Don Hume – A Tribute

Don Hume died in hospital in Campbellton, New Brunswick on February 9th, 2022. He was 82. 

His ‘send-off’ was six months later at the Baptist Church in Campbellton. Scroll down to ‘Funeral Service’ towards the end of this post for details.

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Here’s a 2014 write-up on Don’s incredible life:

Heroes — those shining luminaries — amaze and inspire. We identify with them. They’re part of our lives and like that first love, they’re never forgotten. 

My dictionary defines a hero as “someone admired or idealized for noble qualities, courage or outstanding achievements.” Actress Debi Mazar has her own interpretation. “A hero,” she says, “is selfless, generous in spirit, who tries to give back as much as possible.” 

Most of the ‘famous’ heroes, of course, we know only from a distance. They’re often interviewed in the media. Perhaps we’ve been lucky enough to meet one face-to-face, snag an autograph or stand alongside them for a treasured snapshot.

Now to the point of this article: a good number of heroes are unsung. How many, you ask? Well. Put it this way: every hamlet, village, town, city, and megacity is blessed with great men and women who go the extra mile to push humanity in the right direction. These heroes are not always well-known. No matter. Their contribution to society is phenomenal — because it’s so worthwhile. It’s as simple as that.

The results are tangible. There’s far less drug use, crime … and fewer heartaches. These folk have made our communities better places to live. Children ‘find themselves’ instead of finding themselves in court. Families are happier, communities safer and healthier — and it’s all because somebody walked the talk when it came to caring for others. They made life important, and in my book, they’re true heroes. We owe them a debt that can never be paid. 

Don Hume is one such individual. The following article is about my good friend and mentor.

There’s also a look at the youth soccer club Don started and the scores of kids he influenced, including me.

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This story takes place in the Northern New Brunswick community of Campbellton …

Donald Charles Hume was born in Moncton, New Brunswick, on May 11, 1939, and raised in Campbellton. In the early 1960s, the young, handsome man became a popular announcer at CKNB, the local radio station, ‘950 on Your Dial.’  Don had a golden voice and a heart of gold.

Don Hume ended his working years — not in broadcasting — but as a public servant. He was a postal worker.

In 1963 or so, I was barely a teenager — skinny, shy and stuttering — when I joined an indoor soccer team called the Speed Demons. We played in a four-team, church-based league; the Speed Demons were affiliated with the Baptist Church.

Church. Demons. Weird, I know. But it spoke volumes about the Baptist Church in my hometown that those in charge were open-minded. Speed Demons was a name one of the boys [Ed Poley] had chosen, and church management was okay with that. Thanks to Don’s persuasion, the name got the church’s blessing.

The youth group was the brainchild of a Sunday School teacher at the Baptist Church, Don Hume. Hume didn’t just show up at church and go through the motions; he lived his faith. He was, as broadcaster Steve Bujold put it, the real deal.

When you get to the end of this article, tell me if you disagree.

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Don was our coach, although he hadn’t played soccer himself. That didn’t mean a lot to us because we won most of our games anyway [and winning is always cool] … plus we hung out and travelled here and there. All fun stuff.

When the team folded in the late 1970s, it went into the sunset with a remarkable record, including a 34-game winning streak in the mid-1960s. That’s when the Speed Demons went an entire season without losing a single game. Not many teams, pro or otherwise, can make that claim.

“One thing I appreciated about Don,” recalls Bill Flann, “was his coaching style. I do not remember the man screaming, yelling, or belittling his players. That seemed to be the style at that time. We certainly laughed a lot and did not have to endure what players in other sports had to deal with.”

In the 1970s, one of the two local newspapers, The Tribune, commented in jest that life had three certainties: death, taxes — and the Speed Demons capturing another championship.

As the Speed Demons became synonymous with winning, their popularity increased. The boys had a following. They now had fans and cheerleaders.

Winning was all well and good, but in the end, it didn’t mean a lot. What mattered was that the boys were shown how to win in the Game of Life. They learned right from wrong … and how to behave, which included losing with dignity.

The boys were given lessons that would help them when they grew up — about teamwork and hard work, integrity, honour, caring — and ‘doing the right thing.’ Call it old-fashioned, but love and class never go out of style.

Don married Julie, a popular nursing assistant. The couple had no children, although one could say that Don had close to 80, the number of boys who wore a Speed Demon uniform before both the team [and the league] went the way of 8-track music tapes.

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FUNDRAISING

For the longest while, the Speed Demons were the only team in the league with uniforms. Another thing: the green and gold jerseys were not handouts from the government or a charity. To pay for their uniforms, club jackets, equipment, team trophies and Father-and-Son banquets, the boys collected dues, made and sold fudge, went door-to-door with bottle drives … and sold ‘shares’ in our Club. There wasn’t a kid who didn’t help raise money.

