Allan Ironside's 80th Birthday Tea

We had a small come-and-go birthday tea for Dad last Saturday afternoon.

Well, we thought it was going to be small; but it turns out that our shy, quiet Dad has more friends than all his kids put together do!

Dad's jam and cookies
for his siblings

Dad, BA and Deb welcoming everyone
to the table

Dad's remaining siblings, with the exception of Bruce who lives in America, came for lunch at the TH first. Welcome additions to the meal were Doreen, who was a dear friend to both our grandmother and to our Uncle Gordon, and our aunts' long-time friend Diane.

We were thrilled that Clark
was well enough to come
(with wonderful Ev)

"Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow!" 

The come-and-go tea started at 2 pm, and was graciously hosted by our friend Barb from Porchlight Village. Barb and Peter moved in to Porchlight at around the time that the TH opened. Her parents moved to Three Hills shortly thereafter, and immediately fell into my heart. Dad spent quite a bit of time with Peter when he was in hospital; he passed away shortly before my Mum did.

Dr and Mrs Ted S. Rendall could not attend, but he sent the following greeting, which Bronwyn read for us all:

(Reproduced by kind permission of Dr. T.S. Rendall)

Following this, Dad spoke briefly and movingly about how grateful he was to God for his physical life - he should not really have been here today - but how even more grateful he was for the life he has been privileged to lead because the gift of salvation gave him spiritual life. He thanked everyone for being there. "You are all, each one of you, precious," he said.

Then Allan, our brother, wrote a song for the occasion chronicling Dad's life to the tune of the theme from the Beverly Hillbillies.

At the end of the song, Dad said
"Thank you, Clark" - much to Clark's delight!

Listening to Allan

Last, Dad had a "Guess the number of Quarters" jar. The person who guessed the number of quarters, or the person who came the closest to the number (and you had to be within 20 quarters), would win the jar.




There were some crazy guesses ...

 Some of Dad's friends who could come for tea ...
 

"Uncle Lloyd" and Dad

 Uncle Lloyd and Auntie Hazel, two of Dad's dearest friends, had spent the night at his home a few days earlier. They weren't able to be with us in person; but we had this picture of the two friends on display, and I know they were with us in spirit!

How Mum loved Steve and Sarah!

What a splendid afternoon it was! Thanks to all of you for making an effort to honour this man who means so much to each one of us who were present.

Oh yes, and the winner of the quarters jar?

Elliot, who guessed 404 quarters; there were 412!

Dad, as someone sang, "May you live to be a hundred, and then one hundred more!"