Robert Allen Aston
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Robert Aston passed away peacefully on October 9th 2012 at The Lady Minto Hospital aged 95 years. He was born to James and Fanny Aston and grew up in Worcester, UK.
He was predeceased by his beloved wife Roma, his four brothers and one sister and his four step- siblings. Robert is survived by his nephew Robert Guy Aston in California, his niece Patricia Douglass in Queensland, Australia, his sister–in-law Barbara Aston in Worcester, UK, other nephews and nieces and his long time friend, Joan Davies in Galliano Island.
Robert excelled at school and soon embarked on an engineering career with the Austin Motor Company. When war came Robert joined the RAF and became a trainer of pilots both in the UK and for a while in the US. He still found time to woo and marry Roma in 1941, his bride for 65 years. He left the RAF at the war’s end as a Squadron Leader and returned to work for Austin. Robert and Roma came to Canada in 1951 after he accepted a position with the deHavilland Aircraft Company.
Later they moved to BC and after a number of adventures and enterprises they bought a fledgling golf course on Galliano Island. Over the next decade and with Herculean efforts, Robert and Roma developed this golf course into a first class facility. They retired to a large property on Salt Spring Island in 1975 and subsequently transformed it with extensive landscaping and beautiful gardens.
Robert was active with the Social Credit Party as local Chairman and became Salt Spring’s resident weather expert through a regular column in the Driftwood newspaper.
The family extends their thanks and appreciation to the many social and home workers who helped Robert during these last few years and to Dr Robert Crichton and the staff at The Lady Minto Hospital for their sensitive, patient and unconditional care.
There will be no service by request. A private memorial reception will take place shortly. Any memorial donations should be made in memory of Robert and Roma Aston to the Lady Minto Hospital.
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