Robert “Bob” Hayward

HAYWARD, Robert….

Robert “Bob” Knox Hayward (aka Buckskin Bob), of London, passed away unexpectedly at University Hospital, London, on March 15, 2021 in his 96th year. Born in London, Ontario, on March 23rd, 1925, son of the late Aubrey and Gertrude (Wood) Hayward. Beloved brother of the late Barbara (Hayward) Wallace of Mundelein, Illinois. Bob is survived by two nieces and one nephew of Illinois, and is fondly remembered by various cousins, Elizabeth Barker and Susan and Stuart Lindsay and second cousins, Tom Luttermann and Marian Parent. Bob will be missed by his long-time friends, Mike Dawdy of London and Jane Coughlan of Toronto. Bob was an avid naturalist his entire life and wrote various articles for London Nature Magazine and The London Free Press. He loved reading, especially about Canada’s history and the indigenous peoples. Bob was first influenced as a London South CI student by his teacher, Mr. Calvert, who sparked Bob’s interest in bird watching. Bob had logged 515 species in North America. Bob worked for years as a bookkeeper and at Canadian Tire. Cremation has taken place. Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, there will be no service at this time. A celebration of life will take place at a later date. As expressions of sympathy, memorial donations may be made to the Canadian Wildlife Federation at www.cwf-fcf.org/. Arrangements entrusted with A. Millard George Funeral Home. Online condolences, memories and photographs can be shared at www.amgfh.com.

Past red and gold reflections

In the water

My birch-bark canoe glides along

As silently as an otter

Other canoeists in other times

Have come this way

Their Hawk feathers twisting

In the wind

Algonquin and wild Ojibway

I slip my paddle and drift

It is easy to imagine a distant

Echo of native drums

Until an errant current gives

The canoe a lift

Stopping by a beaver dam here

The bark canoe seems a creature of the wild woods

Akin to the bear and the deer.

– Bob Hayward (a.k.a. Buckskin Bob)