Robert D. Stirling Jr.
1926-2021
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our dad, Robert D. Stirling Jr. He died from pulmonary hypertension and congestive heart failure in the Valley Regional Hospital with daughters, Marilyn and Bonnie at his side on Thursday, March 18, 2021 at the age of 94 years, six months. Dad's most difficult times in his long life were saying goodbye to our mother, his wife, Faye (Gertridge); son, John; daughter, Jane; second wife, Mary Glen (Routliffe); his father, A. Robert Stirling Sr.; mother, Jennie; brothers, Jake, twin brother, Harold, David and Ralph. In his later years, he often spoke of his many friends that had passed but he always ended with a smile and "I'm still here". Dad's spirit lives on in his daughters, Marilyn (David) Hiltz and Bonnie (Burnette); sons, Tony (Audrey), Blair (Brenda) Joel (Diane); step son and daughter, Mac and Kathy (Bob) Berlien; daughter-in-law, Maria; son-in-law, Elliott Redeker Sr.; grandchildren, Alexandra, Carolyna, Elliott Jr. (Spring), Christopher, Jennifer, Ricky (Brandy), Annette (Chris), Trish (Cory), Tim (Kim), Jaime (Jodi), Rebecca, Nancy, Allen (Jenny), Katherine (Brandon), Jennie, Keegan, Marcie (Justin), Brittanny (Kyle), Crystal, Jason (Ashley) and Andy (Emily); great-grandchildren, Jordon, Charlize, William, Tony, Emileigh, Lilla, Payton, Chase, Madison, Aja, Brooke, Bianca, Morgan, Ty, Joey, Lanny, Thomas, Warren, Willow, Cameron, Rowan, Luna, Damien, Bryce, Johnnie; great great-grandchildren, Owen, Nova; sisters, Sandy (Avard) Bishop and Maryann Cogswell; brothers-in-law, Clinton, David (Marion); sisters-in-law, Kay, Fern, Eva, Gladys, Geneva; many nieces and nephews. Rob was a very generous man and well respected by his peers. He was a life member of the N.S. Fruit Growers’ Association and the Wolfville Curling Club as well as past volunteer with the Greenwich Volunteer Fire Department. Rob was creative and inventive. He liked the challenge of creation. The seven of us were a big challenge at times but by his example, guidance and a little discipline we made it. He enjoyed taking little twigs, keeping them alive and helping them along to grow delicious fruits. Rob was a jack of all trades and a master of many. Domestic - in the home providing what was needed and giving nursing care for his wife Faye, and baking cookies and pies. Horticulture - growing apples lots and lots of apples, propagation, planting production harvesting, storage, packing, sign painting and promotion. Industrial - rebuilding trucks, tractors and refrigeration equipment, electrical, plumbing and carpentry, building orchard equipment, harvest aids and apple graders or modifying equipment to his standards. Management - his employees were treated fairly and with respect. Art and recreation - watercolor painting, curling, ice making, curling aids, making and setting fishnets and traps. Rob was the last surviving "Stirling boy" of his generation that under the guidance of their father grew more apples than any one family in Canada. He was a strong believer in working smart and efficient. He was sometimes motivated to get the work done to have time for swimming, sailing, curling, fishing or visiting. When you got in the car with Dad you could end up anywhere. He missed being able to drop in to visit one of his many friends when he was unable to drive himself. At Christmas, many would find a gift of apples and cider and when the fishing season was on the catch of the day could be found on your doorstep. Special thanks to Cathy, Rob's "ghost wife" and Wayne and David for drives to and from the farm and Heather of the VON. Thank you to Hal Stirling for keeping Dad (his uncle Rob) as part of the Stirling Fruit Farm Team for all these years. Tony, Joel and Blair would like to especially thank sisters, Marilyn and Bonnie for all the help they gave Dad over the years. Cremation has taken place and there will be no visitation, by request. A graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 in the Stirling Cemetery, Wallbrook. Donations in memory may be made to a charity of one’s choice. Arrangements have been entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Kentville.
More commonly known as Rob, or to some of his closest friends, Robbie, and in the curling world known as “the apple guy”. Rob started curling at the Wolfville Curling Club sometime in the late 40's or early 50's. He and his father, A.R. Stirling, brothers JD, and David, formed a competitive curling team in the early 50's and competed in provincial play. Rob had a passion for the game and the club. He would travel throughout the province to play in competitions, whether it was for one day or a full weekend spiel, and wherever he went, he took a basket of fresh apples for all to enjoy. He loved to compete against the very best players. One time a potential Provincial Champion asked him why he always came to these competitions if he could not win. His answer was simple, there is only one winner and the rest of us are all losers, either you lose the first game or the last game. Without the losers there would not be any competition. Rob was President of the club in 1980-81 and was made Honorary Lifetime Member in 2009. Rob was always looking for ways to improve ice conditions and was instrumental the ice making at both the old building (three sheets) and the new rink built in 1965 (four sheets). He was one of the first to use insulation in the floor to stop frost heaves. In the old rink at the far end of sheet three every spring there would be a frost heave just in front of the rings. One summer he dug down to find out why and he came upon a huge rock, big enough he could not get it out, so he covered it with a piece of insulation, recovered it with dirt and sand. It never moved again. He was very involved in the removal of the old rink and helping out with the lay-out of the new rink. Next time you are coming into Wolfville and as you drive past Hennigar’s Farm Market looking (keeping one eye on the road) towards the Stirling farm on the left and where they park the transport trucks for loading the building attached to the main warehouse with the peaked roof. That peaked roof was part of the old Wolfville Curling Club. They cut out sections of the roof and moved it and reassembled it at the farm. After they built the new ice shed and added the 4th sheet, Rob took the old compressor, changed the size of the pulleys to speed it up to ensure there was enough power to make four sheets of ice. Saved the club from purchasing a new compressor at the time. That compressor was installed somewhere around 1958-9 and lasted until 2001. Rob was always looking for ways to improve the ice conditions. Back in the day there were no scrapers or knowledge of things like water quality, dehumidifiers and of course no heat. He was one of the first to use a pressure system to pebble, he came up with a nozzle and Jack Herbin drilled out the holes to get the proper spray pattern. He also came up with a special spray nozzle for putting a heavy spray on the ice to get ready for weekend competitions. This nozzle is stiff used today while doing ice install. As the years passed, Rob found it more and more difficult to throw from the hack and after a shoulder injury he started throwing with the Stick and never looked back. Not sure when that was but somewhere around 1990. He and Hubert Sullivan started playing regularly with the stick and competed regularly in Provincial Playdowns. As Rob's sight failed one time, Hubert installed a light on the bottom of his broom so Rob could see where the broom was. At a Playdown another competitor went to the official (the late Ted Lohnes) and asked if that was legal and his response was these guys are well into their 80's and still curling and I am not going to stop them, legal or not. In Rob's later years he always wanted to play lead and he played it well. Placing those so important first stones in the perfect place every time. Maybe he could not see the other end very well or hear what was going on, but he loved the game and never wanted to miss a game. He played his last game early in the season of 2019-2020 in his 93rd year and up to his final days thought he might get back one more time. He will be missed.