Saying Goodbye

Robert “Bob” O’Krafka

It is with profound sorrow that The Company of Neighbours marks the passing of Bob O’Krafka on April 26, 2019 in his 79th year.

Bob was very proud that his birth certificate read – “Place of Birth: Hespeler, Ontario”. Bob received his education at Hespeler Public School. He played on many successful teams with the Hespeler Minor Hockey Assoc. and joined the family business, O’Krafka Brothers Company Ltd., upon graduating. He drove a fuel oil truck for the company started by his father and uncles, doing deliveries around town as well as hauling dump truck loads of lime from the Lime Kiln, north of Hespeler. He later took a supervisory job at Dominion Woollens & Worsted Co.

In June 1971, he began his career with Canada Post Office Department, one of the original six Letter Carriers recruited when street delivery was implemented in Hespeler. Bob hand delivered the first letter, from the Postmaster-General of Canada to Hespeler Mayor Ted Wake, on the steps of the Hespeler Post Office to inaugurate Letter Carrier service to the town.

Upon retirement, he threw himself into volunteering to fill his spare time. Stepping into the shoes of his late father Bill, he volunteered with The Company of Neighbours until his death.

Bob was instrumental in the creation of the Hespeler Heritage Centre twelve years ago. As Treasurer, he worked diligently, together with his wife Stella as bookkeeper, to put our organization on a sound financial footing. After moving to Puslinch Lake, to enjoy the “lake lifestyle”, he volunteered with the Puslinch Pioneer monthly newsletter and enjoyed his time canoeing with the Ancient Mariners Canoe Club. We will sorely miss our friend.

Downtown Updates 

By Lary Turner

 Well spring has arrived; although it appears someone forgot to inform Mother Nature! April was rather cool and wet, delaying the yardwork that really needs to be done. The Weather Channel has reported that  there were only eight days without rain and only one day that the temperature reached 20 degrees C ….

Adam Street widening work is well under way and should be completed by end of May.

Cherribomb Ink, has opened at 35 Queen St East. Owner Frank Cherri offers full-service tattooing and piercings. Hours are: closed Monday, 12 to 8 pm Tuesday to Friday, 1pm to 9pm Saturday & Sunday. Call (519) 221-2662 or email: cherribombtattoo@gmail.com for appointment.

Press Play Games is up and running at 39 Queen St. East. Owner Jay Brown invites you in to check out his new endevour.

Playin’ Around, collectibles toystore, 8 Queen St. West, closed at the end of April after 5 years, a new wedding store business, Camille Rose, is moving into the space.

Hespeler Convenience, 48 Queen St. East will reopen June 1st under new management. Owner Nick is currently renovating and restocking with a full line of convenience store merchandise.

Frank Johnston: Photographer Extraordinaire

By Lary Turner

On the day following the completion of his formal education, Frank “Pinky” Johnston applied for work at Dominion Woollens & Worsted Co., then walked to Guelph and applied at a company he had been told was hiring. By the time the tall, slim youth walked back home again, the “Big Mill” had called his mother and Frank could start immediately. Thus, began a work career that spanned over 70 years at the same location!

Although the ownership of the “Big Mill” changed a few times over the years, “Pinky” continued working there fulltime until age 80, when he reduced his hours to just half a day. Following his marriage to his wife and lifelong partner Aileen, “Pinky” acquired a building lot on Weaver Street hill overlooking his worksite. There, he constructed his home, raised his family and resided until shortly before his death in 2011.

A man of many talents, he built a large fountain in the front yard which featured a bare-chested statue of a woman facing the street (rumor was that his wife sat as the model). Outrage from local prudes in the community forced him to turn it around facing the house with her back to the street.

“Pinky” discovery his interest in photography while working in the D.W. & W. Co. laboratory, where he became one of the best dye mixers in the North American textile industry. Part of his daily work also involved routine jobs like analyzing fabric, studying dyestuffs, and testing new oils. The part of his job that fueled his passion was photomicrography; taking pictures through a microscope of textile fibers, to assess their strength and resistance to wear & abrasion.

He often received requests from “Mill” customers for pictures of machines or certain operations that they could use in their ads. His passion for this work led to the making of advertising and promotion films for D.W. & W. Co. At this time the “Mill” began to produce a monthly newsletter, also sent to all employees on active service during WW2, and of course “Pinky” did the photos that appeared; including the “Glamor” pictures that were included in each issue intended to lift the spirits of those far from home.

He selected young, attractive, photogenic “Mill Girls”, and after obtaining their assent, posed them for a shoot. He had lots of ideas for props and backdrops and often his creative work included assistance from his wife Aileen in making the sets. Clothes also presented a problem and was solved by “Pinky” and Aileen often designing and making the costumes the models wore.