December 3, 1941 – December 18, 2016
Dad passed away in his sleep on a sunny morning in Puerto Vallarta, with his wife Susana by his side. In recent months, he had spent much time reflecting on his lifetime of memories, all good to his recollection. He spoke about how fortunate he had been, for the life he had lived and for the people with which he had shared it. He referred to his life, in retrospect, as ‘perfect’. Dad was predeceased by his parents, John and Ruby, and his brother-in-law Gerry. He is survived by his wife Susana, sister Carol (Tom), daughters Jeannette, Suzanne (Aaron), Renée, and Adriana, grandsons Anthony and Oliver, niece Geraldine (Darren), nephew Mark, and grand-nephew Brandon, as well as many dear friends and family in both Canada and Mexico. Dad was born in Winnipeg, a much beloved addition to his family. They moved together to Vancouver in the early 50’s where he stayed until moving his own new family to the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island in the early 70’s. He lived the last twenty years of his life in Puerto Vallarta, happily sharing his life with Susana. It is hard to contain a description of Dad within a few sentences. He was a happy person who found joy in simple things. He knew how to have fun, he liked to laugh and loved to provoke others to laugh with him. He was driven by a creative force manifesting itself in countless ways: from a uniquely concocted sandwich to a beautifully designed home. He taught us that a job worth doing is worth doing well, and had an endless supply of colourful sayings and unorthodox wisdom that he was happy to share. He believed in following one’s own path and often referred to the Matsuo Basho quote “Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old; seek what they sought”. He also had an unquenchable zest for life that carried him through many health challenges over the past three decades. In the end, he seemed at peace with letting go. In his “inimitable manner”, Dad requested a party in his honour in lieu of a funeral service. Details will be shared with family and friends as plans are made over the coming months. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all who shared in Dad’s life. It was a life lived well.