Tribute

December 16, 1935 – February 16, 2018 With abundant tears, affection, fond memories and love, family and friends pay tribute to Tony. He was born in the Philippines and lived in Australia, Portugal and the UK before immigrating to Canada at age 20. Tony worked for MacMillan Blodel to support his studies at UBC and graduated with a master’s degree in architecture. He practised architecture in Vancouver and then in the Powell River region when he moved to Lund in the early 1970s. His hand-drawn architectural designs and plans for homes and public spaces are characteristically artistic and meticulous. Tony was creative and multitalented. He was a DIYer and the ultimate Mr. Fix-it, an exceptional craftsman, and backyard mechanic. Learning and sharing his knowledge with others were favourite pastimes; he read widely, both fiction and non-fiction, on a broad range of subjects including history, maritime history, and the sciences. Tony was a raconteur and a gentle man. He had ingenuity and integrity. He appreciated “folk art” and enjoyed walking in the forest. He cared for and about his flock of chickens. He enjoyed sitting on his porch admiring the acrobatic and soaring swallows, watching swarming hummingbirds, and observing the comings and goings of various birds, butterflies, and dragonflies. He built homes for birds and bats and bees as well as his own cozy refuge. Tony was interested in all things maritime and his life was intertwined with boats from an early age. He restored and built boats “three inches to 33 feet”; his not-quite-completed live-aboard wooden sailboat is his masterpiece. He tried to tread lightly on earth and left the world richer for his presence. Tony is survived by his son Mark; daughter Sappho (Griffin) and grandchildren Hannah, Lila, and Arlo; sister Heather Cowan (Michael); nephew Jonathon (Valerie) and grandnephews Luke, Ben, and Jake; nephew Daniel (Natalia) and grandnephew Balty and grandniece Elena; sister Margaret and niece Lua; lifelong friend Mike Foss; and soulmate of more than 45 years Margaret Leitner. A gathering for family and friends to honour Tony will be held at a later date.