|
A Royal Canadian Navy Historical Project
In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
THERIAULT, Robert (Bud / Bob) - It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of the passing of my beloved father, Robert "Bob/Bud" Theriault on December 7, 2024, at the age of 94, following a valiant battle with dementia & cancer.
Robert's legacy is carried on by his daughter Sue (Dale), grandson Cody (Holly), and great-grandchildren Madison and Colton. He was predeceased by his cherished wife Merle (1997), his parents, 5 siblings, and companion Dorothy.
Born in Winnipeg, MB, raised in Calgary, AB and Creston, BC, Dad's adventurous spirit led him to a distinguished 21-year career in the Royal Canadian Navy (1948-1969), where he served as a signalman and sailed the globe on HMCS St. Laurent and HMCS St. Croix. His service during the Korean War aboard HMCS Cayuga and HMCS Crusader was a source of immense pride culminating in a special invitation to the Commonwealth Veterans Commemoration Ceremony in Korea in 2012.
Post Navy, Robert worked at CFB Esquimalt (Dockyard), and during his retirement years enjoyed duties as a Commissionaire and volunteered at the Esquimalt Naval Museum, Oak Bay Lodge & The Priory. You could also find him cheering on Sue and Cody in all their sporting activities.
Robert's dedication to his family was unparalleled. Robert and Merle married in 1957 and in 1966 adopted their daughter Sue into their beautiful Esquimalt home. Dad's greatest joys were becoming a father, grandfather and great-grandfather and he supported them in every aspect of their lives. In Robert's younger years he enjoyed playing baseball and hockey and coaching Sue's softball team. In his senior years he enjoyed golfing, dancing, floor curling and cruising. You could always find Robert cheering on the Montreal Canadians right up to the day he passed, he was their biggest fan - GO HABS GO! Robert also had a great sense of humor and would always leave us smiling and laughing.
We extend our deepest gratitude to Broadmead Care - Veterans Memorial Lodge for their wonderful care for the past 8 months. I would also like to thank Dr. T. Wall, Dr. R. Nicoll, The Victorian at Mckenzie and VIHA home support staff. Your compassion and support were greatly appreciated.
As we bid farewell to Robert, we reflect on a life well-lived and the loving memories he has left us. "Fair Winds and Following Seas" - may your journey be peaceful, and your spirit forever guide us.
Thank you, Dad, for my wonderful life - I will love you always! - Sue & Family
Private family service to be held at a later date.
We kindly decline flowers but invite you to donate to the Veterans Legacy Fund or Prostate Cancer Foundation. (The Victoria Times Colonist 14 Dec 2024)
Ships served in: HMCS CAYUGA - Served in Cayuga 1950-1951 during her Korean War tour HMCS CRUSADER - Served in Crusader 1953-1954 during her Korean War tour
(BT001) Portrait of P2SG Theriault (BT002) Bob "Lost in the jungle on Vancouver Island" (BT003) Souvenir of Tokyo, Japan (BT004) Crossing the Line Certificate - P2SG3 Theriault - 09 Feb 1960, HMCS ANTIGONISH 301 (BT005) Portrait of LS.SG Theriault
(6) LS.SG Theriault ashore in Japan - 1958 (7-8) Certificate and Letter of Appreciation for Korean War service (9) Remembering lost friends and shipmates (10) Newspaper clippings on Korean War
(BT011) Home Coming monument - Dedicated to those returning home from Korean War Service (BT2) Bob (centre) and friends - 1948 (BT013) Seagull Club, Halifax, NS, 1948 - Bob 1st on right
(BT014-BT016) Bob Theriaut (BT017-BT018) Bob's Rank, trade badges and ribbon bar
(BT019-BT020) "Bud and Merle tie the knot - 21 Apr 1957" Protestant Chapel, HMCS Naden
(BT021) Bob as staff at the Comm School, HMCS Cornwallis, 1961 (BT022) Bob, down the road a piece at Deep Brook, NS (BT023) Bob at Deep Brook, NS (BT024) Bob training sea cadets at HMCS Quadra (BT025) Bob Theriault receiving his life membership pin - Petty Officer Mess, CFB Esquimalt - 1969
(BT026) Ship's crews visiting Tokyo - 1958. Mixture of crews from the ships of the squadron that were in port - CAYUGA, ATHABASKAN, SIOUX and possibly others. (BT027) Join the Navy - See the World. Bob's map of port visits during his time in.
