(Celebration of life December 22, 2016)

Everyone who has met Theo, immediately experienced an instant warmth, which was amplified by an unrestrained smile. It was in this memory that “Temma”, his Russian name, honored his grandfather. Tim Rebalkin had a similar aura that his friends enjoyed.

I first met Theo as part of our friend’s Kate and Jim family as we enjoyed many outings and visits between families. No question about love……….. it abounded and each member of the family had a special place and was so honored by the rest.

I once enjoyed a special place in Society as Mayor of Green City (if you do not know where it is look it up on Google) and it was election year. My Campaign Committee was confident that I would win comfortably as nobody of any repute was even considering to compete for that hallowed position.

Then arrived Theo and his brothers along with their dog named Roxy and they started erecting signs in that pristine wilderness. It was the methods they used to promote their candidate for Mayor, that would equal the tight race of the recent Trump / Clinton debacle. You might even call it a “Dog Race”. It was the first time that I was impressed with the ingenuity and fortitude of the Laktin family. I lost the election but I forgave Theo for that.

Theo and his brothers were responsible for interfering in our adult social life. Every time there was another outing, the Laktins would have excuses:

• “We need to take Theo to championship playoffs for:
• Volleyball
• Baseball
• Fastball”

• “We need to take the entire family as our boys are on the same team”

• “This time we are going to Calgary, or Saskatchewan for the Western Canadians”

• I even heard that they competed in the Canadian and Olympic playoffs and won top ratings

• There were times that they played in Alaska

 

I decided to check this out and sure enough it was true.

Rand Wayling a mutual friend and I chatted the other day and Rand expounded on the talents of Theo as a Volleyball Player that could easily be attributed to a Professional Player.

So it was true about the Laktin family supporting their sons and they as a result brought them much joy.

There are conflicting stories on what happened that fateful morning when Theo was wounded and became wheel chair bound. The recount alone was chilling and appeared senseless but the results were a calamity for Theo as well as his extended family.

We can say we understand the plight of a handicapped person, but can anyone that a renowned athlete describe the frustration of never being able to run, walk or ever be able to move without a wheelchair?

Within that once beautiful body was a soul, trapped and encumbered through no fault of his own!

We all can suggest that one can rise above their handicap but how many of us go to bed and wake up in the same hopeless condition? It is akin to an innocent prisoner in a penitentiary serving a life sentence.

Theo and his beautiful family of Kim and their triplet girls were able to attend the Whatshan Jam this past summer with many more of the Laktin Family. It is a project that Theo wanted to see as his family was partly responsible for its development. He convinced Kim that he wanted to have a “Whatshan Experience”. It will always remain a mystery in the way Quantum Physics is involved in matters of this nature but you can be the judge of what took place:

• There was dancing in front of the stage as Theo watched, hung

• rily, from his wheelchair as he was once enjoyed dancing. My daughter Nona asked him for a dance. A video would have best described the smile on Theo’s face as he wheeled around with Nona, holding hands. We all must realize that it took a great deal of dexterity to achieve this. Yes Theo had the time of his life!

• Theo and is family asked to stay back after everyone else left after the event that Monday. It was only this Fall that Theo asked his father to check the campsite and there Jim and Michael witnessed what Theo and his doting daughters inscribed on the grassy campsite with stones were the words………………….. L-O-V-E. It will likely be preserved for a long time

• It was a “Whatshan Experience” for all

 

Well Peter has done an excellent job of explaining our Doukhobor traditions and how we handle the transfer of life on Earth to the Hereafter.

Dr. Lipton, a Cell Biology Researcher, witnessed that his experiments with one of the sixty odd trillion cells that make up our physical bodies, proved that each cell actually communicates with the environment……….Quantum Physics, perhaps. After thirty years as an Egnostic, he realized that a “Higher Force” directed the cells as well as the atoms. He is now a believer in God

Dr Lipton also suggests that passing of a person is only of that physical self. Life of an ancestor is passed on through the off-spring into eternity.

And so Theo continues to live through his three daughters who will be loved even more by their families

Written by Elmer Verigin , December 22, 2016