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July 29, 2010
Volume 51
Edition No. 30 |
FREE
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Former Sandwich South Reeve remembered |
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by Cheryl Hardcastle |
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 Oldcastle businessman, service club volunteer and municipal government leader Robert “Bob” Pulleyblank was laid to rest last week after a lengthy battle with a rare type of bone cancer. Bob not only founded his Suburban Landscape business but was a founding member of the Essex Region Conservation Authority. As an active member of the Goodfellows, Bob recently helped establish the Essex Chapter of the organization. He served as Reeve of Sandwich South from 1965 to 1979. Town resident Harold Maenpaa, served on Sandwich South Council beginning in 1966, the year that a remnant of Sandwich East (the Tecumseh hamlet area between County Roads 22 and 42) was turned over to Sandwich South. Mr. Maenpaa recalls that it was Bob who encouraged him to sit on council and represent this new end of the township that was heavily populated. “He was a proper gentleman, I enjoyed working with him and I got a wealth of knowledge from Bob,” Harold says, recalling the evenings they played cards at the Pulleyblanks after a council meeting.
Ray Robinet’s first years on council were served as Deputy Reeve for the last two years of Bob’s tenure in municipal government. “Bob was really helpful… I knew nothing. He was a kind-hearted person,” Ray remembers. “He was a shrewd businessman and brought that to handling the Township’s spending. He wasn’t afraid to make tough decision and he wasn’t afraid to express his opinions,” said Ray, noting that it was Bob Pulleyblank who advocated strongly for the proper outfitting of a new fire station for the Township at Walker Road and Highway #3. “It was built after he left, but that was something Bob pushed to make happen.”
STORY PHOTO ENLARGEMENT
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Pictured above as the Township of Sandwich South moved into its new municipal office on North Talbot Road (a converted two room school) in 1968 are Clerk Bert Bedford (d.), Councillor Ron Moir, Deputy Reeve Jack McAuliffe (d.), Reeve Bob Pulleyblank (d.), Councillor Elmer Ure (d.) and Councillor Harry Brian. Previous to this building, the town hall was located on Highway #3 in front of the public works garage that is now occupied by Essex Power. The first town hall building was across the road.
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