Page 101 - 1991

A TRIBUTE TO BART GARDINER
Applause, admiration and sadness were genuinely expressed by students and colleagues as we watched Bart Gar- diner retire from our staff at the end of June, 1990. Shock and disbelief met us two short months later as we learned of the untimely, tragic deaths of Bart and his wife, Dayton. Fate had dealt a cruel blow to a man who had come to mean so much to so many of us over his 21 years at Collingwood Collegiate.
The word "gentleman" always comes to mind in speaking of Bart. He was truly a gentle, caring, patient individual, who treated everyone he met with dignity and respect. These fine personalities, com- bined with his obvious love, and know- ledge of his subject, made him a very well-liked teacher.
A quiet-living family man, Bart, along with Dayton. raised two children, Meg and Scott. He took tremendous pride in his family and was thrilled in his recent promotion to "grandfather".
Bart's years as an English teacher fol- lowed an interesting career path that in- luded journalism and employment with the United Nations. He often talked of his past experiences in such cities as Mon- treal. New York, and Toronto. With equal enthusiasm. he spoke about the natural beauty of the woods behind his home in Wasaga Beach.
Bart was a well-read. well-travelled per- son who found great pleasure in some of life's-simpler joys: walking his dog, or picking wild flowers for the magnificent autumn arrangements he made for his friends. Bart's musical and literary inter-
ests were evident in his choir participa-· tion and in his poetry collection. Bart's greatest talent, however. was his ability to relate to people.
A good listener and an entertaining conversationalist, Bart made friends eas- ily. He had a marvellous sense of humor that never failed to enliven his stories. His best stories were always personal. touch- ing up on the accomplishments of his chil- dren; the antics of the family pets; or memories of his youth, including the courtship of a girl named Dayton during his own high school years at Toronto's Oakwood Collegiate. Bart generously shared his life with many friends at CCI. and we are all richer for having known
him .
- Monica Cubitt