Duff was a great neighbour! I would go away to work for three weeks at a time and while away during the winter months Duff would always keep the driveway and steps shovelled off for my wife Janice and two daughters Rachel and Nicole. He would come over to the house with Jamie and push the children on the swing set we had in the back yard. I can still hear him when he would say,”That’s my boy Jamie”. During the summer months we built a deck and a fence while living at 6 Wishman and Duff was my construction partner for these projects. Rain or shine he would be there with me to give a helping hand, he was a great helper. He would come for supper and after a good meal (he loved to eat) he would tell us stories of how he travelled across the country and how he made it to Kirkland Lake or tell stories when he was at war. Until his latter years he always walked to the grocery store and then carried back his groceries. During the summer months he would sometimes go away on the weekends and spend time with the Clims and then he would come back and tell me how he had a great time at their cottage. Duff was known for building dog houses and bird houses and to this day we still have one of his bird houses at our home in Sudbury. It was a sad day when we told him we would be moving to Sudbury but I did bring him with me prior to purchasing our home, Duff helped me with the inpection prior to the purchase. As I sit here writing about how a great man he was and I think of all the things we did together I must admit that he was a true friend that I will always remember and respect. Good bye Duff, you will never be forgotten and always be remembered, Love Janice, Rachel, Nicole and Joel

MY GECO SOJOURN. GECO MINE, 1956-1976 I got off the C.P.R. train at Hemlo Went to a new mine called Geco, Then Manitouwadge, a new town I seen, I stayed in construction camp No. fifteen. For there I went for a job to get, They said sure, come on, you bet. They really put me to the test And for them I worked my best, I worked until I was tired and sore, They piled the work on all the more. In them days I was not too young But from work I did never run, In my day work I did not fear, To the company I wouldn’t shed a tear. They said we pay a pension at sixty-five That is if you are lucky enough to be still alive. They tried to work me into the ground, For that pension I was determined to stick around. Then after twenty long years and then some The small company pension finally come. I can tell you that pension was mighty small, Now, with inflation, worth nearly nothing at all. Then I received the Government pension for the old, Thought I was set for life with all that gold. Now I thought I’d laze around and relax, But by golly I still have to pay Income Tax. There is a saying,”There is no free lunch” And that saying is no bull, but is my hunch. ….Spencer Duff Checkley. The company pension was $95.82 A true story

We are so saddened to hear the loss of a wonderful man, Duff. Duff was such a special friend to our family and especially to Jamie. Jamie has so many fond memories of the times that he spent with Duff and will always treasure those memories! He will be greatly missed by all those who knew this special man!

Duff, a true friend and neighbour, we will miss you and always remember the great times we had together. Through you we learned an amazing part of history that will never be forgotten, you were a true hero. Love Janice, Nicole, Rachel and Joel