Nick Wilson
June 1945 - October 2, 2009
It is with great sadness and disbelief that we are announcing the death of our best friend, husband and companion, Nick Wilson of a stroke, brought on by the complications of lung, liver and brain cancer on October 2, 2009 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Comox, Nick was born in June 1945 in Worthing, England. He was predeceased by his father Leonard Hugh Wilson in 1995 and his mother Elizabeth Pye Wilson in 2006. He is survived by his long time companion Vivian Cruise and his step children Alex (Holly) and Pam (Igor) and grand children, Isaac & Margot Burstyn and Dexter Cruise. Nick is also survived by his brother in Bali: David (Gill) and their daughters Natasha and Samantha and by his sister in England: Anne (Bob Cockburn) and their children Emma (Rob Phelps - with daughters Imogene and Katy) and Michael (Kim - and their son Charles). Nick also leaves behind in England several other family members and his best friend and cousin Chris (Jane) Pye and their grown children: David, Joanna, Sarah, Emma & Katy Pye.
Nick worked for 25 years for Seaspan as a Marine Engineer, his favourite boat being the SS Chief. He worked for other towboat companies up and down the coast as well as on the log boom boats at the pulp mill in Prince Rupert when he first arrived in Canada in 1967, then after some extensive traveling and moving to Vancouver he worked as a carpenter, a gardener and a courier. He was a cook deckhand at first but he knew that he would rather follow his schooling and be in the warm engine room tweaking the engines and keeping everything "ship shape".
Nick was a kind and gentle soul, a real gentleman and a hard working fellow. He gave generously to charities, he helped many people try to solve their problems and would stand up for his rights and any other cause that needed an assist. He loved fly fishing in the Quinsam, Seymour and Chilliwack Rivers and in the Yellowstone River in Wyoming and did a lot of saltwater fishing in the 80's up near the Green Can and the Red Buoy. In the last 10 years of traveling Nick took up snorkeling and photography again and we had many adventures in Cuba, Bali, Hawaii, New England and road trips around BC, Alberta, Montana and California.
In lieu of flowers please donate to the BC Cancer Society or Covenant House in Vancouver, BC or the BC SPCA. We are eternally grateful for the wonderful care Nick received in St. Joseph's Hospital in Comox. The ER doctors and nurses were always calmly there for us in our panicky visits and the 2nd Floor nurses showed true compassion to all of us. The Physiotherapists who worked endlessly to try to bring Nick back and keep him comfortable made our lives better too.
There will be a Celebration of Nick's Life on Sat., Nov. 7, 2009 from 1-4 pm at the Fanny Bay Community Hall, on the Coastal Route Hwy #19 just a few miles south of the Buckley Bay ferry terminal. Tea and sandwiches will be served along with Nick's favourite dessert: Trifle and chocolates.
In keeping with his quest for more adventures his ashes are being spread in all the corners of the globe. We will all miss Nick forever.
Comox Valley Funeral Homes arranged for the cremation.