ASKE, ROGER PHILIP
Roger passed away on March 30, 2016 at 88, after several years of battling Parkinson’s disease. Roger was born and raised in Nottingham England.
In 1942, at age 14 he won a competition for entrance to a naval training ship in Southampton, England, which he recalled as a grim place of hammocks and marches, but despite discipline for pulling a face at the gunnery officer, was later made “leading hand”. In 1944 he joined the merchant navy. At the end of WW2 he was crew on a troop ship for Operation Zipper to invade Malaysia, which was aborted when the war in the Pacific ended, and he often recounted that the timely end of the war may have saved his life. He continued in the merchant navy and circumnavigated the globe many times, earning his Master Mariner ticket. His greatest stroke of luck was while sailing on the liner “Nova Scotia” across the Atlantic to rejoin a ship in Halifax, when he was pulled on to the dance floor by a confident Canadian gal, Diana “Deedee” Skinner. Courtship in ports and by mail led to marriage in 1958, and four children. They settled first in Montreal where Roger commenced an insurance career as a marine and commercial broker, and they moved to Saint John in 1960 where Roger joined J.M. & C.W. Hope Grant Insurance, retiring in 1990. Roger was a great dad and granddad, emphasizing education, laughs and an open mind. He spent endless hours organizing community events involving sailing, skiing, symphonies and more. He also took up skiing for his outdoorsy Canadian wife, and his broken leg, ribs and thumb in various tumbles did not deter Rog, who skied until his late seventies. He also enjoyed (and cursed) golf courses and racing dinghies over many years. He was a passionate poet, a published author of children’s stories, and a skilled wood turner, earning his status as a juried member of the New Brunswick Crafts Council.
He has left his family with many beautiful pieces shaped by his strong and gentle hands. We are so blessed that Roger gave our families love, laughter and guidance over many years. Roger was predeceased by his siblings; Tess, Robert and Nigel, and by his son Peter (Heather Angevine). He is survived by his wife Deedee of 58 years, his children Karen McNally (John), Robert Macdonald (Heather) and Janet Keenan (Michael) and eleven grandchildren, of whom Grandad was very proud.
Huge thanks for tender care to the staff of St. Joseph’s Hospital 5th and 7th floors and Drs. Pam Jarrett and Donald Sutherland.
Arrangements are under the care of Brenan’s Funeral Home, 111 Paradise Row, Saint John, NB (634-7424). Although there will be no visitation, friends and family are invited to attend a celebration of Roger’s life, which will take place at Brenan’s Funeral Home Chapel on Monday, April 11, 2016 at 2:00pm with a reception to follow at Shadow Lawn Inn, Rothesay. A private interment will take place at a later date.
For those who wish, remembrances made to Symphony New Brunswick would be appreciated by the family.
Online condolences may be placed at www.BrenansFH.com