Thursday, November 27, 2014

Farewell To A Fallen Comrade

L to R Steve, Joseph and Tom, early 80's with 15mm Pike & Shot on the table. 

When I first arrived in Halifax in the spring of 1977, on an On Job Training stint aboard HMCS Ottawa, I came armed with the 1970's version of a letter of introduction from Steve Quick, a wargaming friend at CMR: some names and phone numbers of a couple of his wargaming friends back home. So it was that in between  Fisheries patrol, a trip to Frobisher Bay and Hudson's Bay, and a Combat Exercise off Bermuda, I was warmly welcomed into an eclectic group of wargamers. One of these was Joseph Lapin seen above with a hat on some time in the early 80's. 

The group later became a club, The Atlantic Simulation Society (what a battle raged over names). We held regular meetings, some years in public venues, one year in my flat, a newsletter, held an annual regional con and so on.   However, life rolled on and eventually the club faded back to a few friends. When I shut down my brief (18 month) venture into running a Wargames shop (The Tin Soldier), moved out of the city and then started working 7 days a week with a business (slow learner) on top of a job in town, I drifted off as well. Fortunately, some of my friends also worked downtown and I still got to chat over lunch and so on with some of them from time to time. One of those that I had many good painting and wargaming chats with was Joseph Lappin. (seen above

Whenever we met, there was the inevitable "we must get together for a game". Its been at least 5 years or longer since I've seen Joe and that game won't happen now. My latest reunion with some of those gamers from 30 years ago was at  funeral home on Tuesday to honour his life. 

Rest in peace Joseph my friend, and may your dice carry your spirit high.

Thank you to Les Howie for the pictures from back when.
We haven't really changed so much, apart from some migration of hair.

(and hopefully this will be the last memorial post for a while.)

  


15 comments:

  1. Sorry to hear of the sad loss of a good friend , Tony

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  2. Sad news Ross - but a nice post. And a great hat!

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  3. My condolences for the loss of your friend.

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  4. Ross Mac,

    He sounds as if he was a great bloke, and that he will be sorely missed. Please accept my condolences.

    Bob

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  5. It is always hard to lose our friends, especially those of long standing. My sympathy for your loss.

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  6. Ross

    I had missed this post two days ago. I am sorry to hear that Joe passed away. He was excellent people and a great game opponent. And yes the faces do look familiar!
    Cheers
    PD

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    1. Peter as I published the post it belatedly occurred to me that I should have sent you an email a few days before.

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  7. Lovely post, Ross. My condolences on the loss of your friend. We've all said "We must get together for a game" to our friends far too often. A reminder of how fleeting those opportunities are, and how we must try to seize them.
    Rest eternal grant to him, O Lord, and may light perpetual shine upon him.

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  8. Thank you everyone for your condolances. All appreciated.

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  9. An excellent post Ross. Joseph was a good friend, and will be missed.

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