Keep in mind that Campbellton was a [relatively] poor community in a [relatively] poor province. I put relatively in brackets to not insult people who are genuinely struggling to survive, like those in the Third World. Now, that’s poverty.

The boys also chopped down evergreen trees and crafted beautiful Christmas candleholders from those trees. The work was done in the basement of Don’s parent’s house on Aberdeen Street. We put in long hours, and on those cold, starry nights, we walked home tired but content — a good tired, if you will. Everyone helped, and we kids learned a valuable life lesson: Assists weren’t limited to scoresheets.

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DIFFERENT ERA

The 1960s and 70s was a great time to be young. Life was more straightforward, lower to the ground. And back then, Commandment #8 meant something. Doors were often unlocked, and car keys could be left in the ignition. Try doing that today.

Pizza was not delivered to our homes, but milk was. The hit parade was dominated by Elvis, Pat Boone, Johnny Cash, the Beatles, The Beach Boys, Herman’s Hermits and The Rolling Stones. Their wonderful 45 ‘rpm’ records sold for a buck.

In the 1960s, colour television was still very much a novelty, and of course, nothing was digital. There were no 500-channel LED TVs and Blu-ray DVDs … however Campbellton did have two movie theatres and a drive-in theatre. Our TV channels weren’t 24/7 … and we just had black-and-white programs such as The Ed Sullivan Show, Rawhide, and Hockey Night in Canada [which we thoroughly enjoyed]. The NHL only had six teams back then, and the players weren’t millionaires controlled by billionaire owners.

Another thing, for the Speed Demons and the teams they played against, their ‘reality shows’ were actual soccer games.

It was on CKNB Radio where we heard the latest hits, and we’d sing along to them. Do people sing along to the radio anymore?

Let’s go back to 1964. Here’s teenager Brian Brooks’s [brief] impersonation of “Lucky Lips,” a 1963 hit by England’s Cliff Richard and the Shadows. Richard himself follows with the original tune, then snippets from more than a dozen other songs from the 60s. The final tune — played in its entirety — is “Yesterday” by The Beatles. Total playing time is just under 16 minutes. Feel free to sing along …

The songs, in order:

1. Lucky Lips [Cliff Richard and the Shadows]
2. I’m Henry the VIII, I am [Herman’s Hermits]
3. Wishin’ and Hopin’ [Dusty Springfield]
4. Glad All Over [Dave Clark Five]
5. Friday On My Mind [The Easybeats]
6. Fun, Fun, Fun [The Beach Boys]
7. Do You Believe in Magic [Lovin’ Spoonful]
8. Battle of New Orleans [Johnny Horton]
9. Walk Right In [Rooftop Singers]
10. P.S. I Love You [The Beatles]
11. Sugar Shack [Jimmy Gilmer and The Fireballs]
12. Blue Velvet [Bobby Vinton]
13. She Loves You [The Beatles]
14. [I Can’t Get No] Satisfaction [The Rolling Stones]
15. Yesterday [The Beatles]

Sorry for going a little heavy on The Beatles.

You can buy these songs on iTunes — or if you feel nostalgic, you can dust off the old turntable and pull out your old 45s and LPs.

In the 1960s and 70s, families were often supported on one income; for workers in Campbellton, that usually meant a paycheque from Canadian National Railways [as it was then known] or from pulp mills in nearby Atholville and Dalhousie.

There were no computers either, but, hey, we had electric typewriters. There was a time when electric typewriters were high-tech, state-of-the-art. I kid you not.

No Speed Demon player was online — but on the first, second, third or fourth lines. ‘Booted’ and ‘hard drives’ had different meanings. Also, there weren’t a thousand different styles of running shoes. We wore sneakers.

Our indoor soccer was played along the lines of ice hockey rules with six players, three periods, hockey-size goals — and body-checking. And no one faked an injury [making an ass of themselves in the process] just to get a penalty shot.

 

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THE RULES

1. Handball — Contact from shoulder to hand with ball will result in a penalty shot in favor of the opposing team.
2. The ball may not be thrown beyond the centre line by the goaltender. If thrown, it will result in a face-off in the offender’s end.
3. Goaltender holding the ball longer than 5 seconds will result in a face-off.
4. Penalties will be handed out to players who do the following: tripping, holding, roughing, boarding, elbowing, charging, interference. This will result in a 2-minute penalty.
5. Fighting players will be disqualified from the game and could be suspended indefinitely. It is the referee’s decision.
6. Games are to be started on time. Ten minutes is allowed to the team if it is delayed. If team does not appear, game will be forfeited to the other team.
7. Captains and assistant captains are the only persons allowed to discuss calls with the official.
8. A game misconduct will be served to those who use foul language.
9. All problems will be taken care of by the Arbitration Committee. The Committee consists of the following: Rev. Robert Steeves [Chairman], Rev. Vernon Smith, Rev. Desmon McConnell, Don Hume [Organizer & Publicity] and Lou Bursey.
10. The game will consist of 4 periods of 12 minutes each with a 12-minute break at half-time.
11. Each team can call time out during the game. But the time to be called cannot exceed three minutes per game.
12. All players must observe the above rules or will not be able to play.
13. The following is a list of the member of the Soccer Committee: The First United Church [Chargers] –  Rev. V. Smith; Bob Brooks, Bob Gallup, Donald Adams; United Tide Head – Rev. D McConnell, Lou Bursey, captains to be named; Baptist Church [Speed Demons]; Don Hume, Rev. R. Steeves, C-Byron Christopher, AC Raymond Poley, AC Lance Enright. Note: the first name on this list is responsible for his team and only him.
14. Age limit: 20 years
15. Your co-operation will be appreciated.

