Actually, it is my godfather who is dead. My Uncle Frank started that Great Gig in the sky yesterday at 7:20 am.
I say “Great Gig” because Uncle Frank was well-known in the Toronto Jazz Community. He played the xylophone, popularly known as the vibes.
Here is Uncle Frank with other members of the Canadian Jazz Quartet:
Uncle Frank was my mother’s baby brother. He, like my mother, had a penchant for funny-sounding words. He, like my mother, made up these words. One of his favorite words was “Hunyaro.” I guess that is how you spell it. He would say it as a greeting. Whenever I saw or called him, he would say, “Hunyaro!” I would reply with “Hunyaro!” And then we would carry on with our conversation. Sometimes we would talk gibberish just for fun. And sometimes we would say, “Hunyaro!” when we parted.
I last spoke to Uncle Frank on his birthday on May 5th. He was sick with Covid-19, but was still at home. He went into the hospital on Tuesday, May 11th.
Uncle Frank had his Covid-19 vaccine shot in March. He got Covid-19 at the end of April. The vaccine did not lessen his symptoms as “they” say it is supposed to. His symptoms got worse, and he ended up in the hospital. My cousins were with him when he died.
Toronto Radio station Jazz.FM91 posted an obituary (link below) of Uncle Frank on their website. The obituary details his music career.
So, Uncle Frank, to you I say, “Hunyaro!” And when I see you again, I will say, “Hunyaro!”
