Tribute

rnest William Lindsay July 22, 1950 – January 24, 2022 With deep sadness, we share the news that our beloved Papa Ernie, Ernest William Lindsay, has unexpectedly and suddenly passed away. Ernie had many great nicknames in life, Buddha, Big E, Bronze God, Foghorn, and his greatest moniker: Papa. If you were lucky enough to know Ernie, you knew him as such a big personality, you knew his huge heart and you knew how he would come running when someone was in need. On January 24, Papa had a massive heart attack while he was driving. In his death, he was shown the very same selflessness and hero’s heart that he gave to this world. As devastating as it is, in the face of such tragedy he would have been the first to point out all the things people did right: how brave, kind, and selfless their actions were. Papa Ernie’s compassion and empathy were what made his own humanity so legendary. He was the kind of hero who people told stories of while he was alive. His family has had so much comfort in knowing that his kindness, bravery and selflessness are his legacy. Born July 22, 1950, in Northern BC, he eventually moved to West Point Grey and lived in many neighbourhoods across Vancouver and North Van before retiring to Powell River, qathet region. Ernie is survived by his longtime love and wife of 37 years Jocelyn Palmer, his chosen kids Lucas Scrivener and Rachel Snyder, her husband Brant and their kids Hez, Oliver and Eilidh, his siblings Greg and Leslie, Bruce and Sheri, as well as sister Kathy Gray and her husband Mike, many nieces and nephews, and even great-nieces and nephews. Ernie was predeceased by both his parents Robert Ernest and Dorothy Eileen Lindsay. “Big E” also leaves behind a brotherhood of people he served with on the Vancouver Fire Rescue Services; he trusted them with his life and knew they trusted him with theirs. There wasn’t a challenge or an obstacle you could put in front of him that he would not rise to overcome, even if it meant teaching himself a new skill. When Ernie was little he had a sewer grate drop on his right hand; the teachers insisted that he participate, forcing him to use his left hand for writing. He never went back to being right-handed. He was so determined. Papa was deeply loved and cherished wherever he roamed. Throughout his life, he had many wild adventures on both land and sea. You could not go anywhere in the world with him without someone recognizing him: “Hey, it’s Ernie Lindsay!” would commonly be heard in airports and at the most random times. He was often thought of as an adopted family member to his close friends and their families. He was considered the fourth son of his high school best friend Nick Delmonico’s family. Friends with his wife Jocelyn since he was 19, he developed deeply personal and meaningful connections with each member of his extended family. He was the master of moving houses and packing cars for road trips. Papa Ernie really was a lighthouse in stormy times and rough weather; his light always shone. In 1978, Ernie joined the Vancouver Fire Department and he dedicated the next 29 years to the service. He was so proud and so handsome in his uniform and he loved to help people. Ernie worked his way across the city in various halls and up through the ranks all the way to captain. He saw so many improvements and developments while on the force, from the gear they wore, the equipment they used and the updated trucks and halls, and the switch over from VFD to VFRS and from firemen to firefighters. Ernie felt so deeply about the sacrifices first responders make that he was a member of the Honour Guard. He would march in full dress uniform at funerals, ceremonies and services. In his desire to be the best responder he could be, he was a pioneer member of Task Force 1 – Urban Search and Rescue, doing high angle and confined space technical rescue and recovery. Papa Ernie was so selfless that when the 9/11 tragedy happened he went to New York on his own vacation time to cook and clean at fire halls in the city and to attend the funerals of fallen firefighters. A true renaissance man known as “Buddha” for his never-ending smile, he brightened the halls of Lord Byng Secondary School and graduated in 1969. He had so many talents and was willing to try anything. He had a great baritone voice for singing, was a serious cook, an avid athlete who played rugby, basketball and lacrosse. Ernie became a professional fisherman at a young age and loved his time on the ocean. A great sailor, he was as comfortable on sailboats as he was on commercial fishing vessels, always up for the thrill and any chance to throw a line in. He was a member of Kitsilano Kats Rugby Club, ran marathons, coached both men and women’s competitive Tug of War, and rode a racing bike. Ernie was so high energy. He did it all from old car repairs in the driveway to learning carpentry, plumbing and electrical to refurbish and remodel homes. His hard work made so many great spaces, places, connections and memories in his lifetime. When Ernie and Joss moved to North Van from Vancouver they spent years and took such pride in redoing their new home. Ernie’s buddy Charles Mulder would become a mentor, sharing his vast knowledge of construction and building with him. Papa had no problems giving a compliment, praising a good deed or celebrating someone else’s accomplishment. “Did you see what we built with Charlie today? It’s a thing of beauty! I am so lucky to have a friend like Charles teach me and build with me!” We would hear this on a regular basis. Ernie was the kind of guy who could tell another guy he loved him, and other men told Papa he was loved. In the days after his death, we received so many kind messages and words about Papa. Cousin Clancy said it best: “Everything he did came from his heart and I’ve always said he was a man with one of the biggest ones I know. Maybe it was the smoke eating, but I’d like to think that maybe it was just that he always gave so much of his heart to everyone else that it had to run out eventually, but I will keep a piece of his heart with me forever.” It has been said that “the true value of a man is not determined by the number in his bank account but in the words that women and children say about him at the end of the day.” This notion confirms what we already knew…Papa Ernie was a legend. This is a profound loss, and we just aren’t ready to say goodbye. We will gather and celebrate Papa’s life in the spring when the weather is more appropriate for Hawaiian shirts and shenanigans fitting for such a man and such a celebration. If you have a memory you’d like to share, a photo, or something to add to his legacy, please email Rachel at rsimaginganddesign@gmail.com.