Graham Ronald Blaikie

October 23, 1966 – January 6, 2021

Our beloved Graham…

Graham devoted the past twenty years of his life to the family that we built together; He was the best husband and father, having him with us was the motive that make us live… He kept us going trying to achieve the goals, objectives, and dreams that we had together. He was an honest man with a pure heart that helped us see what was true, real, and important.

Graham lived life to the fullest, we built incredibly happy memories here in Canada and from our times in Honduras, Mexico, and South America, He was loved and respected and will be forever loved and missed not only by me and his daughters, but also by his mother, sisters, brothers, and nephews in law.

Graham will also be missed at his workplace where he gave his best and built true friends that know Graham was always happy to help.

It will be extremely hard to continue life without Graham… Please, My Love, Rest in Peace knowing your wife and daughters are strong, will succeed and will always have our family and friends with us!

Love you and miss you so much!

Susana

Graham,

October 23, 1966 was the day of his birth, the day the adventure started. I knew when Mom put him, this new baby brother, in my arms for the first time, that he would make a difference to the light in my life, my light grew brighter. It was so much fun, a gift to watch him grow up, to climb life’s ladder, there was no stopping this little man. He tripped and he fell many times but he would brush himself off and start again, or go for another adventure, another task. He loved to read and had such determination to learn, always feeding his thirst for knowledge. Everything I saw in him growing up as a child, you saw in him as an adult. I had the privilege to see the growth of those seeds so long ago, they grew in so many ways, so many directions. Generosity, loyalty, compassion, commitment, curiosity, kindness, stubbornness, love for family and friends. Oh! and we mustn’t forget his unique sense of humour and mischievous nature! Which yes, did grow and get stronger as an adult. You really were wise not to turn your back for too long, especially when you armed him with a paint brush and left him in charge of painting your kitchen while you went down the road to a garage sale for just a minute! only to come back to the biggest life sized Tic Tac Toe game in bright orange on the wall and him with the biggest smile! Yes, he thought he was SO funny! And yes he did have an accomplice…To this day there is still evidence on the wall of his Tic Tac Toe shenanigans, and no, I don’t know who won! His humour and mischievousness didn’t stop there, believe me!

We saw his love for cooking develop from a very young age, he practiced on mom and learned a lot from her. He was always open to her knowledge and wisdom. He continued to learn from his work and studied at SAIT to perfect his craft. We were all so proud when he became a Chef, he was so very talented, a natural! Which led him to travelling the world working on cruise ships, staying in Switzerland, adventuring to Honduras and Roatan, he saw the seven seas, saw the world, and through his eyes we did too! He made so many friends during his travels with such ease, as he did when he was growing up. Life long friends!

Graham was an amazing teacher in his youth and adulthood. So patient, he had a knowing of how to share knowledge, he made you feel like you could do anything. He always had an answer to my questions, and if not right away, he would find them no matter how long it took him to research. I learned so much from him. He grew and learned from his experiences, and shared what he learned with any who asked. I have always been so proud of him, it was fascinating to watch his light get brighter and brighter. He made my world into a safer place, knowing it was ok to make mistakes, to learn and move on from them.

I will cherish the memories of his growing up, his life, always. All those experiences led him to be an amazing son, brother, brother in law, uncle, great uncle, cousin, nephew, grandson, son in law and friend. A beloved husband to his beautiful, loving wife Susana and an amazing father to his two beautiful, intelligent daughters, Janet and Isabella.

A loyal, gentle, and generous Soul.

My baby brother, a greatly and forever loved man called Graham.

Always and Forever in my Heart

In the light of life

I watched you grow

From a delightful inquisitive child

To the delightful man you became

I will treasure you Always

I will keep you safe in my Heart Always

Thank you little Brother for being exactly you

What an adventure!

Love Always, your big sister

Graham,

This remembrance of you, little brother, comes too early in life and is something I never thought I would do.

I thought we would live close together again one day, that we’d would grow old together and spend our time telling our tales to our kids and theirs – if only to hear them say eewwww!

Now more than ever I treasure our times together and our calls when we just talked about life back then and whatever was new.

Goldstream Park Adventures

Graham became a Drum Major in Navy League a few years later, but it seems he had the moves down at an early age.

I remember being mistaken for twins when we were young, and doing those things that brothers do; arguing, wrestling, happily coating ourselves in dirt while “helping” with the garden.  We had our tire swing that we hung with Dad on a branch of the huge oak tree and spent many hours together in what felt like our never-ending backyard.

When we outgrew our yard (you higher than me) we’d have our campouts in Dad’s big military tent and sneak out to find dark empty streets and nothing to do.

Shoreline School 1981

Throughout our teen years we’d hang out watching TV, playing board games, and spending time finding stuff to do outside in avoidance of chores.  I liked cars and electronics and you liked your books.  I made you help me install a transmission and transfer case in my truck once – something you seemed to enjoy but didn’t repeat.  You were often the instigator working with a quirky sense of humour, but you seemed to know then what you wanted from life.  You’re interest in cooking started way back when – I can still see the blackened kitchen ceiling from the grease fire in Mom’s cast iron pan.

I’m proud of you Graham, my accomplished chef brother who cooked his way around the world.  Through all things you kept your humour.  Whether learning French and Spanish to communicate in a vast world or forcing your flushed and sweating self to finish the hot peppers on your plate in preparation of your life in South America, you fully committed to getting where you wanted to go.

And just when I thought it was never to be, you found your love in Honduras and settled down.  (Strange that RUSH was your favourite band.)  And you grew into a deeply protective and  loving father to your beautiful daughters.   It seems just a short time ago you were holding mine up in your outstretched arms asking, “where is the off switch?”.   That memory makes me laugh to this day.

It’s hard to say good-bye, my brother and friend.  We’ll meet again, find a pub, bump our glasses on the table and raise them in “cheers”.  We’ll sit for a while to talk about way back when and whatever is new.

Always, Rick

Arrangements entrusted to Florence (Flo) Simpson, Funeral Director

Cochrane Country Funeral Home – Ph: 403-932-1039 To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Graham Ronald Blaikie, please visit our flower store.