Tribute

Born to Nellie and Harry Pollard in Warmington England on March 14th, 1936, Allan Pollard was the youngest of five children. His beloved siblings include Joan, Mavis, Nora, and Dick (all deceased). Growing up on a farm near an American Airfield, Allan’s wartime childhood always loomed large in his memory, as did his relationship with his nephews and lifelong companions Andrew and Paul (sons of eldest sister Joan). After completing his schooling, Allan served two years of military service in Germany and then settled back in England apprenticing as a bricklayer under the father of his future wife, Julie Knight. In 1960, Julie and Allan had their first son Tony, followed by Tim in 1966. For the next ten years, Allan continued to work as a bricklayer while running Bunny Burrow Farm. In 1976, his first marriage at an end, he emigrated to the Cowichan Valley where he worked as a mason and general contractor for the next twenty years, building homes and doing brick work on many buildings in the valley. In the early 1980’s he met his second wife Linda Winter with whom he had two boys, Jeromy and Michael, and in 1987 he welcomed his first granddaughter, Amanda. After Linda’s death in 1985, Allan laid the foundations of his future life with partner Nancy Bennett in Mill Bay, building a family home which included Nancy’s two children Glenda and Darren. In his latter years, Allan shifted away from contracting and started Cowichan Valley Home Inspection Service. In retirement, he further dedicated himself to family (including great grandsons Jeromy and Brayden), home, friends, and community, and he was able to take regular road trips throughout the west coast with his partner Nancy. Allan was a committed family man, an incredibly knowledgeable and skilled handyman, a valued community member (especially at St. John’s Anglican Church, the Malahat Masonic Lodge, and the Visitor Info Centre), and, to all who knew him, a bit of an odd duck. Allan passed away peacefully on June 29th and will be missed by the Pollard, Fisher, Achurch, Winter, Bennett, and Dougan families, as well as many friends (especiqlly John Gilbert), and countless community members whose lives he touched. In addition to the family members mentioned above, Allan is survived by many in-laws, extended family members, and friends including Jill Pollard, Vanessa, Donna, Talia, Monika, Bill Winter, Jim, Lorne, Corwin, Kaylee, Sullivan, Pete, Daria, Graeme, Marion, David, Adrian, Darian, Remington, James, Lucy, Karen, Chris, Kim, Caroline, Andy, Rachel, Jesse, Ashley, Fran, Tania, Halinka, Mark, Julian, Marjorie, and Rob. A service will be held for Allan at St. John’s Anglican Church in Cobble Hill on July 18th at 2pm.