Roderick Robert MACPHERSON

RODERICK (RICK/ROD) ROBERT MACPHERSON October 9, 1957 - June 5, 1977 When our gentle giant died on June 5, 1977, there were no words to patch the enormous hole left. And so these words come now. Born in Winnipeg, Rick was the first child of Aynslie and Rod Macpherson and only brother of Sandi (Henry) Hagenaars of Winnipeg, Tracy (Brad Hutto) of Orangeburg, SC, Kerri (Gordy) Stokes of Norfolk, VA, Tamara (Alan) Vukusic of Kamloops and Heather (Chris Parrott) of Long Island, NY. As a toddler, Rick was a shameless flirt. He flummoxed passersby with his disarming "hi there!" hollered from the window of a second floor apartment. Mom would beam as others admired her gregarious boy. As a young boy, he enjoyed playing with his plastic toy soldiers at Victoria Beach. We were sure he was destined to be a colonel. After all, he knew all about flanks, capturing the enemy and the strategy behind military moves. He also enjoyed his Boy Scout years and going to Camp Stephens. The only boy and the oldest of six Macpherson kids, he was a colonel of sorts from the beginning. He was protective of his oldest sisters (making his presence known to their suitors) and taught the youngest to ride a two-wheeler with precision. Rick loved to tease and fling his little sisters around. His favourite trick was to pick us straight up into the air and tap our heads on the ceiling for his friends. They all thought it was hilarious. He was Tamara's tooth fairy. Soon after she lost a tooth, the "tooth fairy" would call (from the neighbour's house) to offer congratulations and confirm the worth of the tooth as a cradle for the baby fairies. Rigorous dental hygiene increased its market value. He rode his bike across Winnipeg in his best clothes through heavy rain to visit Kerri in the hospital after her appendix surgery. He arrived covered in mud on account of a small bike accident. Kerri was proud to tell the nurses where the trail of mud came from. He was Tracy's athletic ally and rival. To keep things fair they were put on opposite teams at impromptu family baseball, soccer, basketball and touch football games on the Laidlaw School field. Mom and Dad had matching Team Macpherson jerseys made for these athletic escapades. Sandi and Rick were best friends and partners in crime. It started when they were small and he peed in the sink of her new kitchen play set so she could wash dishes. They were in many of the same classes in grade 12 and that year played the longest running rummy game during lunch hour. A testimonial to their lifelong bond, Rick was to be the Best Man at Sandi and Henry's wedding. Size made Rick an obvious candidate for football and so he became #41 on the St. Paul's High School Crusaders football team. He regularly practiced long snaps in the backyard with Dad and was awarded "Rookie of the Year". His nickname - Rod MacFEARson - was an apt name for a boy who feared hurting those smaller than himself while protecting his quarterback. Rick had a huge heart for the unfortunate and undervalued. He shovelled the snow of everyone's sidewalk on the street starting with the elderly couple three houses over. He went out while it was still snowing to get an early start. He volunteered to help with swim lessons for youth with developmental disabilities, served meals at a drop-in centre and spearheaded a school dance that raised money for people living in North-Eastern India. Rick shared his room with mice, gerbils, fish (in a meticulously clean aquarium) a crab that hatched eggs in front of our eyes, and even a pet alligator. Many times he took a pet mouse to school. Unfortunately, one time he forgot his mouse in his shirt pocket and the mouse went through the wash. He had an impressive and well-organized stamp collection. Many Saturdays were spent taking the bus downtown to learn from two old men who owned a rare coin and stamp shop. He revelled in history lessons about the events depicted on stamps. People from across Canada sent him used envelopes and he patiently soaked off the stamps. He saved his money to buy rare stamps from other collectors long before e-bay. Rick was good with finances and kept a detailed ledger for expenses, even accounting for ten cents to buy a pack of Juicy Fruit gum. He saved enough money to furnish the basement, yet put enough aside to buy generous holiday gifts for friends and family. His dream was to become a Forester. Rick had an innate love of children, and that's a good thing for the five sisters that followed! At gatherings it was rare to see him without someone's child in his arms. At the age of 11 he created pandemonium when he took his newborn sister (Tamara) to school for show-and-tell and forgot to tell mom. We know he would have adored his many nieces and nephews (and great nieces and nephews) that have arrived in the years since he left us. We write this obituary for them: So that they may know him through our collective telling. We are touched that Rick's high school football buddies recently made an in-memoriam gift to put his name on a seat in the field house at St. Paul's High School (Winnipeg). We are also grateful for Brad Rumsey and his strong friendship with Rick. In Rick's memory please give a child a hug, give a second-hand pet a second chance or shovel a neighbour's driveway. And keep asking families about their loved ones that died too young. Our greatest fear is that they will be forgotten. Memories welcome at tamarainkamloops@shaw.ca.