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We’ve all heard the song: recorded first in 1968, then released by Frank Sinatra in the spring of the next year, which zoomed up the charts.
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I, for one, have heard Old Blue Eyes countless times at funerals, memorial services, retirements and other events where we come together to celebrate something someone has done … remarkably.
Sinatra’s soothing voice and profound words were always nice to listen to, but honestly, it never pulled me in on an emotional level.
Until Friday afternoon.
At a beautiful service for Gail and Bruce Hogle — starting with O Canada, and thoughtful tributes from Lisa Miller, Marty Forbes, Bud Salloum and the Hogle family — hearing that oh-so-familiar tune over the following four minutes and 37 seconds, I was absolutely mesmerized.
There was a major assist from the Hogle’s grandson Zac, a talented video editor, who cut a piece of his grandmother and grandfather, with fades and dissolves magically making an entertaining masterpiece.
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It was brilliant.
As the photos of the Hogles, many in black and white, danced on the screen at St. Timothy’s Anglican Church, a thought hit me, especially inspired by the final verse of ‘My Way’:
For what is a man, what has he got
If not himself then he has not
To say all the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels
The record shows, I took the blows
But I did it my way
We learned during Friday’s farewell, Bruce and Gail were a team supporting each other.
Bruce ran the news and public affairs department of what, at the time, was known as CFRN Television and Radio.
Not only a seasoned news manager, Bruce used his role to challenge social issues which, alas, seemed even more challenging.
More than15,000 mini-editorials or, as my handy dandy calculator says, 250 hours of broadcasting.
He went after the landlords in the 1970s who were raising rents two or three times a year, leading then-premier Peter Lougheed and the provincial government to pass legislation so landlords could not raise rents.
After visiting the United States, Bruce saw a local television station air a segment called Wednesday’s Child.
It was about kids who had a few extra challenges and were ready to be adopted.
Hogle brought the idea to CFRN in 1981. Still on CTV Edmonton, Wednesday’s Child has helped 80 per cent of the kids’ profiled to be adopted.
It’s clear Bruce could be effective in what he did, because Gail was such a tower of support as a wife and a friend.
Taking a page out of Bruce’s manual typewriter we need to honour Gail and Bruce in a thoughtful way.
As I left the church, I saw a black-and-yellow sign on the south side of 84 Ave.
“Drive safe. Children playing.”
What if we organized a campaign to call 84 Avenue west of St. Timothy’s, Hogle Way?
I’m happy to head up a campaign. camtait58@gmail.com is my email.
Because we need the Hogle way to continue.
camtait58@gmail.com
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