Monday, December 29, 2014

WARD 2 COUNCILLOR RICK SHULAR DEAD AT 68

Sad news today of the passing of Fort Erie Councillor Rick Shular today.

Can't say much more except to offer my condolences to his family. My mother died on this day many years ago so it is especially sad for me. One of the reasons that the Christmas Season is difficult for me.

Funeral arrangements:


Family will receive friends on Thursday, Jan. 1 at Benner 
Funeral Services, 1105 Benner Ave. in Fort Erie from 7 p.m. 
to 9 p.m. Services will also be hosted by the Masonic Lodge, 
the Fort Erie Kinsmen and the Royal Canadian Legion.
Visitation will continue from 1 to 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. 
on Friday, Jan. 2.
A service will be held at St. Paul’s Anglican Church on 
Saturday, Jan. 3 at noon. Burial will follow the service.
The family has asked that donations be made to Community
 Outreach Program Erie, Meals on Wheels or St. Paul’s
 Anglican Church.

(Editor's Note:  When our mother died, we had the same challenges with regard to her 
funeral. It was difficult for relatives to get to Buffalo during the busy holiday season and we 
had to delay her funeral until January 3. And then we heard that the gravediggers were on 
strike, so her burial was delayed for several weeks. A very difficult time for everyone so I 
have a great deal of empathy for the family and friends of Rick Shular.)

22 comments:

  1. Councillor Rick Shular passes away after just being sworn in and missing the first Council meeting. Already speculation runs rampant. So many different scenarios. Does his seat go to the runnerup in Ward Two , a relatively unknown who garnered little support and few votes? Does a byelection get called because there are four full years ahead and the voters of ward two deserve a vote for their candidate of choice? Does Pissaro get anointed because he was on Council last term and was second runnerup to the Mayor {Heaven forbid} ? Does Anne Marie get the nod because she has the most years of experience? Does Salzer get picked because she only lost to Shular last term by 70 votes? Does Dean Demizio get looked at because of his strong campaign and business experience? Or the peoples choice for a fun time and they go with the insider knowledge of Mike Cloutier? You can bet there will be a case made for each and the first division of Council will come shortly.

    (Moved here from earlier post)

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  2. Because the new term has barely started perhaps an election would be in order. This does happen when some body dies in office .just for that one ward.!!

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  3. Howie how about you show some respect to his family and allow those close to him pay their respects before you go running off on your conspiracy theories again. The only thing running rampant is you, the rest of us would like to pay our condolences first. So classless of you. At least Sharon who we know was not a fan of his had enough class to do that.

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    1. Some of us knew this was coming, unfortunately. It was discussed in many circles when people first knew of Shular's cancer. Many are worried that the resident psychopath Stephen Passero has already been lobbying for the job. That is not my doing; that is what others are saying. Even Mayor Redekop addressed the issue by saying that "council will decide" and that the focus now is to offer condolences to the family.

      I agree.

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  4. Life goes on 4 and you are naïve to think that the wannabees are not on the phones garnering up support for them to be appointed. Town Staff will have been preparing a Council report to present to them their options and a couple will have already received marching orders as to who the anointed will be. This is in no way disrespectful but it is just the way politics works in our Burg. RIP Rick because the next while will be anything but peaceful here.

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  5. The darkness of cancer takes another friend. Is there anyone who hasen't been touched by this scourge? There have been breakthroughs lately that promise further advances in the medical world to put this problem into the history books. Other discoverys have also been made along the way, unrelated to the cancer cure but helpful all the same.

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  6. Sorry to hear about Rick Shuler passing away, I always speculated that he had very high blood pressure, When I sold life Insurance I found that clients that had the reddish appearance had high blood pressure and that would be verified before an Insurance Policy would be issued, (usually a rated policy) a surcharge would be added as a risk factor. Rick served a long time on Council, by not being controversial and rock any boats, bland has a safety factor to it, never did anything of importance, just go with the flow. my discussions with him were never meaningful, I would often shake my head at his answers. I don't expect his replacement to be any better..

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  7. If Rick Shuler did die of cancer,, that he did not get it, from digging around in that very carcinogenic Blue/Green algae . he helped move tons of the stuff using volunteers and Town trucks, Waverly Beach had lot's of it, those volunteers are now at risk, Hazmat equipment is a must when dealing with that algae, do not touch or breath it in to ones lungs.it is that deadly .The local Pravda did put my warning in the paper, but it was after the fact.!!

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  8. A couple of comments that were not published included disgust at me publishing remarks made by "Porgey" and my own story of my mother's funeral. Such anger expressed in those comments, accompanied by swearing was unsettling to say the least.

    I recounted the events around my mother's death because I truly have empathy for the Shular Family. We went through a similar tragedy. It is always sad to lose a loved one, but doubly sad when the death occurs during the holiday season. From what I hear, Mr. Sular was coming along well. His death was a shock to many. My mother died suddenly of an aneurysm. Shocking because she seemed to be in excellent health. She was only 66 years old.

    So, forgive me if I take Rick Shular's death as a reminder of how hard it is to face the holidays when a loved one dies during the Christmas Season.

