Obituary of Corporal Frederick Arbuckle, CD (Ret'd), Port Caledonia

ARBUCKLE, CD (Ret’d), Corporal Frederick

Port Caledonia, Nova Scotia

It is with profound sadness that we, the family, announce the sudden passing of our beloved husband and father, Frederick Arbuckle. He passed away peacefully on July 8, 2019 at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital at the age of 94. 

Born August 25, 1924, he was a son of the late William Dickie and Nellie (Robertson) Arbuckle. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Frances (Hamilton) Arbuckle; sister, Betty Scott, Toronto; sister-in-law, Joan Arbuckle, Toronto. Besides his parents, he was predeceased by brothers, Norman, Jock, William, James, George, Robertson, Stewart and sisters, Janet, Susan, Agnes and Mary.

He was a beloved father of daughter, Heather (Stuart) Young of Maple Ridge, BC; son, Randy (Gigi) Arbuckle, Dieppe, NB and daughter, Colleen Arbuckle (Allan MacPhee), Westmount, NS. A wonderful grandfather to Patrick McGee (Stephanie Hirn), Fernie, BC, Margaret McGee (Tyson Visser), Surrey, BC, Marcella Arbuckle (Craig MacKay), Musquodoboit, NS, Sarah Gilmet, Glace Bay, NS, Cameron Gilmet, Grande Cashe, Alberta, Gabrielle Devine, Westmount, NS.; great-grandfather to Sway Hirn, Riley McGee, Theo Visser, Isla Visser and Ethan Frederick Gilmet, and uncle to many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.

Freddie was employed for 10 years with the Dominion Coal Company (No. 24) until he joined the Canadian Armed Forces with the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals having served 25 years. His military career took him on many NATO and Peacekeeping missions, such as West Germany, Dec./’51 - Nov./’53; Korea, May/’54 - Nov./’54; Egypt, Oct./’57-Oct./’58; Belgium Congo, Mar./’62-Aug./’62;West Germany, Jan./’64-Feb./’64; UNFICyprus, Oct./’67-Apr./’68; West Germany, Jan./’72-July/’74 as well as coast to coast in Canada. On his retirement from the forces, he drove City Transit in Nanaimo, BC for two years, then drove the school bus with the Cape Breton District School Board for 12 years. 

Freddie was a member of the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals Association (Atlantic Division); a Charter member of the National Canadian Association of Veterans in United Nations Peacekeeping; a Charter member of the Canadian Association of Veterans in UN Peacekeeping (Major General Lewis MacKenzie Branch); a member of the Signallers Club of Canada, and a 40-year member of Branch 5, Royal Canadian Legion, Donkin.

Visitation will be held Thursday, July 11, 2019, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. in V.J. McGillivray Funeral Home and Reception Centre, 16 Reserve Street, Glace Bay. A funeral service will take place Friday, July 12 at 11 a.m. in St. Luke’s United Church, Donkin, with  Rev. Bob Biggar officiating. Cremation will follow with burial at a later date. Donations in his memory may be made to  a charity of one’s choice. Online expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at: www.vjmcgillivray.ca.