My Earliest Memory – Walter Yacovitch

My Uncle Walter died when I was 5 years old. I have no actual memories of him.

What I do remember is sitting on the stairs where I grew up. A row-house/duplex in Rosemount. We lived in the flat above my grandparents.

I was sitting on the stairs seeing all these people visiting my grandparents and wondering what was going on. Parked on the street was my uncle Walter’s car. I remember it being a convertible. I remember it being red, a convertible. My memory picture is a car from the 60’s or 70’s.

Fifty years later… Going through my mother’s old black-and-white pictures, I found a picture of my father sitting in my uncle’s car. The car is VERY different from what I remember — a “roadster” from the 40’s or 50’s. Memories are fluid. They change with time.

Here’s a picture of me and Uncle Walter:

There is a Rosemount High web site that has an in memoriam page for Walter. (The site says it is no longer being maintained):

http://rosemountconnect.com/rsmt/dedication/Yacovitch_Walter.htm

“It was such a long time ago — Walter was a young teenager when I knew him best. He was of independent mind and full of life. ‘Yaky’ graduated one year before me so we lost touch somewhat. Then I heard he was sick, but never suspected the finality of his condition. When I drive along Beaubien past the early avenues I always remember Walter.

Vic Dowler – Pal”

Walter Yacovitch – 21 September 1935 – 28 October 1956.

Mount Royal Cemetery, Section “L”, lot 4503-Q.

I was told he died from leukemia, and that he had worked for Bell Canada.