Obituary - 7965

 

7695 Patrick (Paddy) W. Sloan

 

Died: 20 August 2006 (Cancer)

1969 - After Graduation Paddy attended Primary Flight School in Borden completing training in August of '69.  He then moved on to Gimli MB and 1FTS for Tudor flight training.

1970 - Tudor Training continued and progressed to training in the T-33, completing advanced flight training in July 1970. 

1 Flight Training 1971, Paddy 2nd From Left

1970 - While training in Gimli Paddy and Mel Dempster (RMC 69) walked into the Village Inn in west Winnipeg for a drink, met a girl, Sylvia, and never made it to that base function.

1971 - Paddy and Sylvia were married as Paddy commenced flying instructor school. 

1971 – 1974 In June Paddy started as an instructor on Tudors at 2CFFTS in Moose Jaw and was promoted to Captain 16 August 1971.  Paddy skied and played hockey, passions he pursued throughout his life.

1974 - Paddy attended the Fudpucker world airline reunion with Butch Foster in June, achieved 1500hrs flight time in August and welcomed his son Sean Patrick, born October 26th (he took the 26th and 27th from flying – a weekend).

July 1975 - Paddy, Sylvia and Sean moved to CFB Cold Lake as he joined 434 tactical fighter Squadron, flying CF-5D's with yearly deployments to Norway as part of NATO operations.  In Cold Lake they met lifelong friends the Dions and welcomed daughter Christine into the family 14 November 1976 (Paddy took the 13^th and 14^th off from flying, also a weekend).

1976 - Paddy completed his Fighter Weapons Instructor Training, and the following summer was transferred to Williams Airforce Base in AZ on exchange with the 425 tactical fighter training squadron (76-79), the “Black Widows”.  Sylvia was a bit shocked by the welcome as shortly after moving into their home in Mesa, she opened the front door one day to find a giant Black Widow spider spray painted on their front step.  While in Arizona Paddy was promoted to Major in 1978, and then posted to Toronto for Staff College.

1980 - The Sloan’s were transferred to Ottawa for a 3-year DND posting.  Paddy kept flying as often as possible along with skiing, playing hockey and coaching his son with RMC classmate John McCormick (RMC 69).

Belair Team with Sean, Paddy Coach (3rd from Left), John McCormick (2nd from Left)

1983 - Paddy (and family) re-joined 434 squadron, now based in Bagotville, QC.

1984 - Paddy was sent to Oberammergau Germany for a few weeks of NATO staff training, while there he brought the family to cross country ski in the German mountains.  Christmas ornaments collected on that trip still adorn the trees at both Sean and Christines homes every year. 

28 August 1984 - During night operations Paddy lost his instruments and lived his own "The Sheppard" story.  Relying on "Stretch" Claude Thibault to guide him home via radio instruction and wing lights as his altimeter and horizon were offline, Paddy and Stretch safely returned to base.  Paddy was up flying the next day.

1985 - 434 was relocated to Chatham NB. By this time Sean was a fishing maniac and as Atlantic Salmon fishing was regulated and often limited to fly fishing Paddy and Sean took up fly fishing.

                                    Paddy and George Landry Night both Promoted to LCOL

1986 - Paddy was promoted to LCOL and posted to the Canadian embassy on Washington DC as Assistant Air Attache (86-89).  Paddy and Sylvia took their first of what became many trips to Hawaii for some R&R during this time.  Paddy also continued to play hockey on the embassy team and took up sailing on the Chesapeake Bay.

Paddy in Washington on 'Team Canada' Front row 2nd from right

 

1989 - Paddy and family moved to Moose Jaw SK and after a refresher course on the Tudor he became commandant of 2CFFTS The Big 2" flight training school, Call sign "Leopard 1".

 Paddy with the Centennial Tudor when Commandant of the Big 2

After two years the Sloan’s were on the move again, this time to Winnipeg, Paddy took on a position at Air Command Headquarters.  He continued to play Oldtimers Hockey going to the Nationals with his team in 1989. 

1994- Paddy was Transferred to Colorado Springs, Cheyenne Mountain as a NORRAD missile officer.  Every Christmas Eve it was he who was reporting on Santa Clause's progress across North American airspace.  While Sean stayed in Winnipeg to continue University, Sylvia and Christine moved to Colorado and both became avid (or at least willing in Sylvia's case) Skiers, accompanying Paddy as he explored as many Colorado ski hills as he could.

1996 - Paddy requested a transfer as Sylvia was having ongoing challenges with altitude sickness. They transferred back Winnipeg, Paddy taking on the role of Region Cadet Officer where he oversaw air cadets for western Canada until his retirement in 1999. Paddy retired with over 4300hrs flight time.

During his second spell in Winnipeg Paddy became an active member of the Manitoba Fly Fishermen's association, eventually becoming president of the association as he had more time in “retirement”.  But Paddy could not stay still for long so shortly after retiring he took a position to support the cadets as a reservist, his work required and earned a promotion to full Colonel. 

1999 -2002 - During his Reservist years he, Sylvia and Christine took trips to Ireland and other wonderful locals.  As Sean was taking a Gap year in Banff n 1998, Paddy found several occasions to head out west for some skiing, and Cadet work.

That Fly fishing bug did not just affect Paddy, Sean became a fly-fishing guide in the NWT during his University years and in 2000 Paddy joined Sean at his lodge for few days of fishing.  Paddy Caught two trophy 43'’ northern pike on the fly with his first two casts!  He also caught a 30lb Lake trout on that trip!

 Paddy's 30lb NWT Laker (Guided by Sean)

2003 - After three years supporting the cadet in the reserves Paddy decided to fully retire.  Sylvia and he planned to retire to the Qualicum beach area of Vancouver Island.  As part of the trip they planned to stop in the Okanagan on their way out to visit their friends Jon and Diane Pew.  Qualicum was great, but they had so much fun in Kelowna and had bumped into additional friends while there.  So they stopped in Kelowna on the way back home and decided that was the place to retire. 

In the Okanagan Paddy went on many fishing adventures, made his own wine direct from grapes, continued to play Oldtimers hockey and joined the Ski Patrol at Big White, fulfilling his second life-long dream (first he got paid to fly for 35 years, now he was paid to ski).

2005 - Paddy was diagnosed with a rare form of brain lymphoma.  I

2006 - Paddy and Sylvia welcomed both Nicholas Sloan (Sean) and Miles Fontaine (Christine) as his first two grandchildren.  Paddy passed away with his family by his side in August of 2006.

 Sylvia, Paddy, Christine, Mark (Christine's Husband) and Grandchild Miles

 Paddy and Sean on Paddy’s  Last Fishing Trip

2011 - Sylvia passed away.

Christine lives with her husband and two children in Calgary Alberta.  Sean after several moves now also lives in Calgary with his partner Julie and his two children.