On September 9, 1947 the family undertook a major adventure. The story of this fantastic voyage, written by Angus' mother Jean Cross, is available online. The voyage left Angus with a love of the sea, which has never diminished.

In 1948 Angus began school in Halifax, NS at LeMarchant Elementary, and later Cornwallis Junior High. In August 1957 the family moved to St. Lambert. He got off to a poor start on day 1, at CCHS, by arguing with the Principal, E.Y. Templeton, who wanted to move him back to Grade 9 due to being way behind in French. While Angus won the argument he subsequently lost the war and failed his first year at Chambly. . Things were much better his 2nd. year in grade 10 although he still struggled with French. He discovered that Art Smith's class had a bevy of beauties and that going out with some of them had become of paramount importance to him. Angus recalls "going steady" with a few of them but wasn't all that impressed until he was invited to a Sadie Hawkins Dance by Joanne Lemke.

Angus wanted to go to the Navigation School in Rimouski after high school but there was not a great future in going to sea, at that time, and his father wanted him to work in the family business. Arrangements were made for him to work in Bremen, Germany, as a marine electronic technician apprentice. Angus worked his passage to Europe as a deck hand on the Swedish freighter SS Atlantic Friend. The story of his voyage is available online.

His training in Europe took him to Bremen, Bremerhaven, Hamburg, and Kiel in Germany, Oslo in Norway, London and Birmingham in England. He flew home to Halifax in June 1962. The whole family met him at Halifax International Airport. His father chastised him for having long hair, his mother was worried about how skinny he was, and his brothers laughed at his recently acquired limy accent.

He moved to Montreal to start work in the family business (Gabriel Aero-Marine Instruments Ltd.) Montreal office. Work was challenging as it involved radiotelephone installations of MF and VHF radio transceivers for vessels travelling the St. Lawrence Seaway. At this time he contacted his high school sweetie, Joanne Lemke, and they got back together. Joanne was in training as a Registered Nurse in Brockville, ON. When the Seaway closed in December he was sent to work in North Sydney, NS for the winter. In the spring of 1963 he was back in Montreal. By August he had enough of Gabriel's, and decided to join the navy.

Following basic training in Cornwallis, NS he was posted to HMCS Gloucester, just outside Ottawa. HMCS Gloucester was the training base for the Radioman Special (RS) trade. There were RS bases in Gander Nfld., Moncton NB, Bermuda, Churchill MB, Inuvik NWT, Alert NWT, and Masset BC. These bases gathered electronic intelligence ELINT by radio eavesdropping on the Soviets. At Gloucester he learned Morse code, typing, and basic Russian language. Joanne often spent weekends with her family in Ottawa so their long distance relationship was somewhat closer. On completion of training at Gloucester he was posted to Churchill, Manitoba. Meanwhile Joanne had been hired by, Fort Churchill General Hospital. She arrived in Churchill about a month after Angus. They married on December 23rd. 1964 in “Our Lady of the Snows” Chapel in Fort Churchill, with the Naval Chaplain officiating.

In the spring of 1966 he finished with the Navy, never having set foot on a Canadian naval vessel, and returned to work for Gabriels, and remained there until 1989. Over those years he and Joanne moved back and forth several times between Montreal and Halifax, finally settling for good in Halifax in the Spring of 1970. Angus moved from being a marine electronics tech. to sales, branch manager, general manager & V/P of Gabriels. He was well known for introducing modern fishing gear technology to the inshore fishing fleets in the Maritimes and Newfoundland. The relatively small family business expanded to a multi branch wholesale/retail organization with offices in Toronto, Montreal, Saint John, Halifax, North Sydney, St. John's, and Cornerbrook. With the decline of the Atlantic fishery the company got involved with yachts and the supply of electronics and gear to the yachting fraternity. Angus established a yacht marina in the Chester area and was involved in the import, outfitting, sale and maintenance of Jeanneau Yachts built in France.

A down turn in the economy caused closure of Gabriels in 1989 and Angus went job hunting. He ended up selling cars for a former customer. Within 6 months he was promoted to Fleet & Leasing Manager. Angus spent the next 12 years in various management positions at Chrysler, and GM dealerships in Halifax.

In the spring of 2001 he joined Ford Canada and started a new career as an Information Technology Dealer Systems Instructor. It meant a lot of travel installing software at dealerships across the country and training dealership staff.

In August of 2003 Angus retired at the age of 60 and now occupies his time on projects of interest. He still loves to travel, and sails whenever the opportunity arises. Recent ocean voyages were sailing a 32 foot sloop from Boston to Halifax, with brother Duncan, in 2005, and sailing a 40 foot sloop, with brothers Ian and Alex, from Charlottetown to Halifax in 2008.

In December of 2003 he took up the cause of promoting Reunion 2005 and has been active ever since as webmaster, newsletter editor and as a Vice President of the Alumni Association.

Cross Family - June 2011
L-R: Angus, wife Joanne, Grandson Matt, son in law Ken, daughter Wendy, son Paul, grand daughter Fiona
in front: daughter in law Young Ae, grand daughter Leah.