The rules were our anchors — in more ways than one. As John McDonald noted in a 5 June 2015 email, “I never liked arguments. That’s why I like rules. This document kept us safe from conflict when the competition began. We all ‘knew the rules,’ and they were written down.”

“The rules also made it possible for us to learn how to “play fair,” to experience the joy of moving toward a common goal [pardon the pun],” he says, “and for a bunch of kids, it let us shape the perception that we knew how to handle ourselves — there was something bigger out there. We knew that we had to observe these rules — or we would not be able to play.”

“It made me more comfortable because everyone was equally accountable and responsible for doing the right thing. It put us all on common ground.” – John McDonald

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TEAM MEETINGS

Team meetings were held every Friday after school in the basement of the Baptist church. While one lad took minutes, another chaired the meeting, directing traffic and doing his best to keep a sometimes noisy crew in line.

Every meeting and league game began the same way: with bowed heads and a prayer.

The meetings went beyond budgets, game strategies — what worked on the floor and what didn’t — and voting for Captain and Assistant Captains. We discovered first-hand the need to show up on time, proper protocol at meetings, manners and how to sort out our problems. We also learned that every suggestion was important and that everyone should pull their weight. ‘Entitlement’ wasn’t in vogue back then.

Flowers were given to teammates in the hospital, and ‘Thank You’ cards went out to those who’d given us a helping hand. There’s not a Thank You card that I’ve mailed out in the past 50 years where I didn’t have a flashback to the first one I signed at a meeting in the basement of the Baptist church.

Indoor soccer became so popular that new teams emerged to accommodate younger boys who also wanted to play. And so, Don formed the Junior Speed Demons.

Mr. Hume didn’t realize it, but he quickly became the #1 babysitter in New Brunswick.

Former Club president and team captain Brian Brooks, semi-retired and living in Riverview, New Brunswick, points out that Don Hume’s greatest influence was that he gave the boys the perception they ran the show. “Here we were, a bunch of kids,” he says, “making decisions on strategy, financing, fundraising … and of course, sport.”

Looking back, what did that do for the former captain and the team’s highest scorer? “I was President of the Club for several years and had to run meetings, keep order and follow a meeting agenda,” Brian recalls, “all this at the tender age of 12, 13 and 14. I was able to transfer this knowledge and confidence to a career.

“Even today — after going to university where I studied business, economics and marketing — I think back to a foundation that began in the basement of the Baptist Church with my best friends and team-mates [now life-long friends]. This all happened because of the dedication of Don, who allowed us to be kids and make our own decisions.”

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TEAM REUNIONS

“I love the guy. He’s been such an influence in my life and will continue to be.” – Brian Brooks, former Club President.

1986 Reunion: Rick Kierstead, Terry Wilbur, Art Stewart, Brian Brooks [holding document], Rob McLeod, and Ed Poley check out old Speed Demon photos and memorabilia.

In one of the strangest stories from the world of sport, the Speed Demons made Vernon Smith an honourary player. Such was the respect the boys had for him.

Smith was one of two Chargers named ‘honourary Speed Demon.’ The second was Bob Gallup, a senior RCMP officer who died on 21 February 2018 when his heart gave out. He was 68.

Dennis Arpin of Grand Falls, New Brunswick — former Campbelltonian and a cross-country skiing coach for the Canadian Olympic team — reveals, “I ended up playing for two competing soccer teams [in Campbellton], but I always wanted to play for the Speed Demons. I eventually played three decades of outdoor soccer at the senior level throughout the province. I have fond memories of those years gone by …”

Bob Brooks of Riverview, New Brunswick,, also played for the Speed Demons. Bob attended business college, then worked in the steel industry in Hamilton, Ontario as a maintenance supervisor. “Don showed us how to be leaders,” the former forward recalls, “his influence helped me become a better supervisor. Don’s influence was instrumental in teaching me how work as part of a team.”

The meetings were followed either by a practice or a league game. I played left defence and remember the blocked shots hurting in practice as much as they did in the actual games. The boys gave it their all, as fired-up youngsters do.

