Honoured by Carol Owens
Alma and Dean McCubbin are like spies with alter egos. They have gone under the assumed names Dopey, Babe, Cuddles, The Sillies, and Sweetums, to name just a few. There are even those who would rank them as superheroes or, more affectionately, the Super Gs. To their loved ones, they are the “Hot Rocks,” the solid foundation upon which a great family was built. The McCubbin household has always been a place of tremendous joy for anyone who has had the chance to attend the famed Sunday lunches, the pool gatherings, the Canada Day celebrations, and any other festive occasion that gives the McCubbins a chance to party, with or without costumes or Brandy Alexanders. Legends abound of crackers and cheese and superior soup, the battle for buttertarts, the tournament of toast tossing, and the food fight with pink pudding that required repainting a room.
Alma and Dean have always given back to others through their involvement with the Roman Catholic Church, most notably as part of the Catholic Women’s League and the Knights of Columbus. They have practiced what they preached in their service to the Girl Guides of Canada, the Canadian Red Cross, the Kinsmen Club, the Kiwanis Club, T.V. Ontario, North Bay Tourism, and the North Bay Heritage Gardeners. And they even found time to “take the garbage out on Tuesday night.”
Dean, known as Mr. Canadore to his fans, was awarded the Order of Canada in 1980. He could not have achieved all he did without his faithful companion, Alma, by his side. Together, they imparted a spirit of generosity to their family and to all with whom they came in contact. Theirs is truly an inspirational legacy of kindness and compassion.