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A Royal Canadian Navy Historical Project
In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
McKIM, Larry Andrew - age 91 of Brookdale stepped onto fiddlers green, on Friday, April 10, 2020 in the comfort of his home. Born in Meyronne, Sask, he was the son of the late E. Roger and Inez (Stinson) McKim. When he was five the family came east to Brookdale where they constructed their first home. He attended Brookdales’ one-room school through grade 7 after which he attended Jr High and Sr High in nearby Amherst. He played every sport going, even including cricket. In 1944-45 he served with the 2nd BN, North Nova Scotia Highlanders with the advent of the Japans’ surrender came the standing down of the battalion, whereby, at the age of 17 he was able to finish high school. In his final year at high school he was cadet major in charge of Amherst Army Cadets. Within days he became employed with Massey Harris in Brantford, Ont. Shortly thereafter he secured employment on an oil tanker. His career in merchant ships-tankers and freighters spanned several years, including sailing all five of the Great Lakes as well as Georgian Bay and all of the rivers and canals associated therewith. In all he sailed in 20 merchantmen and one Navy (Frigate LaHulloise) and included West Coast, East Coast and Deep Sea, generally in the engineers’ department. In his school days, he aspired to someday become a lawyer, and to that end he would go to sea, then go to school, then go to sea. Eventually, having attended Mount A and Dalhousie Law School he came to Amherst and commenced a law practice which extended over a 43-year period. Continuing his love of the sea he owned and skippered respectively, the M/V Minas One and the M/V Salvor, both of which he steamed out of Tidnish Bridge and Parrsboro. Certified in SCUBA he enjoyed wreck and salvage diving. Back in the day his customary diving buddy was his also certified 12-year-old son. He had an interest in adult athletic pursuits and co-founded and presided over the Cumberland County Hockey League. A few years later he was president of the Industrial Hockey League. In his final year with Hockey he was manager of the Maritime Champion Amherst Intermediate Barons. He also served a season as president of the Amherst and Area Fastball League. He successfully promoted a boxing card at Amherst Stadium, featuring a Maritime Lightweight Championship fight. He was manager Pro-tem of CKDH AM1400. He also served a fill-in term as Commissioned Officer commanding Amherst Sea Cadets. Other activities included clearing an acre of land at Chignecto and growing a huge crop of potatoes which he peddled to the local merchants. As he neared age 50 he determined that he should pick up on a boyhood interest, that of horseback riding. He competed in competitive trail riding in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick for some 6 or 7 years, amassing 500 miles, he and his mount were gold medalist over 4 consecutive rides (judged on horsemanship and horse condition; that record has yet to be beaten). For many years his main hobby was rough woodworking, his main tools consisting of a chain saw, an axe and the odd piece of sandpaper. He made dozens of walking sticks, several benches, end tables, etc. He had this custom of secreting coins in every repair and construction that he did. He was recently heard to opine that 100 or so years into the future diggers may come upon some of the coins and make a determination that back in history his home and its environs constituted some sort of bank or financial center. He said it could happen. Larry enjoyed a good laugh and was continuously amazed at the humor in work gangs all over Canada, from the CNR extra gang to the construction of Kitimat out in the wilderness, and including many court rooms in Nova Scotia. In 1986 Larry had constructed his home in a 60 acre forest, which he shared with the forest creatures which he referred to as his livestock. As a sole practitioner lawyer practicing in Amherst, he had a keen interest in civil rights and often fought diligently for the observance of the Rule of Law and due process. Since retiring in 2001 he has spoken of the need for lawyers of his ilk to protect follow Canadians from encroachments by often over-zealous servants of the State. His message in all public speeches was basically “Be good Canadians, stand up and speak up”. Along that vein he occasionally found it necessary to make a statement, and important one having to do with clean water with his message being, insist on it and fight for it. When speaking with a sailing buddy from years gone by, Larry asked what he possibly could be remembered for, his companion reminded him of the strong lobbying efforts he had made back in 1960 to have a light buoy installed at the mouth of the Tidnish River channel in the Northumberland Strait as an aid to all Mariners day and night. That light buoy XA2 remains in place to this day. Larrys’ reply was “lets call that my 15 minutes of fame, and hope that occasionally a Mariner will give it a salute”. Larry was predeceased by his parents and, as well, his older sister Beryl Woollard (Ray), Richmond, B.C., a younger sister Fay Latham (Ken), Trenton, ON and Dawn McKim, Sunshine Coast, B.C. He is survived by (Amherst born) Sheila A. Whitman (Harry), Bridgewater, N.S., his son John Robert McKim currently of Baie Verte, N.B. Larry has directed there be no visitation or funeral; he will be cremated and his ashes will go to the Bay of Fundy and Northumberland Strait. His remains have been entrusted with Campbell’s Funeral Home, Amherst, NS. Larry pointed out once that supposing his obituary contain but 60 words, it must contain the statement: clean water: insist on it and fight for it. {Query: Who will feed my livestock when I’m gone?} Donations may be made in Larry’s memory to the charity of your choice.
Ships served in:
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For Posterity's Sake 
