User talk:Guido Serbee

Heinrich Alfons Serbee, born 26-09-35 met Geertruida Suzanna Rijbroek, born 07-09-38 in 1958. Both working for the bus company in Haarlem, the Netherlands. They married in 1960, on October 19, at Haarlem City Hall. Guido, their only child, was born on 29-07-62. Guido was born at his grandparent's home in the Else Plein, Haarlem, Holland. His mother, assisted by a mid-wife gave birth to him at midnight, the 28th but the legal date of birth was the 29th because that's when the umbilical cord was cut and they could not register him born at 00:00 hour. Life was very typical for Guido and his childhood was filled with the normal things many children experience. His earliest 'concrete' memories are of a childhood steeped in dreams, fun and carefree living. Not having any siblings he was the focus of his family's attentions. He grew up thinking he was the centre of the universe and it didn't dawn on him until his teenage years that in fact he was not. The first ten years of his life had a somewhat unusual aspect to it. He traveled extensively throughout Europe, was fluent in the German language along with his native Dutch. Having traveled to such locales as Canne, France, Koln, Germany, Luzern, Switzerland, Rome, Italy he grew up thinking that different cultures were to be explored and experienced for all their glory. During his school years, in Heemskerk, Holland he could often be found exploring his own environs by either rowing his dingy through the canals around Heemskerk, or rollerskating through the parks surrounding his town. He was an average student, even managing to fail some of his classes. He does not remember the name of the very first school he went to but the first year at the Weekslag school was in grade four. In April of 1973, just before completing grade five, he emmigrated to Canada. That's where life really began...    The culture shock was enormous for him. Because he came to Canada, not being able to speak a word of English, he was sent back to grade 4, so he could learn the language. It took him three months to learn the language but in the mean time he had just lost a year of his life. In fact, his education in the Netherlands had actually set him at par with grade seven Students in Canada. The trip to Canada was a saga unto itself, as he did not fly but rather went by boat with his parents. The ship was called Steffan Battorie. From April 15 to the 25th he crossed the Atlantic and arrived in Montreal to take the train to Toronto and from there was driven to St. Catherines, Ontario. Being enrolled in the Lockview School, he found life very difficult because of the cultural and liguistic differences he encountered. Getting into many fights, being bullied and generally not appreciating the fact that he had no friends or even solid ground to stand on, he began to withdraw from social interactions and became a loner. In the early part of 1975, his family moved once again, this time to the town of Simcoe. Once again, finding himself dislodged from familiar territory, he attempted to establish a 'normal' life there, in the hopes of gaining friends and a way of life that he could trust. From grade 6, at South Public School through grade eight at Elgin Avenue Public school, things were rough and he failed yet another year, this time, grade eight. In retrospect, it was clear that he was having a rough time establishing himself. Finally, in 1977, high school was about to commence and once again a move to Port Dover prior to starting grade nine. Always the outsider, always the loner, he never did establish any lasting friendships during the four years before graduating grade 12 in mediocrity, at the ripe old age of 19, just a month before his 20th birthday. Never was anyone so happy as to get the 'hell' out of school as Guido. Absolutely hated it and never wanted anything to do with it, ever again. It's not that education isn't gratifying, that learning and growth are not important, but that formal education was over with. He joined the Canadian Armed Forces and quickly found out that that was a huge mistake and took leave before the end of his basic training. Being in a position of causing someone else's death is just not within his philosophical reportoir. During the summer months of school, he spent his time working on tobacco farms and also as a janitor for the Sunshine Cleaning Company at Ontario Hydro, Naniticoke and Stelco, also at Nanticoke. He promised himself that he would never do that again. It was truly one of thos things he felt were beneath him. A janitor? No way!. Then came Beatrice Foods... What fresh hell had he got himself into, now? Garbage man for two years, sanitation for ten years, then on to become an operator after that. One of the things that kept him there was the pay cheque, or at least that's what he told himself. He married Janice Marie LaChapelle on September 25, 1986 and Geoffrey Alfons was born on August 8, 1988. Their life began at 405 Queensway West in Simcoe but their son was born after they moved to 252 Cedar Street. Geoffrey made the perfect addition to an up and coming couple. Other than the fact that Guido worked straight midnights for ten years, life was pretty good. They raised their child with all the love and advantages as they could give him. In 1994, on February 12, their second son, Paul Johannus was born and life truly did become a family affair. Moving to a rented house on Orchard Avenue, little did they know that our marriage was about to come to an abrupt end. In November 1995 Janice took the kids and left to pursue a life without Guido. Then, in 1996, Guido met Rita Judith Maelbrancke who was to become his second wife. They married on May 2, 1998 and spent their years being the 'normal' extended family and juggling work and family responsibilities. That marriage ended at the end of 2003 and although there were no legal separation of divorce papers, they continued to see one another on and off for the the next nine years. Rita passed away on January 23, 2013 from cancer. Guido moved in with Sherre Sullivan in December of 2011 and continues to live a quiet life to this day.