Bernard Thomas Leadbetter

Bernie was a very special man. All who knew him commented on his gentle, quiet demeanor. His smile was infectious, his laughter genuine and his empathy soul-deep. He conducted his life as a gentleman. He felt no need to resort to using foul language, didn’t gossip and never berated anyone aloud. He was, however, someone who knew how to get things done. He undertook all challenges with fierce focus. As a young man working for the then thriving store chain, K Mart Canada, he became the youngest district manager on their team, responsible for overseeing the opening of several flagship stores throughout Atlantic Canada. He met and married his first wife, Doris, while working in Halifax. His first child, Laurie, was born in Hamilton On. and his son, Brian, was born in Cornerbrook Nfld. Bernie later moved permanently to Halifax where he built a tree service company, Eastern Tree, into the largest such company in Atlantic Canada. People in Windsor, Wolfville and Kentville, to name but a few, witnessed the expertise with which his crews caringly and professionally conducted the removal of their towns’ stately but, sadly, diseased elm trees. As such, he was very instrumental in the hiring and training of many of this province’s well-known tree specialists with thriving companies of their own today. They held him in high regard. It was while conducting business for NB Power that he met his second wife, Lynette, who was on a business trip in New Brunswick. They were engaged while in-flight to Kona Hawaii and married in Winnipeg a year later on July 29th,1989. Bernie had a rare talent for identifying the underlying factors causing business failures and for finding solutions to these problems. This ability enabled him to travel to diverse locations. From the Yukon, Yellowknife and Whitehorse in the Northwest Territories to Jamaica and Grand Turks in the West Indies, Belize in Central America and Arviat, Nunavut, he undertook every challenge that was presented to him. He definitely left every place better than he found it. He was a serious sports fan. He especially loved hockey, a game he loved to play in his youth, and was one of Sidney Crosby’s most devoted fans. He followed this prolific player’s career from the time he began to gain notoriety and rarely missed watching the Pittsburg Penguins play. Bernie was, himself, an exceptional golfer. A right-hander swinging a left-hand club, he astounded onlookers with the power and accuracy of his drive. He had fond memories of playing the Kona Golf Course with his wife’s brother Fern and the Cinnamon Hill Golf Course in Rose Hall with her other brother Marc, while working in Jamaica. Sadly, illness robbed him of the ability to actively participate in the game he loved but he continued to follow it to the end. His last business venture, and possibly his most meaningful, was his driving school. After completing an extensive driver training course through Safety Services, Bernie formed Easy Way Driver Training School. He soon became known in the Asian immigrant community as the best instructor. His gentle non-critical calm instucting resulted in countless students successfully obtaining their Nova Scotia drivers’ licenses and made him well-loved within those communities. He was an honored guest at many of their special celebrations even after he’d ceased operating his business. Accidents and illness unfortunately began to take their toll but, throughout it all, Bernie maintained his beautiful composure. He rarely complained about anything, kept a peaceful heart and, if possible, became even more gentle and loving as time passed. He was a rare and wonderful human being. He had a strong faith and had the wisdom to refrain from engaging in Life’s egoic controversies. Many could benefit from observing his ways. He will be truly, deeply missed.

Bernard Thomas Leadbetter

May 29, 1945 - August 7, 2024