Leonard Earl Rostie

On Sunday, March 10th, 2024 at 3:26pm, Dad left to go for that long overdue coffee with Lloyd, share the secret of the sharp cheese with his brother Leroy, likely to be on the bus after spending his last two bits playing chase the ace with his parents, and finding out every piece of information he ever wanted to know and didn’t watch or read from countless documentaries or biographies (he was a really smart guy!). We picture him now in that pretty little boat, lines in, smiling ear to ear in the best fishing hole in heaven.

Dad was born in Fort Francis, Ontario, June 14, 1942.   He regaled us with stories of his youth, swimming, fishing, boating, camping, working at his uncles outposts, and in general, wild and crazy stunts.  We never tired of hearing his stories and he could tell a heck of a story.  

He lived life to the fullest.   If you knew dad, now or back when…you know.  

Dad was always the best smelling dude in the room, a sharp dresser and a stellar dancer.  He was the fun grandpa, quick to make you laugh, give a healthy hug and be your best buddy.  Giving horsey rides, doing the cartwheel flip onto his shoulders or not quite acting his age, dad was one of them.    He loved freshee, a good popsicle, documentaries, war movies, westerns, good company, moms cooking, his cats Lucky and Lucy, and of course football. 

Our greatest regret with dad was our inability to convert him from being a die-hard Saskatchewan Rough Rider fan, he really did become the football anti-hero in the family and he loved it!

We could go on about where dad lived and worked or his accomplishments in life, but his greatest accomplishment, as told to us on his last day, was the tight family he created with Mom.

Leonard Earl Rostie, as patriarch of our Rostie clan, leaves a lasting legacy of strong people.  His beautiful, loving wife, Marion, his daughters Sherri (Gerald), Stacey, Shauna (Bruce) and Shannon (Jeff).  His ever-expanding clan included 9 grandchildren, Ryan, Matthew, Kyle, Alexandra, Carly, Jessica, Tyres, Kaiden, Racheal, and 14 great grandchildren.  He leaves behind siblings, 4 sisters, 2 brothers and their respective spouses, numerous sister and brother-in laws, nephews, nieces and extended family.  You know who you are and he loved you all.

His daughters deeply cherish every memory, every hug, every time he found out our secrets when we thought we outsmarted him, and every “love you too girl”.  He went by many names Dad, Daddy, Daddy-O, Big Daddy, Grandpa, Papa, and Great Grandpa.  But his most important name was Husband to our mother.  Through thick and thin, they were a team.

He told us about the first time they met at the Eagles club, they did the limbo and Mom won.  He recalled the day he married her and said he shouldn’t have waited so long to do so.  He shared, laughed, reminisced and fondly looked back on his past with “my girl” in the last 2 days. 

She was his wife, mother of his children and rock.   She has always been his co-conspirator, sometime fun police and his ride or die.   We daughters give special thanks to mom for taking such great care of him, especially during these last few years.   We know how much he cherished you and how he felt about his love for you, he told us often.  He said simply “I didn’t deserve her”.

He had no fear in the end, he knew where he was going.  He taught us how to leave this world with dignity, strength, and all the while being certain that Mom was going to be taken care of.  This was his only worry, leaving her behind.

After Mom & Dad retired, they shared that they would like to return to Piney to live out their golden years.  We recall the fear and trepidation of them living so far and being isolated. This couldn’t have been further from the truth. Those last years living in Piney were his best.  We thank everybody in that community who welcomed them back, stopped in for coffee, shared a meal of Mom’s great cooking, helped to get his scooter back on the road, plow their driveway, come over to “shoot the shit” and generally make those years the most friend and family filled happy days.  He genuinely treasured all of this.

We are uncertain how to go forward with this larger than life, gregarious, straight shooter gone.  But as he said, life goes on and you’ll figure it out.  He reminded us that family makes everything work.  We will lean on each other and honor this request.

They say that a dad holds a special place in a daughter’s heart, for he is the first man they ever loved.  For us, this is solid truth.   

Rest now dad knowing your “Crackling Rosie” is in good hands.  You will be beyond missed. 

A celebration of dad’s life, love and humor will be held at a later date.