Wednesday, June 6, 2012
I will always remember, and carry with me, the memories of spending time with your family from my earliest years. When my family moved to California in 1962, it was an exciting time for us in a new country with new opportunities and experiences. But it was also bittersweet to move away from our bigger family in Canada. I was lucky enough to spend several summers during the sixties traveling back to Toronto, and then to cottages that my aunts and uncles had purchased after we moved.
The times I spent with Tante Addie and Uncle Bill and all their kids, Frankie, Terry, Joey, Gerry and Billy was precious to me and my mother, Kitty. We were welcomed with open arms and spent many days relaxing, swimming, playing, exploring, fishing and any number of fun activities. I had such a wonderful time each and every stay with the Mintens and bonded closely with my cousins who were almost like brothers and sisters to me at the time. I remember many evenings having dinners and watching the parents play cards, drink and laugh the night away while we carried on with our mischievousness and late night antics.
They were wonderful times and memories — a testament to the love and generosity that your late mother and father shared with my family whenever we were together. It is something I will never forget.
With love, Robert Franssen
