Eric Miller (Dec 3, 1929 — Mar 30, 2019)

Long-time Kahshe cottager Eric Miller died at home in Toronto on March 30th, after a year of declining health. He was 89 years old. Ruth and Eric bought their cottage on Birch Island in 1970, and for the rest of his life, it was his happy place. He was never more content than when reading in his rocking chair while eating a Granny Smith apple or, better yet, napping in the sun near the lake, pretending not to hear Ruth telling him to put on sunscreen or a hat. 

In earlier years, he enjoyed fishing and barbecuing, and moving the location of the anchors on the swim raft. His sons, Tony, John, and Daniel, remember his mission to get more of such anchors, too many of them as it turned out. They recall one trip from Denne’s with a couple of heavy anchors perched on the back of the boat. Near Hens and Chicks, the boat began to submerge slowly, rear end first. Onlookers watched in horror as Eric calmly stepped off the bow and into the lake. The boat and motor were salvaged — just!  

Eric was a talented watercolour artist and spent many happy hours painting at the cottage. He was the loving father-in-law of Joanne, Robby, and Michele, grandfather of Hannah, Ben, Regan and Greer, and the owner or delighted host to several cottage-loving dogs — except when those dogs shook all over him after a swim — their swim, not his!  He was their favourite target. Eric tried to hang on another couple of months so that he could visit his beloved cottage again but, sadly, it was not to be. He is dearly missed, perhaps most of all by the Kahshe mosquitos who, like all of us, found him to be the sweetest in the land.