One forward — whose initials are Bill Allen — would drill his shots in practice as though he wanted to take out the end boards. For a scrawny guy, Allen had one heck of a shot.

I was reminded of that a few years ago when I chatted with former hockey goaltender great Glenn Hall [Detroit, Chicago and St. Louis of the National Hockey League], who shared that one of his Black Hawk teammates, Bobby Hull, also drilled his shots during practice, causing Hall to quip, “Hey, not so hard, Bobby … it’s just a damn practice.”

On that note, if anyone had been asked to sign a waiver [for release of liability], the response would likely have been, “What’s that? … someone who waves?” We took our lumps [in some cases had bones reset], sucked it up and moved on.

At times, the games were overly competitive. Is that unusual? I don’t think so. Competing — especially winning — gave the boys confidence.

The club jackets were worn with pride.

We especially enjoyed our out-of-town games, which usually meant traveling to Dalhousie, 17 miles distant. For kids like me whose parents didn’t own a car, it was cool to travel to another town and play soccer in front of people we didn’t know.

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TRIPS

It was even more exciting to go on a one-week trip to Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and other parts of New Brunswick, which we did every summer. That was quite the adventure. The boys cranked up the radio and sang along to the hits of the day. We slept in large tents, drank pop, pigged out on potato chips … and cooked our own food, usually hamburgers. Pigged out on those too. Concerns about high cholesterol were light years away.

Not once did we pull over at McDonalds or Tim Hortons, because there weren’t any.

Don used his own vehicle to drive the boys to and from games and to trips across the Maritimes, but he wasn’t alone. His brothers, Dale and Cecil, helped … as did Charlie Gilbert, Jack Lutes, Paul Thomas, Bill Vienneau Senior, Reverend Robert Steeves, Brian Brooks, John Szekeres and Rick Stymiest. Their payment was nothing more than hot dogs, burgers, soft drinks … and a Thank You card.

Both the Campbellton Tribune and the Campbellton Graphic kept readers up to speed on what the Speed Demons were up to, whether they won or lost … and where they’d been on their summer holiday.

The Graphic went under a number of years ago, leaving only the Tribune to serve Campbellton and area — and even that was taken over by Irving-owned Brunswick News. [And even that was taken over by a Toronto-based company which was owned by a hedge fund in New York City …]

Don got the youngsters to stand up in front of the congregation at the Baptist Church — a packed house back then — and talk about the trips around the Maritimes.

Let’s go back more than half a century — to 1963 — and hear 13-year-old Mike Trites, talk about the trip. At the end of the 1:26 clip you’ll hear the voice of Don Hume and Reverend Alexander Crowe.

Mike Trites became an engineer. When Mike retired, he was Assistant Deputy Minister with the New Brunswick Department of Transportation. 

In the clip, a young Mike talks about travelling the Stuart Highway. People travelling the highway today, near the town of St. Quentin, will pass a bridge designed by Mike Trites. We Speed Demons know it as “Mike’s Bridge.”

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AN OPEN MIND

It was Don’s idea we attend churches of faiths other than Baptist, and we did this as a team. This taught us to be tolerant of other religions. Without a doubt, there’d be more peace and harmony on this planet if we had more people like Don Hume.

English, French and Native lads, Protestants and Catholics played together on the Speed Demons. Kids being kids, the English often made fun of the French but in the end, those boys were “punished” because many married French girls. Hmmm … karma at work???

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ANOTHER PERSONAL NOTE

One special memory I have of Don Hume has nothing to do with soccer. It was summer, the mid-1960s and I was alone, walking down Roseberry Street when someone called out my name. It was Don. He was working part-time at the Paramount Theatre. “Wanna see a movie?” he asked. Playing was Nashville Rebel, a ‘picture show’ featuring country music star Waylon Jennings. I said, “Sure, what the heck …”

Don ushered me in and we grabbed a pair of seats. I can’t recall what we talked about that night. What I do remember vividly though is a cool tune from that movie. “Green River” is now one of the most played in my iTunes library of some 3,500 songs.

Thanks to YouTube, here’s a clip from Nashville Rebel with Waylon singing ‘Green River’ …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Yf2an-Su8w 

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TIME MARCHES ON

A lot happens in half a century. The boys grew up to be men with careers and families. They became fathers, grandfathers and — yes — great grandfathers. Nearly all have now retired.

About a dozen Speed Demons are now in Heaven.

With confidence partly instilled by being a Speed Demon, the boys went on to become police officers, engineers, doctors, lawyers, teachers, professors, train drivers, DJ’s, mechanics, accountants, electricians, reporters, office managers, supervisors … you name it. One, as I mentioned, became an Assistant Deputy-Minister. Some also became salesmen, but very few sold out.

The boys became positive contributors to society, and there are few things more honourable than that.

