Tribute

The world just got a little quieter. Our dad passed away at his home in Powell River, where he spent the last years of his life very happily watching the boats go by, reading and entertaining all visitors with his many stories.

Dad is survived by his former wife (who remained his longtime friend) Fran Picken, his three children Stan (Kim), Simon (Trish) and Sue (Guy) Colbourne, his beloved grandchildren Marina (Greg), Uma, Jessica and Kaelan and his great-granddaughter Artemis. He is also survived by his older (and he would say wiser) sister Mary Healy and her children Isabel and Irvine and their families.

Dad grew up in Burnaby in ìAintree,î the now heritage home built by his parents, Stanley and Isabel. Dad loved his time growing up with Irish Setters and horses. He went off on several adventures in his teenage years, first to Toronto and later a road trip to Mexico on his motorbike. As a young man, he worked in an office in Vancouver but eventually he fell in love with the sea and spent many happy years working on the tugs. A highlight of those years was working in the Arctic and meeting Prince Philip while there.

While working on the coast, he bought an old pioneer’s home in Blind Bay on Nelson Island. This is where he moved with his young family after leaving the tugs. Dad did all sorts of interesting jobs to make ends meet, from building boats and outhouses to oyster farming.

Life was never boring with Dad around, especially once he learned to use dynamite. He was a big believer in ìFamily Fun,î which meant projects like helping out with the sawmill or building a bridge.

Even with failing health in his later years, Dad was always very positive and cheerful and loved to keep up with current events (he described the last Canadian election as his ‘Superbowl’). His main interest was always his family and especially his grandchildren.

At Dad’s request, there will be no service, but there will be a send-off for him in Blind Bay at a later date.

We, his family, would like to say a special thank-you to all the many home support workers who looked after Dad over the years with such kindness and care, to ‘Amazing Grace’ for looking after all those extra things and making sure he always had enough coffee, to Dr. Maguire for her excellent care while Dad was her patient and last, but not least, thanks so much to Marjorie Ann and Bill Harding and their wonderful sons for always treating Dad like family and helping him in so many ways.

We will sure miss you, Dad, but we know you will have a great time chatting with Winston Churchill.