Passed away early in the morning of January 26th, 2013 due to injuries sustained from a traffic accident. He leaves behind his dearly beloved wife Susanna, his children Stephan, Nichola and Corinna and their spouses Sinikka, Soheil and Wayne; his grandchildren Kirsten, Sapha, Paresa, Kimberley, Curtis, Naseem and Koosha; and his great grandson Connor. He will also be sorely missed by his extended family and friends in Germany, the UK, Finland, Iran, Australia and the United States.
Bernard was born on November 4th, 1926 in Hastings, England and immigrated to Canada in 1951. He initially worked for the Department of Lands and Forests (later Ministry of Natural Resources) in several small communities in northern Ontario. He married Susanna in 1961 and settled with his wife and children in Bracebridge and then Parry Sound. Upon his retirement in 1989, he and Susanna moved to Courtenay where they both quickly became enamoured with the beauty of their new surroundings and felt blessed by the deepness of the friendships they formed here.
Bernard brought with him a multitude of interests and developed many more while here. He was active in the Masonic Order and the Order of the Eastern Star. In addition to these social organizations, he pursued numerous outdoor activities that included sailing, bicycling, hiking, lawn bowling, skiing, and walking in and around the town where he reveled in the beauty of the mountains. Bernard and his wife shared a love of travel which took them on several excursions. One of the activities he most enjoyed was going on cruises with his wife to the Caribbean and Alaska and they were planning yet another trip before his untimely death.
We are told that every misfortune has a silver lining. If one can be found in this tragic event it is that Bernard’s family, and particularly his wife, have experienced the exceptional kindness of so many people during this trying time. Some of those who deserve special thanks are friends John (Jake) and Chris McLoughlin, and John and Marnie Dean. Special thanks are also extended to all those who provided such compassionate and professional care to Bernard while he was a patient at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Doctor Luke and Doctor Azer, and the nursing staffs in both the emergency and intensive care units were simply wonderful and supportive to us all.
A memorial service will be held at the Comox Valley Funeral Home, Cremation and Reception Centre, 1101 Ryan Road, Courtenay on Friday, February 1st, 2013 at 11:00 AM. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the local charity of your choice.