HMCS ANTIGONISH 301
(BT028) HMCS ANTIGONISH 301 (BT029) Sigs up the stick on HMCS ANTIGONISH 301 (BT030) Time to scrub the yardarm on HMCS ANTIGONISH 301 (BT031) Painting the yardarm on HMCS ANTIGONISH 301 (BT032) Bob Theriault on the bridge of HMCS ANTIGONISH 301
(BT033) Bob Theriault on the bridge of HMCS ANTIGONISH 301 (BT034) "Dick gave the CO the day off" - Dick in the CO's chair on the bridge of HMCS ANTIGONISH 301 (BT035) Unidentified Sig on HMCS ANTIGONISH 301 (BT036) Unidentified rating on 4-inch gun on HMCS ANTIGONISH K301 (BT037) Bob Theriault on 4-inch gun on HMCS ANTIGONISH K301 - 1951
(BT038) The bunting tossers (Signalmen) on HMCS ANTIGONISH K301 (BT039) Jerry Sinclair (Suma Champ) painting the bridge on HMCS ANTIGONISH 301 (BT040) Bob Theriault on the bridge of HMCS ANTIGONISH 301 (BT041) Unidentified rating on the bridge of HMCS ANTIGONISH 301 (BT042) Bob Theriault by the flag locker on HMCS ANTIGONISH 301 - 1951
(BT043-BT045) Crossing the Line ceremony on HMCS ANTIGONISH 301 (BT046) HMCS ANTIGONISH 301 sailors ashore in Panama (BT047) "Ready for a diving test". Bob Theriault on HMCS ANTIGONISH 301
HMCS CAYUGA 218
(BT048) HMCS CAYUGA off Korea - 1950 (BT049) Write-up on the withdrawal from Chinnampo, Korea (BT050) Fires set by CAYUGA gunfire - Chinnampo, Korea (BT051) British Forces Identity Certificate with instructions on what to do if captured (BT052) HMCS ATHABASKAN sailor with Korean children
(BT053) Ashore in Korea (BT054-BT056) Aircraft landing on HMS TRIUMP - photos taken while CAYUGA was plane guard (BT057) HMCS NOOTKA 213
RCN ships off Korea - photos taken from HMCS CAYUGA 218 (BT058) HMCS ATHABASKAN 219 (BT059) HMCS SIOUX 225 (BT060) HMCS NOOTKA 213 (BT060) HMCS ATHABASKAN 219 (BT061) HMCS SIOUX 225
Allied ships - photos taken from HMCS CAYUGA 218 (BT063) HMS TRIUMPH (BT064) HMS CONSTANCE (BT065) USS MISSOURI (BT066) USS ST PAUL 73 (BT067) HMS SHEFFIELD
(BT068) Personnel transfer via jackstay (BT069) Christmas greetings to the RCN ships deployed off Korea - 1950 (BT070) HMCS CAYUGA'S Christmas Dinner Menu - Dec 1950 (BT071) HMCS CAYUGA transiting ice field off Korean coast (BT072) Lookout on watch on HMCS CAYUGA while transiting ice field off Korean coast
(BT073) HMCS CAYUGA in dry dock, Kure, Japan - 1950 (BT074) Sampan off Korea - 1950 (BT075) HMCS CAYUGA off Korea - 1950 (BT076) Turnover prior to HMCS CAYUGA leaving Korea (BT077) HMCS CAYUGA departs for home - 1951
(BT078) HMCS CAYUGA Korean War tour jacket patch (BT079) Bud Theriault (right) and Dick Malette getting off the train in Creston, BC after CAYUGA'S Korean War tour (BT080) Welcome Home! Dick Malette and Bud Theriault arrive home in Creston, BC (BT081) Veterans welcome Bud Theriault and Dick Malette home (BT082) Invitation to a Home Coming Ball for HMCS CAYUGA
HMCS CRUSADER 228
(BT083) HMCS CRUSADER arrives at Sasebo, Japan, 1953 (BT084) HMCS CRUSADER in dry dock at Sasebo, Japan, 1953 (BT085) HMCS CRUSADER'S decks awash in rough seas (BT086) Look astern from HMCS CRUSADER (BT087) Christmas onboard HMCS CRUSADER, Sasebo, Japan, 1953
(BT088) Jenny's Side Party, Hong Kong, 1954 (BT089) HMCS CRUSADER 228 entering Tokyo Harbour, 1954 (BT090) HMCS CRUSADER alongside Tokyo, Japan, 1954 (BT091) HMCS CRUSADER (foreground) alongside Tokyo, Japan, 1954
Comm Rates - HMCS CRUSADER 228 (BT092) Duffy McDougall (BT093) Harry Ruppel (BT094-BT095) Bob (Bud) Theriault - 1953 (BT096) Willie Wilson
Comm Rates - HMCS CRUSADER 228 (BT097-BT098) John Budris (BT099) Bennie Stipkala (BT100) Harry Ruppel (BT101) "The Gang" - Rear: Wilson; Front: Unknown, Yakabuski, Theriault, Duffy McDougal
