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Albert H. 'Al' Vanderburgh Oakville, ON Canada QCWA # 28827 Chapter 73 |
ALBERT VANDERBURGH 1924 - 2020
Al went as he wished on December 17, 2020, like the 'One-Hoss Shay' of a favorite poem 'All at once, and nothing first, just as bubbles do when they burst' - in his 96th year at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, with loving family at his side. Beloved husband of the late Rosamond 'Ros', and adored brother of the late Kitty, Al is survived by his daughter Kate, son Matt (Sue), grandchildren Nathan, Tyler, and Tessa, and his devoted nieces and nephews Kathy, John, Ginger, and Doug. Upon marriage Al and Ros resided in Port Credit. They added a cottage in Muskoka that Al built and later acquired a 100-acre weekend hobby farm near Owen Sound. Family and friends were seduced into participating in Al's many grand ideas for the farm (known as Vanderland) including large scale tree planting, maple sugaring, and the infamous annual Teklogix car rally and BBQ. In the mid 80's, Al and Ros focused their love of heritage properties on King's Castle in Oakville, giving Al great latitude for his talents in architectural restoration. Al was a lifelong 'Maker' and entrepreneur. He created a working 'cell phone' in his car in the 1960's, had a personalized license plate before they were fashionable, and owned numerous patents, including his most recent invention the 'Vanderlift'. His children fondly remember Al's sense of humor evidenced by the signaling device he rigged up in the kitchen allowing him to alert the family of his imminent arrival from work with the illumination of a green light, that prompted Ros to begin preparation of his evening martini.
His passion for radio began as one of the creators of the unsanctioned CFRA radio station while stationed at the RCAF base in PEI during World War II. After leaving the forces and while earning his Electrical Engineering Degree at the University of Toronto, Al became a licensed HAM radio operator. He was known by the call letters VE3ARV and Van became his handle. In 1967, Al became a partner in the nascent technology company Teklogix. There he applied his expertise to the development of wireless controlled conveyor systems and to handheld devices for use in inventory management, a predecessor of electronic bar code technology. His contribution was vital to the company's success.
In keeping with Al's long history of generous charitable giving, his family would appreciate donations to The Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital in lieu of flowers. A celebration of Al's life will be held at a later date, so feel free to lift a glass at any hour (Van was quite flexible on the timing of Happy Hour) and join us in a toast to a wonderful man, our Father and mentor.