Ed Muz Memorial

Memorial Service, Wednesday, 2:00 pm, December 18, 2002

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Celebration of A Life

REFLECTIONS ON THE LIFE OF EDWARD MUZ (by Howard Hanson, December 18, 2002)

One of the crosses we mutually bore was being in the Pink House for the House League competitions of the Lawn Bowling Club. The performance of our House over the years has not been enviable. Perhaps that is why, for me as the House captain, it was like pulling teeth to find willing participants. Ed never refused me. He played and he cheered for the Pink House.

It has been my experience that you can learn more, and more quickly, about a person's character by observing his performance in a sporting event-whether curling, or hockey, or golf, or lawn bowling, than any other way. On the Greens Ed earned my admiration and respect. He was a good loser. He was a good winner. He was a sportsman. He was a team player. And he was someone who confessed his sin. The Greek word for "sin" is hamartia, and it means "to miss the mark". All who bowl know the consequences of being short, or wide.

What I admired most about Ed is that he was a happy person. What does it take to make someone happy? What does it take to make you happy? If you won a million dollars in a lottery, would that make you happy? If you were promoted to the position of CEO in your company, would that make you happy. If you won a gold medal in a sporting competition, would that make you happy? If you got a clean bill of health from your doctor, when you feared cancer, would that make you happy?

The truth of the matter is that none of the above will make you happy. Happiness is not something that happens to you or comes your way. Happiness is a choice that you make. Ed had reasons to be unhappy. His health problems would have been sufficient reason for many to choose unhappiness and to be bitter and despondent. But whatever setbacks he incurred, Ed chose to be happy.

Somewhere in his journey through life Ed learned a secret known to the great Christian leader, St. Paul. Paul wrote these words from a prison cell in Rome, where he was on death row, not knowing what the future might hold. He tells his friends in Philippi, who are concerned about his welfare, that all is well with him:

"For I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need." (Philippians 4:ll-12)

Like Paul, Ed Muz knew the secret of being content, of being happy, in any and all circumstances.

Ed Muz was not a religious man, in the sense that he was a frequent churchgoer. But if I were looking for someone who embodied the answer to this prayer of St. Francis of Assisi, I do not think I would be short of the mark to name Ed Muz as that person:

Lord, make me an instrument of
Thy peace; Where there is hatred, let me
sow love; Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith; Where there
is despair, hope; Where there is darkness,
light; and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that
I may not so much seek to be consoled as
to console; to be understood as to under-
stand; to be loved as to love; for it is in
giving that we receive, it is in pardoning
that we are pardoned, and it is in dying
that we are born to eternal life.

God of life and goodness, again we thank you for the life of your servant, our friend, brother, father, grandfather, Ed Muz. We thank you for the memories of caring and commitment which his life has left us; for gifts you gave to so many through him; for gifts we were privileged to share with him in return. Remind us now that, as he was not lost to you when you shared his life with us, so now he is not lost to us as his life continues in your nearer presence and care.

We confess our reluctance to let go. We commit him to Your keeping, knowing that only with you is there rest and peace, and that our life's work is complete. We pray for Ed's family and friends who must carry on their lives and work without him, and we commit them to your keeping, asking that whenever life distresses them, you will comfort and heal.

Our God, free us now to learn from Ed Muz's example, to follow the way of faithfulness, and patience, and love which he has shown us, to build on the foundations he has given--and draw us closer together in your love. Give us the unshakeable knowledge that there is nothing in all creation that can separate us from your love shown to us in Jesus our Lord.

Help us to continue supporting one another, and give us your wisdom to face all that is ahead, and the courage to live out your love in a new and changed world. And may we know your grace, mercy and peace in our lives tomorrow, just as surely as we know them now. In Jesus' name, who has taught us to pray, Our Father...
Amen.

Scriptures Read in the Memorial Service
Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
Psalm 121
John 14:1-6,18-19,27

Eulogy: Arnie Lind & Tammy Schneider.

THE FIRST THING ED GAVE ME WAS THIS "TENNIS NUT" WHEN HE FINISHED HIS WELDING COURSE AND LAST WEEK HE GAVE ME HIS COLD. IF YOU WISH I CAN GIVE YOU THE COLD AND THE ROBITUSSIN AND THE KLEENEX BUT I'LL KEEP THE "TENNIS NUT."

WHAT I WILL MISS MOST IS HIS QUICK WIT. EVERYONE HAS A FUNNY "ED" STORY. HERE ARE SOME THOUGHTS FROM HIS CHILDREN:

Craig:

When I was about 14 I was playing goal and with about a minute left in the game the other team scored to win the game. On the way home I was quite upset, "If only that shot went in my glove instead of off my glove, we wouldn't have lost." Dad looked over at me and put things into perspective, "Yeah and if Misty (our dog) could poop square bricks we would build an addition on to the house."

