Ken Dutchak
April 1, 2021Earl Richmond
April 1, 2021Bob Chalmers had several hobbies/passions, one of which was motorcycling. Bob was one of the first members of the “Red Knights Chapter Alberta 1”, a motorcycle club whose members are mostly firefighters. With his fellow club members, Bob travelled a lot on his motorcycle; he attended several Red Knights conventions (e.g. Warwick, RI; New York, NY; Boston, MA, Winnipeg, MB; Montreal, QC, etc.). Bob was quite proud to state he had been to every province in Canada and most of the United States on his bike (1982, 1999, and then his 2008 Honda Gold Wing – the only way to travel)!
In 2007, Bob was one of the founding members of Edmonton’s Motorcycle Ride for Dad Executive, and, in 2007 and 2008, carried out his duties on the Sponsorship Committee with dedication and enthusiasm. As a member of the MRFD, Bob was able to combine two passions…motorcycling and helping others. Don Brandon and Bob would seek sponsors for Prostate Cancer in Edmonton and they made a good team! In 2008, Bob was instrumental in getting the “Alberta Rural Ride for Dad” started with his brother-in-law, Tony Overwater, of Didsbury, AB. That Ride continues to grow and be very successful! Bob was a proud member of the Edmonton Fire Department for 35 years (October 1973 to December 2008). In June 2003, Bob was diagnosed with leukemia, one of the prescribed cancers for the purposes of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act for firefighters. He was doing fairly well until 2009, but on July 6th, Bob lost his fight with leukemia.