    I offer condolences to his family because I know how hard it will be for them going forward.

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  9. I too was appalled with Porgey's comments and equally appalled with you accepting his/her post.

    I am glad to know that some of us are standing up for Rick, my neighbour, while so many of you are dead set on not letting him rest in peace.

    No swear words, so I expect my post to be accepted.

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  10. Pretty dead in the TOFE for the biggest party night of the year. Maybe Council can put hosting New Years on the next years agenda. Some kind of town gathering would be nice for families and the youth who have nowhere to go and complain {Rightfully so} of nothing to do.A lot of singles sitting around needing some companionship this lonely season.A number of places host New Year levees.

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    1. If I were in the mood, I would be heading to The Falls for that celebration. went only once and it was great. Keith Urban live. Oh my.

      Instead, I will sit quietly home alone and enjoy the last day of the year.

      Best wishes for all in the New Year.

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  11. My comments may have been out of line, I used to teach a one hour lesson on cancer, when I was employed as a WHMIS instructor, I was on chemo for over 12 years and they never nailed down what caused it, but being near death myself 3 times am very paranoid of the dangers in our environment, The pain and Chemo is not what I would wish upon anybody ,Rick did not deserve to pass away like that, and he will leave a void in our Town, We had some disagreements at Council mostly about not shutting down the Sewage pond near my house. My comments come from experience, I am in remission myself but still have to watch out for environmental triggers .Stevensville is losing many children to cancer and the people want answers .ASAP.

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  12. I lost a wife a daughter and a brother along with many friends the past few years, so I know what loss is, My prayers go out to the Shuler family, l miss all of my family members a lot at this time of year. When I worked in the Life Insurance business it was tough meeting with families that lost loved ones. My other brother in North Carolina just had a stroke one month ago, so it is very upsetting for their family.. sad to have this happening in other families as well. This Town needs people with experience very much, to guide us through these rough times.

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  13. I expect there to be lots of fireworks dealing with TOFE politics soon in the new year.
    The Conflict of Interest court hearing will shed a lot of light as well.

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  14. We lost a another Councillor this year, nobody on the political blogs mentioned anything about his passing Alderman Van Der Grinten who served several terms during the 1980s and did his best to hold down Town spending, by voting against frivolous spending every time that he could. his contributions to our Town of Fort Erie were never given respect when he passed away, The other blog is very selective in whom they respect. Hypocritical in my opinion.

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    1. We also lost former alderman Neal Skerret in July. Mayor Mumbles didn't even acknowledge his passing at a council meeting which is customary as a sign of respect.

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    2. Thank you both for the information. I should have remembered about Neal as I was once his neighbour and friend to his family. I remember also when he was on council.

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  15. Pissero must be in overdrive drumming up support for his takeover in a riding and a seat he has never run for before(it should go to the runner up...period). Whoever it will be, I'm certain he will be an ol boy/CofC favourite as they run the show here once again much to the general public's detriment.

    Was never a fan of Mr Shular's blind obedience to the old boy insider network but no one can dispute his big heart and obvious love of the town. He was a political opponent in a deeply divided town whom you could still like as as a person even if you despised his self serving political associates.. He was cut from better cloth than they were.

    RIP and my sincerest condolences to his family.

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  16. These next few months of meetings will be of great interest to many people that had given up watching the self serving actions of the last 4 years. Already 2 months have gone by with little if anything to show for what was supposed to be a new set of faces in the council chambers. Now some distraction about filling a seat left open by the passing of Rick S. We hope this doesent set a tone of bait and switch so many of us had to watch the last 4 years. Create a diversive distraction, then, off goes a half million to the dead horse track staff. Spend millions to repave Pt. Abino road, to look as narrow and dangerous as ever, sod the ditches, then try to drive some of the other roads in the area without damaging your vehicle from the potholes. The list goes on. What a style of governance!! In this new year a lot of us are looking for vast improvement over the last fighting bunch of stuffed suits that got in. Will we even hear if the Molinaros get their millions from the towns insurance people? More sneaky back room closed meetings? As we said, a lot of people are going to be watching this new group.

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    1. Sorry to contradict you ANDRE, but the new council has already something to show we of the greater good. You know the 99% of the rest of the town who just pay for all the waste and stupidity.

      9% tax increase, closed door "training" sessions with Jimmie Dirt Bag and another measly 1/2 million $$$$$ going his way with again no questions allowed by we who pay him. It took this new bunch of political plants a whole week into their term to cave to FE's 1 and only true special interests, the ol boy network.

      Thanks for your generous contribution Fort Erie,. most of them don't even need it. Better go do some overtime to keep them all in the lifestyles they are accustomed to.

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  17. The town's insurance lawyers are known as the best around. Molinaros delayed the Absolute Title request for well over a year, and it will be two years this April that we have been waiting for the decision regarding the roads criss-crossing the Bay Beach property.
    Wasn't Don Lubberts the one who had to keep pointing out the road survey that the mayor and lawyer refused to acknowledge over four years ago?

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