(L-R) Cyrus Regnart, Richard D'Aeth, Paul Van Nest, John Holland 2013 (photo courtesy of Paul Van Nest)
Cyrus Regnart was sponsored into the Rotary Club of Kingston by Tom Lodge, a fellow banker, on 20th October 1994 and took pride in achieving 32 years of perfect attendance.
Regnart emigrated from England to the Bahamas where he joined Rotary Club of Abaco, where he was a member for 9 years. He was a banker and moved with, his wife, Anne to Kingston in the early 90s. They had no children.
We will remember him as “formal” as he really was a traditional banker, straight out of the movies! Everyone though, would describe him as a gentleman with a ready smile and friendly manner.
I remember him asking me every spring when he could drop the suit and tie and every fall when he’d get back to his suit and tie. I think he always asked me with a twinkle in his eye.
No one could count the number of committees he served on over his 20 years as an active member of our club. I do remember that one year he was on 9 committees, but I also recall that his focus was on the RKY Camp. For many many years, he was one of Rotary’s three representatives on the RKY Board, along with three from the Y and three from Kiwanis.
He was made an honorary member n 2014, as his health and independence was giving out on him. He lost Anne two days before Christmas in 2015 but continued in his home west of Harrowsmith before finally moving to Briargate in Amherstview.
Since the early 2000s, Richard and Eve D’Aeth have been their best friends, with many visits and drives to Ottawa. Richard may not remember Cyrus now, but Eve was shocked at the news.
When I visited Cyrus last fall, I was pleased that he had regained cognizance from my previous visit and we had a great talk. However, when I last visited with him on the 10th of January at Fairmont Home, he didn’t recognize me.
I’ve been keeping his sister, Shirley Chambly in England up to date over the years since Anne died. He died yesterday at age 93.