Many of the Speed Demons volunteered for youth groups. Ed Black, Mike O’Connell, Bill Allen, Bill ‘Bud’ Flann, Mike Trites and others gave many hours of their time [and some of their own coin] so that youngsters could have a good time playing sports. And a good time period.

At our last reunion, in 2000, Bill Allen shared about the time he coached a boy’s softball team in Moncton, New Brunswick. It was late in a tie game and his next batter was a poor hitter. Was the kid replaced? Nope. The youngster stepped up to the plate with the likelihood he wouldn’t reach first base. Want to know what he did? — did he strike out? … reach base? I don’t know; Bill didn’t say because it really didn’t matter.

It was a lesson Bill had learned in Campbellton many years earlier. The important thing wasn’t winning … it was having a child hear, “You’re next …!”

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REAPING WHAT WE SOW

Not surprisingly, Don Hume has maintained contact with many of the guys, myself included. Hardly a day goes by when a member of the youth grouptury ago doesn’t phone  he founded more than half a cenor wave to him in traffic. Harvest time.

Every year, former Speed Demons — grey hair and in some cases no hair at all — return to Campbellton and stop by Don’s small house on Dover Street. The old coach can’t resist taking the senior citizens out for a meal and hearing what they have to say.

Don never stops caring for the boys. He’s overjoyed with their successes and saddened with their setbacks. His Speed Demons are discovering that when that final buzzer goes, they may ‘win’ … but not with a shutout. The boys have also found that falling down — which we did so often during our games and practices — is an essential part of our journey on this sometimes wacky planet and that getting up again is what life is all about.

Some Speed Demons are now experiencing memory loss, a clear sign of old age. Others are repeating themselves.

Others are repeating themselves.

“Middle age is when your old classmates are so grey and wrinkled and bald they don’t recognize you” – Sandi V. http://www.wackywits.com

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RECOGNITION BY THE CITY OF CAMPBELLTON

In 1996, Campbellton recognized Don’s contribution to the city’s youth by inducting him into its Sports Hall of Fame. Donald Charles Hume went in as a coach and builder.

Make that a builder of men as well. The Selection Committee at the Sports Hall of Fame nailed it, recognizing that local heroes amaze us and influence us.

In 2008, surviving members of the Speed Demons pooled their photos and thoughts and published a 100-page book simply called The Speed Demons.

In September 2014, the book was presented to Campbellton’s Centennial Library. It’s available as ‘reference material,’ which means that people can go to the library and read the book [or photocopy pages], but it can’t leave the building.

In an email dated Saturday, 25 April 2015, Centennial Library Director Jocelyn Paquette wrote, “The Speed Demons [book] is being looked at regularly. People are so enjoying seeing themselves as they were then and appreciate the great memories that come with such a read.”

Good to see that the book has … well … legs.

The Speed Demons book is not available at any bookstore or online.

Our old jerseys were given — not sold — to others on the team. I’d forgotten who ended up with mine [#9] until I came across an old team photo and saw forward Art Stewart wearing it.

Don Hume wore #77. Now that’s strange. 77 was the number of boys who wore a Speed Demon uniform.

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KINDNESS IS TIMELESS

At the Village Nursing Home in Campbellton, visitors come and go without much attention, but on 10 November 2015, all eyes were on three well-known locals — all former radio announcers at CKNB. They were getting together with an old friend from the 1960s …

Resident Kenny MacIntyre was celebrating his 75th birthday and the announcers — Don Hume, Terry Adams and David Humphrey — showed up to shake MacIntyre’s hand and wish him well … and to remember the old days. A lot of that goes on in nursing homes.

But there’s more to this story [click to enlarge] …

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

They’re in just about every Canadian province. Here are the Speed Demons as they are today — ordinary folk guided by an extraordinary man, someone who saw greatness — not just in heroes, but in children.

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MOVING ON 

Many Speed Demons are no longer with us: Earle Woodworth, Rick Kierstead, Phil Legacy, Raymond Shalala, Gordie Dickie, Bill Allen, Allan Black, Peter McLardie, Dave McKenzie, Robert Hamilton, Stephen Gilbert, Arnold Christopher, Dave Lefurgey, Rev. Vernon Smith, John Woodworth, Bruce Millican and Don Hume. RIP, boys.

Here are some of the obituaries …

Robert Hamilton, a tour bus driver in the Canadian Rockies, tagged with the cool nickname ‘Stubby,’ died in Calgary on Sunday, 17 May 2015. Robert’s ashes were buried at the Campbellton Rural Cemetery on 19 September 2015. His obituary can be seen here: https://www.mhfh.com/hamilton-james-robert/#.VVuCB_JCovs.facebook.

