 12 my father took him to a little concert in a small cafe in the bottom of a music studio. That concert changed my brother’s life and launched his own music career. The performer was none other than Joni Mitchell, just starting her own music career. My father was my hero!

Lloyd was the first one on his side of the family to get a Bachelor’s Degree, and a Master’s Degree, in Engineering. He and his partners, Murray and Grant ran a successful Engineering Business for many years, with offices in Regina and Lethbridge. We would host staff parties at our house and from age 7 and up I was lucky enough to be included. Our basement was filled with music, laughter, and shuffleboard. I am still friends with Paul and Joe who were regulars at those parties. My father was my hero!

When my mother and father divorced Lloyd fought hard to keep us boys. Something that I am so thankful for, to this day. As a single parent Lloyd really stepped up. Eventually my brother Larry moved out and it became just Lloyd and I and we became even closer, and eventually best friends. In all the years Lloyd and I lived together we only argued twice. Lloyd was my very best friend and my hero.

We moved to Lethbridge in 1973 and Larry rejoined us. Now that I was older, our house became the house that my friends would call a second home. Lloyd always said that he would prefer that myself and my friends party at our house, instead of partying on the street. My basement became the gathering area, and, as long as we cleaned up afterwards, Lloyd loved it, and would visit with my friends when he came home, or the next morning as they crawled out of the basement. My friend Oriano became like a second son, and would eat at home, and then cross the street and eat supper with us. My friends, Randy, Oriano, Julie and Eleanor always said that I had the coolest dad ever! My father was my hero.

When I crashed my car, even though Lloyd was picking up the pieces after losing his business to the 1980’s recession, he somehow managed to pull himself together to help me to pull myself together, in one of the lowest points of my life. My dad was my hero.

Larry moved out, met Heather, and got married. Their wedding was in Ontario. This allowed us to reconnect with my mom’s family. I will never forget my dad sitting on the couch with my Grandmother Molly, my mom’s mom, and holding hands with her, in my Aunt Alice’s and Uncle Doug’s living room. Even after the divorce that side of my family still loved Lloyd. My dad was my hero.

Eventually I moved out, moved to Red Deer, got married, had two children of my own, Katelynn and John, and I and my wife Debbie, instilled in our children the love of music and books, and our house became the gathering area. Dad moved to Central, Alberta to be closer to us and we remained strong friends, whether it was a weekly game of crib or watching the Roughriders on television. My father was my hero.

In 2011 I was in a horrible biking accident. I was in pieces mentally and physically. My father, at age 82, heard my plea for help and we left town to escape my torment, and to visit my brother Larry, Heather, and their son Devon in Swift Current. I was barely functioning. We stopped at a restaurant in Brooks and my father picked up a newspaper and began reading an article about concussions in NHL players. He looked at me across the table and said, “Doug I think this is what is going on with you.” After getting back to Red Deer I had an MRI and was diagnosed with a severe concussion. My father had figured out what the doctors had missed, which allowed me to start my healing process. My dad was my hero!

Relationships were so important to Lloyd. Lloyd loved his family passionately. The first time I saw him cry was when his sister Alma passed away. He loved my Uncle Gordon, who Lloyd looked up to and was most alike. He loved my Auntie Joyce. They had a fun-loving relationship and Joyce would tease Lloyd calling him Lloydie, well into their eighties. He loved and respected my Uncle Vernon, and the older they got the closer they became with Lloyd and Uncle Vernon exchanging music and talking on the phone once a week. That love also included my cousins, Darlene, Heather, Diane, Nolan, Elaine, Garry, Barbie, Dawn, Glen, Dave, Bob, Faye, Jim and Ida. Lloyd stayed in contact with many of my cousins right until the very end including my cousin Judy from my mother’s side of the family. He was so proud of his grandchildren Katelynn, Devon and John, and would share that pride with anyone who would listen. He was also thankful that both of his boys had married strong women. Before he passed Lloyd was the last remaining Uncle on both sides of the family. Lloyd was my hero!

Lloyd also had the gift of the gab and had Engineering, dance, golf and music friends. He maintained his friendships with Paul, Joe and Lorne for 60+ years. He continued to make life-long friends in Doris, Maxine, Zeke, John, Doug, Nicole and Stanley. Lloyd’s enthusiasm was contagious and garnered him many friends. Lloyd was my hero!

Lloyd also loved women. After my mother Trudy there was: Terri, Norma, Laverne, Heather, Janet, and Evelyn. With Evelyn it was full circle, as she was the salt of the earth just like my Grandma Rowe. Lloyd spent most of his last years where his life had started: on a horse farm. Lloyd’s culminating moment in his life was his 90th birthday party at the Bentley Hall. Cousins and friends gathered from Vancouver Island to Saskatchewan, to celebrate his life. He told me over and over again that it was the highlight of his life. My dad was my hero.

After the birthday party things began to go down hill for Lloyd. He developed bone marrow cancer, bowel cancer, congestive heart failure, multiple strokes, and Parkinson’s disease. His personality began to change. He became quick to anger and became easily agitated. He became verbally and emotionally abusive. With my brother Larry passing away, I was the last remaining member of our immediate family, and looking after Lloyd fell to me. For a while I forgot that Lloyd was my hero. I had to set boundaries, and our roles reversed, so much so that a couple of times Lloyd referred to or introduced me as his dad.

However, towards the end, our relationship healed and strengthened. I would hold Lloyd’s hand, touch his face, kiss his forehead, listen to music with him, and it was my turn to read The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be to him. At one point he turned to me and said, “What if I don’t die?” I asked him if he was planning to live forever, and we both had a good laugh. My father was my hero!

Lloyd Allan Rowe – June 03/1928 – April 01/2025 – Father, Son, Engineer, Enthusiast, Horseman, Golfer, Dancer.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Red Deer Dopamain Gym, a fitness program for Parkinson’s fighters. Cheques can be made out to Melinda Wiebe, with Dopamain Gym in the information box, or e-transfers can be sent to dopaminegym.mel@gmail.com ,or donations can be made to the ShadowBox (Lacombe Parkinson’s Program). Cheques can be made out to the ShadowBox with Parkinson’s Program in the information box or e-transfers to theshadowboxlacombe@gmail.com .
Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed at www.heartlandfuneralservices.com. Arrangements in care of: Heartland Funeral Services Ltd., 4415 – 49 Street, Innisfail, Alberta. Phone: 403.227.0006

• Date : 2025-04-09
• Location : (Innisfail) LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED (Red Deer/Blackfalds/Eckville) www.ParklandFuneralHome.com & (Innisfail/Olds/Didsbury/Sundre) www.HeartlandFuneralServices.com