Comm Rates - HMCS CRUSADER 228 (BT102) Duffy McDougall, Bennie Stipkala, John Budris (BT103) Lyle Courtepatte (BT104) Yeoman Bill Haworth (BT105) Jim Yakaboski (BT106) Comm Officer Lt French
Comm Rates - HMCS CRUSADER 228 (BT107) Duffy McDougall, Bennie Stipkala, John Budris (BT108) John Budris
(BT109-BT111) HMCS CRUSADER in dry dock at Sasebo, Japan (BT112-BT113) R&R leave in Sasebo, Japan
(BT114) Bob (Bud) Theriault outside the Mapleleaf Club, Tokyo, Japan (BT115) Shrine in Japan
(BT123) HMCS CAYUGA 218 conducting a personnel transfer with HMCS CRUSADER via jackstay
(BT124) HMCS CAYUGA 218 (BT125-BT126) Depth charge exploding astern of HMCS CRUSADER
(BT131) HMCS NEW GLASGOW 315
(BT132-134) Hula dancers greet HMCS CRUSADER in Hawaii on her return trip home (BT135) HMCS CRUSADER ship's company dance after her Korean War tour
HMCS DIGBY 179
(BT136 - BT137) HMCS DIGBY 179
HMCS ONTARIO
(BT138-BT142) HMCS ONTARIO
(BT143) HMCS ONTARIO (BT144) Birthday cake for an unknown sailor (BT145) Comm Rates, 4 Mess, HMCS ONTARIO (BT146) Sailors chipping paint (BT147) Bob Theriault in his mick
(BT148) Unknown shoreline (BT149) Captain's gig, HMCS ONTARIO (BT150) Yeoman of Signals Bill Howarth (BT151) Fo'c's'le of HMCS ONTARIO (BT152) Port visit at Mexican town in Gulf of California
(BT153) Port visit at Mexican town in Gulf of California (BT154) HMCS ONTARIO Comm Rates ashore on the beach. Note HMCS ONTARIO anchored off in the background (BT155) Mexican naval escort for HMCS ONTARIO while in the Gulf of California (BT156) Bob Theriault - 1st trip to Hawaii (BT157) American ships at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
(BT158-BT159) American ships at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (BT160-BT161) Hawaii (BT162) Exercises with USN off Hawaii
(BT163-BT167) Exercises with USN off Hawaii
(BT168-BT169) Exercises with USN off Hawaii (BT170-BT171) HMCS ONTARIO putting out to sea passing by inward bound American carrier (BT172) Sailor on HMCS ONTARIO silhouetted against the dusk sky
(BT173-BT175) Bob Theriault on HMCS ONTARIO (BT176) John Budris on HMCS ONTARIO (BT177) Navy comic. Webmaster's note: It seems like a pretty reasonable question .....
(BT178) Freighter in the Canal Zone, Panama (BT179) tall ship at Valparaiso, Chile (BT180) Greeting card that was handed to sailors on the jetty in Valparaiso, Chile (BT181-182) Freighter overtaking and passing HMCS ONTARIO in the Rio de Plata
(BT183) Plaza Independencia, Montevideo (BT184) Corientas, Montevideo (BT185) Surgar Loaf Lountain, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (BT186-BT187) Freighter SS Arauco, Oct 1952, with a damaged bow after she attempted to overtake HMCS ONTARIO entering Buenos Aires and struck ONTARIO amidships
(BT188) AB.SG Bob Theriault on HMCS ONTARIO, Buenos Aires, Argentina (BT189) Buenos Aires, Argentina (BT190) President Juan Peron visiting HMCS ONTARIO while she was visiting Buenos Aires, Argentina (BT191) Local band, Aruba, Dutch Antillies (BT192) Bob Theriault on the bridge of HMCS ONTARIO
(BT193) Bob Theriault on the flag deck of HMCS ONTARIO (BT194) Bob Theriault by the flag locker on HMCS ONTARIO (BT195) Bob Theriault on the signal lamp on HMCS ONTARIO (BT196) HMCS ONTARIO - location unknown (BT197) RAS complete - ship pulls away from HMCS ONTARIO
HMCS ST CROIX 256
(BT198) Sketch of HMCS ST CROIX
HMCS ST LAURENT 205
HMCS ST LAURENT 205 - World Cruise - 1964-1965 (BT199) HMCS ST LAURENT 1964-65 (BT200) Easter Services on HMCS ST LAURENT 205 - sailors mentioned in article AB J.H.W. Hicks, AB R.J. Hubble, AB B.L.Murray, Chaplain Mowatt, PO Theriault and LS Pinckard (BT201) Article on ST LAURENT arriving in Halifax after her world cruise
|
For Posterity's Sake 