Stephen Gilbert, a forward, died in a hospital in Saint John, New Brunswick, on  27 May 2019. He was 69. Stephen’s obituary is here: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/campbellton-nb/stephen-gilbert-8725820

Arnold [Chris] Christopher [the author’s younger  brother] crossed over on Saturday, 3 August 2019, at his home in Grand Digue, New Brunswick. Arnold played goal. He was 68.

And on 4 September 2020, Dave Lefurgey died at 67. His obit is here: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/en-ca/obituaries/campbellton-nb/david-lefurgey-9346941

On Sunday, 14 March 2021, forward Ed Black passed. Ed, who had dementia, died at a nursing home in Edmonton on Sunday, 14 March 2021. Here’s a blog story about Ed’s battle with dementia …

https://byronchristopher.org/2017/12/10/losing-your-mind/

Coach Don Hume has shown up for a Speed Demon Reunion on the Other Side. Our coach died in hospital in Campbellton on 9 February 2022. He was admitted to the geriatric ward around Christmas 2021. A month later, Don was transferred to the palliative care unit. Here is his obit …

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/campbellton-nb/donald-hume-10584338

John Woodworth passed away in the early morning hours of November 10, 2022, at his home in McLeod’s [just east of Campbellton] surrounded by his wife Suzanne and her family. Earlier that summer, John had been injured when his quad tumbled over a steep embankment. X-rays were taken. That was when doctors discovered cancer in his liver. With the music of Jimmy Buffet playing, John’s last act was to raise his arms and wave goodbye to his dear friends. He then closed his eyes, and that was it. John was 70.

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/campbellton-nb/john-woodworth-11015606

Bruce Millican, 73, died at the Moncton General Hospital on February 3, 2023. Bruce’s last visit to Campbellton was in September 2022 when he and Bonnie attended a Bluegrass Music Festival. Bruce loved his music, natural medicine, antiques … and life. What a loving spirit this man was.

Bruce John Millican Obituary – Visitation & Funeral Information

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Now is a perfect time for an easy-listening, reflective instrumental called Theme From The Cider House Rules by the Soundtrack and Theme Orchestra …

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Earle Woodworth, our assistant coach and number-two driver [and John’s father], was the first club member to cross over.

Storytime: It was late June 1986 and sweltering hot in Campbellton. Things were heating up in more ways than one. The city was buzzing because scores of Speed Demons — now grown men — were back home for their first reunion.

A full-page write-up in the Tribune revealed the boys were back in town.

Earle was in town too, but he couldn’t make it to our bash. In fact, he couldn’t make it out of bed. Suffering from the advanced stages of dementia, Earle was alone in a quiet hospital room in a sometimes not-so-quiet ward where the main door was locked to keep people from ‘escaping.’

No one wanted to talk about it, but the most senior Speed Demon was doing his final lap.

I drove around to the hospital to visit Earle, although I’d been warned he likely wouldn’t recognize me. Turns out, that wasn’t the case. “How are ya, Byron?” he mumbled when I walked into his room.

Out from under the covers came Earle’s hand for a gentle handshake. Flashing a grin, he asked, “What brings you here? …” I smiled, held his hand, then pulled up a chair. We began to talk about “the old days” and all the fun we had.

For a man suffering from dementia, Earle’s memory was excellent! He rattled off the name of every Speed Demon, then went on about their strengths. “Danny Edmunds,” he said, cocking his head to one side and pausing to make a point, “… what a scrapper!! Man, he was good along the boards! Eddie Black was tough … and Arty Stewart, gosh, he could sure foot-handle …”

Earle wouldn’t stop talking. That was okay with me; I had all the time in the world. Earle didn’t.

The old coach often capped his comments about the players with the same question:  “Where’s he now?? …” It may not have been evident to the youngsters who left Campbellton for greener pastures; they were not only remembered but missed.

When Earle got tired, he slowly closed his eyes and drifted off. For a brief moment, I thought he was in training for a job in the Canadian Senate. Again, no big deal. I was in no rush.

When Earle awoke, he picked up where he left off. “… And those Brooks boys,” he said, reaching back to adjust his pillow, “… they always found the net!” Well, not always, of course, but you know how it is with time; there’s a lot of favourable editing.

Earle was a great communicator. He could tell a story … then again, I think most old-timers are like that. They just know too much.

Our assistant coach went on about things as though they happened yesterday. So much for dementia. Just goes to show that sweet memories can have medicinal qualities.

Ever notice that people about to cross over talk about real stuff? There’s no small talk. They want to talk about things that have substance. The Speed Demons Soccer Club had that in spades …

Earle Woodworth recognized what we will all see one day — there was tremendous value in what Don Hume had started.

Here’s a strange thought. How many times did we players leave the court saluting the star of the game — someone who had scored two or three goals — and on the bench, applauding and cheering us on, was the true star? It took me years to realize that.

I’d gone to the hospital in Campbellton — not only to meet with Earle — but to present him with a unique commemorative pin, one that forward Ken Chambers and I designed for the reunion.

