Harry L. Brubacher

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-178926
• Residence: 1911, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Harry — Isabella M. "Isabel" Wright. Isabella (daughter of William Samuel Wright and Magdalena "Lena" Hilker) was born 8 Feb 1908, , Ontario, Canada; died 27 Dec 1986; was buried , Sparta Friends Burial Ground, Elgin Co., Ontario. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Chuck Brubacher
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-64241

Notes:

CHARLES (CHUCK) LEVERNE BRUBACHER Passed away peacefully at Mississauga Hospital on Monday, April 24, 2017. Lovingly remembered by Roberta Alene (Longfield), his wife of 54 years. Treasured father of Blair (Karen Ashforth), and Lisa (Jeff Cairns). Proud grandfather of Bennett, Cameron, Jacob and Madeline. Chuck was born in Kitchener, Ontario, March 5, 1937, son of the late Harry and Isabel (Wright). Predeceased by beloved sister Candace Harvey. A celebration of Chuck's life will take place this Saturday, April 29th at St. James United Church, 400 Burnhamthorpe Road, Etobicoke. The visitation 1: 00 p.m., service following at 2: 00 p.m. In honour of Chuck's memory, please donate to www.breathingasone.ca

Toronto Star on Apr. 27, 2017

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The roots of Ontario paramedics go back to St. Thomas, where in 1961 Charles "Chuck" Brubacher created the privately owned Golden Acres Ambulance Service.

Months after Brubacher's death the County of Elgin Council is considering renaming the ambulance headquarters on Edward Street after him.

Brubacher died in April, 2017. He was 80.

Dave Rock, a young employee of Brubacher's in the 1960s, is one of the people most invested in the possible name change.

"He was a very outstanding individual and was certainly determined to make something out of the ambulance profession," Rock said in a presentation to Elgin County. "He saw that it was a real injustice the way the system was."

Brubacher was from St. Thomas. He worked in Kitchener-Waterloo for a time as an orderly before returning to invest in ambulance care.

Back then it was a loose system with few regulations -- if any -- built by private companies turning very little profit.

"How is it we needed three weeks training to be an orderly inside the hospital but no training to attend to horrific scenes?" Brubacher is quoted as saying.

Brubacher worked for years reshaping the ambulance system in St. Thomas, first as the owner of the Golden Acres Ambulance Company in the early 1960s. He later began work on a provincial stage, taking over as the second director for the then-relatively new Ambulance Services Branch, a position he held until 1977.

The innovative St. Thomas native also helped found the Ontario Ambulance Operators Association (OAOA).

Past president and executive director of the OAOA Jim Price, from Rodney, spoke highly of the work Brubacher was able to accomplish under the provincial banner....

Ambulance station may get new name. (2017). St. Thomas Times-Journal. Retrieved 21 November 2017, from https://www.stthomastimesjournal.com/2017/11/20/late-chuck-brubacher-touted-as-ontario-ambulance-pioneer