Today I visited Garden Lane Cemetery in Waterdown with Grandma Pat Dickinson, where we spent time at the columbarium holding the ashes of her late husband, Roy Dickinson.
Roy was born in Oldham, England, in 1935 and immigrated to Canada in 1956. After working in the Engineering Department at Canadian Westinghouse, he became a high-school teacher in 1965. He taught at Delta and Sir Winston Churchill in Hamilton, Blakelock in Oakville, and later served as a teacher and department head at Pearson in Burlington.
Pat also shared with me how, before amalgamation, Roy helped steward Garden Lane Cemetery and assisted families and their loved ones through the entire process. It was quiet, practical service – performed not for recognition, but because he believed people deserved care.
Roy’s life extended far beyond his work. He loved astronomy, chess, aviation, music, theatre, dogs, reading, jokes, and puns. He even took up the saxophone in his seventies. He remained active in the First Unitarian Church of Hamilton and continued learning throughout his life.
After our visit, I canvassed in Waterdown and spoke with residents about the future of their community.
The day reminded me that municipal leadership is also about memory: honouring the people who cared for our communities before us, protecting the identities of places like Waterdown and Flamborough, and ensuring amalgamation never means erasure or neglect.
Roy’s example reflects the kind of Hamilton I am campaigning to build – a city where public service is rooted in dignity, generosity, curiosity, and care for neighbours, especially when they are at their most vulnerable.
Thank you, Grandma Pat, for trusting me with Roy’s memory. May Roy’s memory always be a blessing.