I reached over and attached the pin to Earle’s hospital gown, near his chest. He looked up and flashed a warm smile. It was like I’d given him a million bucks.

Earle and I said our goodbyes and shook hands one final time.

As I left the room, I glanced back to see something that stopped me in my tracks: Earle tugging at his reunion pin, looking down and squinting to have a better look.

Mr. Woodworth died a few months later. He was 72. It was Don who phoned with the sad news.

Earle’s funeral was very well-attended. One of the pallbearers was his best friend — our best friend — Don Hume.

Seeing a dying man beaming at the sight of a small Speed Demon pin is one memory I’ll cherish forever. It brought tears to my eyes then — and decades later, I still tear up thinking about it.

In 2022 Earl Woodworth was inducted into the Campbellton Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the 1935 provincial High School hockey championship team. Earle played defence. He was a champion long before we were born.

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“THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP”

The last time I saw Bill Allen was in the summer of 2008. We met at his home in Riverview. The former Speed Demon Assistant Captain was frail, his voice barely a whisper. The damn cancer was killing him.

Bill had only weeks to live.

We talked about all sorts of things but — again, as with Earle — mainly about stuff that mattered. The clock was ticking, and we knew it. Bill and I discussed his illness, then on to more positive topics … such as growing up in Campbellton and our time with the Speed Demons. When the soccer club came up, Bill broke into a smile, and his voice became more robust. I figured as much.

Before I stood up to leave, the man who had terrorized goaltenders signed — pardon me, autographed — our photo book on the Speed Demons. “Thanks for all your help with the reunions.” he wrote. “… And for being a friend.”

At a side door, Bill and I parted company. We shook hands. But he wouldn’t release his grip. Bill’s eyes locked onto mine, and for a brief moment, he didn’t utter a word, as though he was searching for the right thing to say. “So long,” he said, breaking the awkward silence. “It was great …”

That it was, Mr. Allen.

A few weeks later, a phone call came in from New Brunswick with the news that Bill had arrived in Heaven. On the line was a sombre Don Hume. 

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TEAMWORK

It had been years since Speed Demon goalie John [Duhy] Bourque saw forward Ed Black, but they met again on a cold winter night in late 2016 when Duhy made a surprise visit to Ed’s new digs in St. Albert, just north of Edmonton.

Ed, a retired City of Edmonton worker, lived on the fourth floor of a secure care facility. Despite his age [68], the man was suffering from dementia. [His brother, Bill, died from Alzheimer’s when he was 75.]

The feisty Speed Demon, known for sticking up for his teammates, got some caring in return when Duhy embraced him and told him how much he meant to the club.

The encounter underscored the importance of positive experiences during our youth and how, yet again, a disease as debilitating as dementia can take a back seat to great times, great memories and outstanding bonds.

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CREDIT

The sketch of Don Hume was drawn by the late Claude Picard of Edmunston, New Brunswick. Image courtesy of the Campbellton Sports Hall of Fame.

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A SHORT STORY …

Don always loved this story, and he wanted me to write about it. Here goes …

There are two settings and dates: First, the early 1970s, west end of Roseberry Street, Campbellton, where we find Don chatting with the mother of Speed Demon forward, the late Bruce Millican. Don looked around and remarked, “The boys have moved away, Elinor; they’re gone …”

Indeed, many had settled in different parts of Canada, from Nova Scotia to British Columbia.

That sure rang true on a dark, snow-covered morning in the fall of 1986 when two Speed Demons, one a forward, the other a defenceman, met in the wilderness of Northern Alberta — during what became Canada’s most significant news story that day. In a land dispute with the Federal Government, the Lubicon Cree had barricaded roads to their traditional territory, which was rich in oil and gas reserves. With the loud, whomp-whomp of a police helicopter swooping low, scores of RCMP officers — including sharpshooters — moved in with attack dogs in a dramatic, early morning raid.

It was exciting as hell. A chainsaw dismantled the main roadblock as officers scurried about arresting protestors and putting them in the back of police vans

I was parked nearby in a CBC news cruiser, taking everything in and filing live reports on a satellite phone to our morning show in Edmonton. Suddenly, there was a tap at my driver’s door. Down came the window. My Lord! There was Campbellton native Constable Ken Chambers. “Hi, Byron,” he said, “… hope you’re okay.” “I am,” I replied. “You?” “I’m fine, but I’m not supposed to be talking to you. Take care, man. Gotta go.”

RCMP Officer Chambers then slipped away into the darkness.

Nearly two decades after this photo was snapped at the Baptist Church in Campbellton, #15 and #9 met early one tense morning in, of all places, a forest in Northern Alberta.

There you go, Don.

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DON’S LAST HOSPITAL STAY

Don Hume was readmitted to the hospital around Christmas [2021] after his health continued to fail. Because he had his own landline phone, we were able to chat now and then … about nothing in particular, just a quick call to see how he was coping.

