November 1, 1948 -August 21, 2015
In the early morning of Friday August 21, Cliff passed away following a short stay at Lions Gate Hospital in Vancouver.
Cliff was born at Vancouver General Hospital the son of Harry and Muriel Violet (Vi) (nee Graham) Panchyson, both deceased. He grew up in Cumberland, Barnfield and Courtenay. While a sea cadet at HMCS Quadra he became part of the honour guard at Expo 67 in Montreal. He also travelled to Nova Scotia at that time.
Following his graduation from Courtenay High School, Cliff entered BCIT to focus on instrumentation and systems technology after which he worked for the Department of the Environment, Pacific Oceanographic Group as an oceanographic technician, responsible for the collecting, processing and analysis of oceanographic data aboard a weathership. Subsequently Cliff worked as a filter operator at Western Mines in Campbell River, then at the Rayonier Canada pulp mill in Port Alice. In 1975 he entered the Vancouver Vocational Institute attaining his diploma in mechanical, piping and architectural drafting. This lead him to his lifelong employment with H.A. Simons Ltd. which became AMEC E&C Services Ltd. and most recently AMEC Foster Wheeler.
Over the ensuing years Cliff worked on a vast number of Canadian projects in such locations as Port Moody, Prince Rupert, Elk Falls, Castlegar, Port Mellon, Prince George and Skookumchuck, B.C.; Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Peace River, Scotford, Alberta; Prince Albert, Saskatchewan; Dryden, Lac des lies in Ontario; Windsor, PQ. International projects included International Paper in Androscoggin, Maine, U.S.A. and Kiani Kertas in PT Kiani Kertas, Indonesia. Cliff was also required to travel outside Canada to Finland and Poland, and to live near projects in Durban, South Africa; and Wellington, New Zealand.
Between projects Cliff enjoyed his home in Lions Bay, camping throughout B.C., Ontario, Quebec and the United States and vacationing in Britain, South Africa, Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand. He was an avid collector of military and scientific books and periodicals, as well as being a lifelong member of the International Plastic Modelers Society.
Cliff is dearly remember by his sister Naomi and brother-in-law Gary Rhindress, as well as close cousins Gail Woods and Sheila Mallard. It was Cliff’s wish that there be no ceremony. Friends may make a donation in his name to a charity of their choice if they desire.