Dad had a subtle way of dealing with us teenagers. He used to find things at garage sales to scare us or lock us out of the house: bolts, sirens, lights or alarms. I came home very late one summer night and the door was rigged so I went to sleep in the Rambler. Soon the Rambler's front door opened and someone climbed into the front seat. I look over the seat and say, "Hi Cheryl, you locked out too?" And to top it off, when we woke up Dad and Mr. Erbach were shooting the breeze just outside the car. He always had his way of letting you know who was the boss.

Laurie:

Dad, as you know, was a very curious fellow. He made his queries an adventure for all of us. We followed many ambulances and fire trucks to their destinations, much to mom's embarrassment. A police radio in their bedroom kept dad informed as well, even though it kept Mom up all night.

One of our other family outings would be to the occasional drive-in movie. We were quite small and would be in our pajamas and "hide" in the back of the Beetle so dad wouldn't have to pay for us (kids got in free anyways, but it was fun). There was a swing set in front of the screen. While we were waiting we would beg dad to let us go to the playground. He allowed us to, but put the fear of God into us when he warned," But you'd better be back before the show starts or you'll stick to the swings." We always got back in time.

Dad was an only child and feared for a time that with two daughters, the Muz name would not continue on. Until he had his three boys, Cheryl and I accompanied him to many amateur boxing matches, hockey games and football games - sports I enjoy to this day.

Cheryl:

A powerful moment that I shared with Dad was not so much one of the many laughs we shared together but a time that Dad displayed his incredibly positive attitude that undoubtedly got him through the 15 years of health concerns, not to mention raising 5 children some who are quite like him!

Not long after Dad's very first heart attack he had experienced some symptoms while alone at home that his Doctor had advised him to be alert to and head to the hospital immediately if they occurred. Mom was curling so Dad called me at work to take him to the hospital. When we got to Emergency, we were both standing at the counter talking to the nurses. I looked over my shoulder at the room where not so long ago I had watched the Doctors and nurses working on Dad bringing him back to life on the night of his first heart attack.

I leaned over and whispered to Dad "Tell them you don't want that room, it's bad luck." Dad asked "Why?" I answered "That's the room you died in." He looked back at the room and surveyed it with a grin on his face. He said "I want that room! It's GOOD LUCK, I'm still here!"

Mom found a little baggie of something in one of her kid's drawers. She said after a very distraught conversation: "Well, I won't tell your father." Whew! (She did anyway) Dad picked us up every day at school for lunch. On that Friday Dad was dropping us off at school for the afternoon. He was going out of town on business for the weekend and simply said "Don't worry your mother THIS weekend."

Many years later at a family birthday supper Mom and some of the aunts were talking about quitting smoking. Dad leaned over to this child and said "When did you quit smoking?" Discussion followed about the past incident mentioned above.

Dad was proud of himself, about his reaction and said "That wasn't too bad was it? You know, I said to your mother (with his hands open and shrugging his shoulders) "Sylvia, if only I HAD those opportunities."

Dean:

I was reflecting today and one of the first memories that came to my mind is the countless times that I would have to go out to the garage to get something and remembering how frustrated I always was because it was like an obstacle course to trying to navigate through the "collection" to finally get to what I was looking for .. Of course it was better BEFORE Mom & Dad bought the new car because after that Mom was insistent that the car be kept in the garage so Dad had to clear out a spot...

So it became an extra challenge to run the course as the piles just got bigger!!!... With that too you could put something in the garage, even overnight and go back to it the next morning and it already had stuff piled (sorted) on it!! .. it was like an ever present mold of treasures .....

Also one time I distinctly remember that I needed some sort of tool. I went into the garage to look for it and couldn't find it... so I go into the house and ask Dad, "Where is the such and such" and he says "oh... its in the garage by the green thing" ... Green thing?

I say to myself and trudge back out there.... after 15 mins of unsuccessful searching I go back in to the house... take a big gulp and say "ah ... which green thing?" to his dismay he retorts .... "You know that green thing there by the wall!!" ... not to be condescending I go back out to the garage, knowing very well that I have no idea what he meant and by this time all I saw was green things. So once again the search continues for 10-15mins and I swallow what pride I have left and with my tail between my legs I go back into the house.... " Ah Dad... THERE'S GREEN THINGS ALL OVER THE PLACE!!!"