Know what was strange [and excellent] about Don? Despite being in poor health, he promptly returned phone calls. Class to the end. Another thing: Don was not merely a “nice guy,” the accommodator who always went with the flow. Don stood tall for his beliefs, even if they weren’t popular. That took courage.

Another thing: the man had opinions but was willing to change them if the facts proved otherwise. He also believed in transparency and had no time for corruption — at any level.

I include these thoughts in the tribute article to Don because you should know about the beautiful qualities he possessed.

When we last spoke, I could tell that Don was struggling. His breathing was laboured. His body was closing down, but not his mind nor his soul. His spirit remained strong.

The writing was clearly on the wall when the man was moved from geriatric care to palliative care. The incredible, productive, courageous, loving journey of Don Hume was about to end …

When we were young, coach Hume made us think and feel — not just about the game at hand — but about a much bigger contest down the road, one that would not be limited to 60 minutes — even 60 years. I’m talking about something more meaningful. In the Game of Life, the Big Guy Upstairs gives more weight to assists than goals.

The lessons the Speed Demons learned from Don’s tutelage will be with us until we, too, have done our time; some of it, no doubt, in palliative care.

We last spoke on January 30th. Don shared that he’d be home soon in a voice that still had some spark. I took ‘home’ to have a lower case. But did our good friend mean Heaven?

Don’s passing is sad news for all those who knew him and those who care deeply about the future of humanity.

In a comment below, Don Hume’s long-time friend, Carol Savage, said, “Whenever I think of Don, I think of a line from Khalil Gibran’s THE PROPHET: “You give much and know not that you give at all.”

Campbellton’s loss is Heaven’s gain. A Hero has returned Home.

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DON’S FUNERAL SERVICE

I could not make it to Don’s memorial service, unfortunately, but I did catch the ceremony online [called ‘streaming’], thanks to Maher’s Funeral Home. The video quality was excellent.

Don Hume’s remains had been cremated. His ashes were in an urn in an enclosed glass box [as seen in the photo] at the front of the altar surrounded by white flowers and a black and white photo of the man himself.

Don was a dedicated follower of the Baptist Church in Campbellton. He faithfully attended just about every service in 80+ years, and as someone pointed out — Don was instrumental in having church services around Campbellton broadcast on CKNB. 

The eulogy was given by a local pastor, Nelson Roussy, who met Don in the late 1980s. Roussy spoke about the time his good friend offered to donate money to help kids who couldn’t afford to attend the [Fair Haven] Bible Camp.

Roussy was aware that Don had helped other youth in the Campbellton area, particularly with soccer, meaning the Speed Demons. He remarked that some of the soccer players might be in attendance. Indeed they were: Mike O’Connell, Brian Brooks, Mike Trites, Art Stewart, Barry Lutes, Bryan Lutes, Rawley Garrels, Dan Edmonds, Danny Firlotte, Terry Wilbur, and Brian and Harvey Martin. Former Speed Demons made up about half the congregation.

Garrels biked from British Columbia to New Brunswick to attend the service. Two of the pallbearers  [including ‘honourary’] were Speed Demons: Art Stewart and Barry Lutes. 

“He seemed to have a sincere interest in the well-being of people around him,” Roussy told the congregation. “He had a good heart and a great desire to help others. Donny was easy to talk to, had a great sense of humour and he loved to laugh.”

The service featured a choir led by Jerry Woodworth.

A full recording of the service is available by going online and Googling Maher’s Funeral Home and Don Hume.

Featured in the service was a song by the Dutch-Danish husband-wife duo of Frederik and Nina Van Pallandt called “Listen to the Ocean.” The song was a hit in 1960.

Don loved this song [we can only imagine the number of times he played it] and he wanted it played at his funeral. Here are the lyrics:

Perhaps those who attended the service related to much of what was said, it was impossible for me to tell.

I knew Don Hume very well — we’re talking more than six decades here — and I can honestly say that if a stranger took in his funeral service, he would not have learned much about my old friend. The service had far too much religious dogma and not nearly enough about Don. It was hardly a celebration of his life.

Don was more than a “nice guy,” etc … he was a local icon, an inductee into the Campbellton Sports Hall of Fame who helped scores of children and a Christian who walked the talk. Big time.

Don Hume was one of Campbellton’s most outstanding citizens.

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THE CITY HONOURS DON …

On September 16, 2022, The Campbellton Library honoured the Speed Demon founder when it unveiled a plaque and a laser-engraved metal clock.

The plaque read: “In memory of a kind and gentle soul, from your Speed Demons.” [click on image to enlarge slightly]

The story was broken by Stephane Cloutier of CIMS Radio, 103.9 [Balmoral, NB].

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THE AUTHOR

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byron_Christopher