Hundreds gather to remember a “larger than life” personality
Hundreds of people lined up outside the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 37 in Oshawa to pay their respects to Earl Strong this past Sunday. Strong, a 48-year-old Courtice resident, passed away after falling through the ice on Sturgeon Lake near Bobcaygeon while snowmobiling on Jan. 20. (Photo by Dave Flaherty)
By Dave Flaherty/The Oshawa Express
The impact Earl Strong made during his life was evident by the hundreds of people lined up outside the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 37 in downtown Oshawa on Sunday, Jan. 28.
Family, friends, colleagues, and others gathered to pay their respects to and share memories of the 48-year-old Courtice resident who passed away on Jan. 20 after his snowmobile went through the ice on Sturgeon Lake near Bobcaygeon.
Strong’s brother-in-law, Ken Hoy, described him as having a “larger than life” persona.
“He knew everybody; he touched everybody. He was just that kind of guy,” Hoy stated.
Hoy says Strong was deeply committed to his wife, Janice, and three sons, Blake, Brock, and Brody.
“He was a wonderful father. He did whatever he could do, he had three boys in hockey and lacrosse and they were always running back and forth. His whole life was for those kids, and it shows.”
Remembering his brother-in-law’s sense of humour, Hoy said he “was the class clown; he was the joker.”
Strong worked as a firefighter for Toronto Fire Services for more than 20 years and was also heavily involved with Clarington Minor Hockey in a number of capacities.
Kevin McCarthy, vice-president of the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association, worked alongside Strong for 15 years.
He too described his former colleague as “larger than life.”
“Earl had this booming voice, outgoing personality and contagious smile that would leave a lasting impression on you.”
When on the job, McCarthy said Strong was “a true firefighter.”
“He was the person you wanted to work with. I think the best way to describe it is when you started your shift, if you knew ‘Stronger’ was with you, you knew you were in for a great day.”
Hoy noted that Strong’s outgoing personality was equally matched by his compassion.
“He always had time to sit down and listen, not talk, listen, to everybody about what their thoughts and what their concerns were. He will be sorely, sorely missed.”