He spent the entire Second World War listening so intently for the ominous ping of a German sub coming back at him on sonar that he’s now mostly deaf.
Post-war, he was held in such high regard by students as the school janitor at the old Bridgeport elementary that, when he got a promotion to London secondary, the kids all went on strike on his last day, begging him to stay.
And in retirement, he only gave up 25 years of helping deliver Meals on Wheels to Richmond’s needy seniors when, at the age of 86, he broke his hip for the first time.
Few could begrudge Keith “Dick” Easterbrook, now 91, a wee bit of recognition for a life spent helping others.
On Sunday, the born-and-bred Richmondite received just that and then some, when he became the first in B.C. to be awarded the Royal Canadian Legion’s 70-year service pin.
To mark the auspicious occasion, the legion’s Richmond branch sent a limo to pick up Easterbrook and his family from his Maple Residences home in Steveston, before surprising him at its Bridgeport Road hall with the rarely-presented medal.
“I was flabbergasted, absolutely speechless,” said Easterbrook the next day at his home.
“There was a standing ovation; I thought the whole room was going to come down. I really wanted to say something, but I couldn’t, I was so stunned.
“The actual award was a surprise, I knew something was happening as I got a limo and an invitation; but this was unreal.
“It was very, very personal; I truly never expected to be treated like this.”
Easterbrook, who said he was still so excited Sunday night that he couldn’t sleep, was awarded his 65-year pin the same day, along with several other long-serving legion members, with service ranging from 10 years and up.
The Richmond legion’s past president and chairman of honours and awards, Bill Spencer, said the branch was “really honoured” to have been able to present the pin to Easterbrook.
“This is a first in British Columbia and I think only about a dozen or so have ever been awarded in Canada,” said Spencer.
“Most vets don’t live this long and many didn’t join the legion as early as (Dick) did.”
It was all one big thank-you from the legion to Easterbrook, not least for his service in the Royal Canadian Navy, but all the way back to the early days of helping to organize the big food and entertainment days for First World War vets at the old branch HQ at Westminster Highway and Gilbert Road and many tireless years as president of the Poppy Fund.
“We would stand out there (collecting) day after day, no matter the weather; but we didn’t mind,” added Easterbrook.
And lest we forget taking part in almost every Remembrance Day parade until he broke his hip for the first time five years ago.
BEFORE weaving himself into the fabric of the post-war Richmond community, Easterbrook – whose family incidentally has a street named after them in Terra Nova, Easterbrook Road (thought to be dedicated to his great grandfather, William, of Buckerfield Wheats fame) – went to Richmond High and then joined the navy at the start of the war, sailing out with the Atlantic convoy from Halifax as a 19-year-old sonar operator on a frigit.
He said, for the best part of the war’s six years, he wore a life jacket, tuned into the sonar, waiting patiently for the echo of a German sub or its torpedos.
“That’s why I can’t hear now,” Easterbrook smiled from his armchair, detailing how he occasionally sailed on a U.S. destroyer but was mostly on board the Canadian navy’s St. Therese frigit, patrolling the North American seaboard for enemy subs or venturing north to Greenland and Norway.
“I never, ever saw any of the subs, but I seen plenty of ships going down and their men dying as well,” recalled Easterbrook.
“Often, it was oil tankers being blown up and the water was filled with flames so we couldn’t rescue the men; that was very sad, not being able to help them.”
Easterbrook said he ever got seasick, never missed a meal and smiled at the memory of drinking Lambs Old Navy Rum (at 100 per cent proof) every noon while out at sea.
“It was a tradition and with the captain’s permission,” he said.
“It was great, especially when you were coming off watch at noon, it used to curl the toes.”
AFTER the war, he married his high school sweetheart Lilian Thomas and they had their three-bed, single-family home built from the ground up at Cook and Cooney roads, where it stood the test of time for 50 years until just a few years ago; now about 20 or so townhouses sit there.
Easterbrook’s first proper, post-war job was as a 26-year-old janitor at Bridgeport elementary on No. 3 and Bridgeport roads.
He spent ten years there and was a massive hit with the kids, giving them all duties every day and they loved him for it, apparently.
“On my last day, the principal said, ‘you need to come out the field, we have a bit of a problem,’” Easterbrook remembered.
“I went out there and all the kids had gone on strike, demanding that Mr. Easterbrook stay at the school. I just filled up.”
He moved onto a bigger janitorial position at London secondary, where he recalls a rather unsavoury story about lipstick.
“There was this thing with lipstick all over the girls’ washrooms mirrors all the time,” he said.
“It was disgusting; very unsanitary. I mentioned to one of the female staff that I used the same cloth to clean the toilet bowls as I did the mirrors.
“Well, I guess word got out, because I didn’t see much lipstick on the mirrors after that.”
He lost his wife of 40 years, age 69, to a heart attack and was working several jobs to keep the family afloat, including looking after their handicapped son.
Easterbrook retired in 1985, age 62, as a courier for the Richmond School Board and enjoyed some golfing, running the Poppy Fund for the legion and delivering the Meals on Wheels, as well as fitting in time for his seven children (five girls and two boys)
11 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
DESPITE fracturing his hip for a second time last November, Easterbrook is still keen on representing the legion when he’s mobile again.
“I enjoy going to the schools to talk to the students; keeping the memories alive. It’s so important.”
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