May 10, 1922
– January 28, 2017
Our beloved husband and father slipped peacefully away at the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital in Trail on January 28, 2017. He fulfilled his wish of being able to live at home until a few days before his passing.
Dad was one of the few people who was born in Salmo, BC and lived there his whole life except for the years during World War II when he served overseas with the Canadian Army. He never spoke much about his war years, except for the liberation of Holland and the gratefulness and kindness of the Dutch towards the Canadians. After the war he joined his brothers in the very successful Hearn Brothers Lumber Company of Salmo and Parks Siding that they operated until 1976 when they sold and retired.
He was a devoted family man and loved nothing more than having all the relatives over for Christmas Eve turkey or a summer barbeque, traditions that will be missed by all.
The Masons were a big part of his life; he was a very active member of Ymir Lodge #31 from when he joined in 1958 until just months before his death. He served as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon in1991.
In his youth he loved his sports, from badminton to baseball and hockey. In his later years he was usually watching one sport or another on TV. He was a championship badminton player at the Nelson and Salmo Badminton Clubs and taught and mentored hundreds of young people over 30 years in Salmo at Wednesday night badminton.
He was a leader with the Boy Scouts of Canada and was Chairman of the Nelson and District Scouts Association for several years. He was very active in the community as a board member of Salmo Community Services and the Salmo Memorial Community Church. He also served for several years on the Nelson and District Hospital Advisory Board.
He is survived by his wife Dorothy (nee Smith) of Salmo, daughters Christine (Erik Tofsrud) of Vancouver and Lorna McLarty (Bob) of Winnipeg, sons Ron of Burnaby and David of Salmo, granddaughters Jillian and Kathleen of Kamloops, and Emma and Lizzie of Winnipeg, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
He was pre-deceased by his first wife Mary (nee MacLeod), grandson Andrew McLarty, brothers Clifford, Wilfrid, and Howard, and sister Kathleen Klovance, as well as his parents Alice and Jim. Donations in his memory can be made to Salmo Community Services Centre PO Box 39 Salmo, BC V0G 1Z0.
A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 PM on Sunday February 5, 2017 at the Salmo Valley Youth and Community Centre, 206 7th Street in Salmo, BC. Gwen Ziprick of Alternatives Funeral and Cremation Services has been entrusted with the arrangements. You are invited to leave a personal message of condolence by visiting the family’s register at www.myalteratives.ca
Dad, we know you are up there, probably having another scoop of ice cream on your second piece of pumpkin pie.