Gordon Butterwick

My parents, Herb and Nancy Surplis, were good friends of Jessie and Gordon in Calgary and I have fond memories of their visits to our house. Someone in their gang called him "Bootervich" and it seemed to stick. I remember in particular Gordon's account of flying the crippled bomber safely back to England and how he felt when he received his DFC from King George. He told His Majesty that, with the plane on fire, it was the only time he felt warm in Britain!
Gordon also told of his apprehension about a murder trial being conducted in Calgary in the 1950s. He said that if the death sentence were to be pronounced, then he would be the person to conduct the execution because one of the duties of Sheriff was to act as hangman! No death sentence was pronounced, much to Gordon's relief.
Gordon also tried valiantly to get me to study the law but I opted to become a political scientist for some idiotic reason.
I often wondered about Gordon although I had read about his collection of Jessie's writings. Please accept my condolences for the loss of a very memorable gentleman and the last tie to my parents' generation.