He sighs and says "Do I have to show you!!?" Sheepishly I replied... "Please!"... We both go out and it took him about 2 minutes to find what I was looking for and with an outstretched arm with tool in hand he says "Here!"... And I reply .... "Ok, But I don't see any green things around here!" and he replies, with dismay... "someone must have moved them!!"

... One thing was when Ed was waiting to receive his heart and the retrieval surgeon and he sat down to have a talk and he asked him "What will I be able to do after I have the transplant?" and the Doctor replied (in his Russian accent) ... "Eddy... You never knew how to play the violin before!... you won't know how to play the violin after!"

(Come to think of it, it is probably the only thing he never picked up at a 'sale', perhaps because of the Doctor's comments it didn't interest him?!)

I was with Mom in London the day Dad received his new heart and I couldn't help but to think that here we were elated and overjoyed with this opportunity for a second chance at life but then again there was a family out there somewhere that was mourning the loss of their loved one... We now share in the loss of this family as their loved one may have passed on some 10 years ago but in reality lived on through Dad ... and now the legacy of both have come to peace... I feel that the donor\family would have been proud of the way that Dad made use of his "extra" time. As a Family we can't express and are forever indebt to the family and the donor that gave the "Gift of Life" that allowed us to share this extra time with a man that was not only a husband, father and grandfather but a friend and mentor to many....

(Arnie: aside: I remember Ed always said that his new heart came with a lifetime guarantee. Ed's life is the best example for people to consider the organ donation program. As he said, "Don't take your organs to Heaven; Heaven knows we need them here."

(Arnie: aside: Ed was such a joker in the hospital. He was always threatening to bring his own garage sale urine bottle to the hospital filled with orange juice. When the nurse came to see if he had finished, he would take it out and say, "It looks cloudy, I think I'll run it through again," and drink it all down." On the last day I picked up his real urine bottle and asked, "What's in here?" and he whispered, "Orange Juice." The nurses and doctors loved him.)

Wade:

When the Kinsmen were selling Grey Cup tickets, Dad would show up at a booth and give one of my friends a piece of paper that said, "Save this coupon." Stewart saved it in his wallet for five years.

My Dad has the only full-size urinal in Whitmore Park in his backyard. It has been used frequently by Dean and me, and probably some neighbours too ... and maybe Craig and even Cheryl when they had to sleep in the Rambler.

WHEN YOU'RE HAVING COFFEE I'M SURE THERE WILL BE 100'S OF ED STORIES FOR YOU TO SHARE.

I CAME OVER ONE DAY AND HE HAD INVENTED A NEW MOOSE CALL OUT OF A FURNACE GAS LINE. HE SAID PUT YOUR FINGERS HERE AND BLOW IN REALLY HARD AND THEN MOVE YOUR FINGERS OVER THE HOLES.

SO I DID. (Arnie blows hard ... a cloud of white flour shoots out all over his face and clothes. )

Tammy:

My name is Tammy Schneider and I am speaking on behalf of my dad, Elmer Charko. My Dad could not be here because he is in New Zealand awaiting the arrival of his new grandchild. He deeply regrets not being able to be with the family today but has sent a short message to be read today.

Today I bid farewell to my cousin, Ed. He was so much more than a cousin to me. He was more like my big brother.

Oh what a lifetime of memories! I recall that Ed was the first to teach me how to shoot a BB gun and then later a 22 rifle. He also taught me how to ride a 2-wheeled bike. Ed made my brothers and I our first sling shots and took us on our first marshmallow roast. He took us swimming in Marjie Fast's dug out and when we got caught, we ran for our lives with our clothes in tow. He was with us when I fired my first rotten eggs, which was probably at one of my younger brothers. The list of 'firsts' goes on and on all of which are fond memories for me.

He always had good advice for me, important stuff like how you chew Sen Sen after you have smoked so that your Mother or Grandmother wouldn't smell the smoke on you. He always had good information, things like, where Uncle Pete would keep his stash of moon shine.

We always looked to Ed for good advice. He was always there for us when we needed help or protection from town bullies. This is pretty well a reflection of the relationship we had for the rest of our lives. He was a good friend indeed.

I will always cherish the good times we had together, like Xmas for the last 40 years, the trips to Vancouver and Las Vegas by motor home, and the Kaiser games every night on those trips. I know I have lost my best Kaiser partner ever, even though the last Kaiser tournament we entered we ended up in fourth place out of four teams. Even so, I could bid 10 No Trump and know that my partner would carry us through.

Today, I would like to extend my heart-felt condolences to Ed's family, especially Sylvia who was such a staunch trooper through all those difficult times.

I closing to my Kaiser partner, I bid 12 No Trump, and I know you will carry me through.