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Eulogy - Alex Knox funeral - Fri. Jan 3, 2025 - read by Hans Jung
I am very fortunate to call Alex a good friend and am honoured to read Alex's eulogy.
The eulogy is Tara's words and perfect. If anyone listening notices mistakes, they are all mine. (- Hans Jung)
As most of us who knew him would agree, Alex was quite the character. Absolutely full of life, overflowing with great Canadian humour, wit, and boasting that wonderful Irsih charm, he was a real force to be reckoned with.
Alex was born in Cambridge, Ontario during the first year of the great depression. Like millions of Canadians, he always talked about how hard it was for the family making ends meet, fighting thru the weather, and just getting by. He used to tell stories of having cabbage and carrots for days on end and spending all his time playing in the neighbourhood streets getting up to no good. Those days permanently left their mark on him. It was those formative years that made him the kind of man he would become - hard working, enduring, resilient, and most of all - tough as nails.
When the family eventually moved to Toronto, Alex attended Danforth Tech. He played many sports, making the all star football team in his first year, and bragging of being the third fastest swimmer in the entire school.- and it was a big school! He recalled first seeing boys playing chess in the cafeteria and thinking it was an odd thing to do, when one could be playing hockey outside. At graduation, Alex was given a special award for never being absent or late for his entire four years there! As a young man Alex worked odd-jobs always helping to provide for the family. He used to tell us great stories of working as an ice chipper and working at a printing press at 288 Adelaide West. He recalled quitting a few times because the permanent ink stains on his hands were such a bother, but they kept asking him to come back to work. It was during these years where he once again encountered chess thru a co-worker. It was here that his love affair with the game took hold, volunteering with the Chess Federation of Canada.
In the early 50's Alex applied at The Hudson's Bay Company, the R.C.M.P., and the Toronto Police. He said: " I'll join the first one who gets back to me." Eventually, he joined the Toronto Police Force on April 2, 1951 - a role that suited him perfectly, and one that he would proudly fulfill for 31 years. He had so many stories from the force; of tragedy and heartbreak, of going out of his way to help so many in need; motorcycles and cruisers, turning down a sergeants promotion. Remarkably, at the end of his tenure, he was never recorded late or absent - apparently he was better at beating the clock than anyone trying to beat a red light!
I am very fortunate to call Alex a good friend and am honoured to read Alex's eulogy.
The eulogy is Tara's words and perfect. If anyone listening notices mistakes, they are all mine. (- Hans Jung)
As most of us who knew him would agree, Alex was quite the character. Absolutely full of life, overflowing with great Canadian humour, wit, and boasting that wonderful Irsih charm, he was a real force to be reckoned with.
Alex was born in Cambridge, Ontario during the first year of the great depression. Like millions of Canadians, he always talked about how hard it was for the family making ends meet, fighting thru the weather, and just getting by. He used to tell stories of having cabbage and carrots for days on end and spending all his time playing in the neighbourhood streets getting up to no good. Those days permanently left their mark on him. It was those formative years that made him the kind of man he would become - hard working, enduring, resilient, and most of all - tough as nails.
When the family eventually moved to Toronto, Alex attended Danforth Tech. He played many sports, making the all star football team in his first year, and bragging of being the third fastest swimmer in the entire school.- and it was a big school! He recalled first seeing boys playing chess in the cafeteria and thinking it was an odd thing to do, when one could be playing hockey outside. At graduation, Alex was given a special award for never being absent or late for his entire four years there! As a young man Alex worked odd-jobs always helping to provide for the family. He used to tell us great stories of working as an ice chipper and working at a printing press at 288 Adelaide West. He recalled quitting a few times because the permanent ink stains on his hands were such a bother, but they kept asking him to come back to work. It was during these years where he once again encountered chess thru a co-worker. It was here that his love affair with the game took hold, volunteering with the Chess Federation of Canada.
In the early 50's Alex applied at The Hudson's Bay Company, the R.C.M.P., and the Toronto Police. He said: " I'll join the first one who gets back to me." Eventually, he joined the Toronto Police Force on April 2, 1951 - a role that suited him perfectly, and one that he would proudly fulfill for 31 years. He had so many stories from the force; of tragedy and heartbreak, of going out of his way to help so many in need; motorcycles and cruisers, turning down a sergeants promotion. Remarkably, at the end of his tenure, he was never recorded late or absent - apparently he was better at beating the clock than anyone trying to beat a red light!
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