Tribute

Dad grew up in Vancouver, B.C. The family moved to North Vancouver when he was a teenager, but throughout his early life he also spent a lot of time on the family farm in Aldergrove, B.C.  Always keenly interested in machinery, Dad worked for Finning and then Pacific Tractor as a young man.  He met Sheila Irwin in 1950, after famously picking her up at a North Van bus stop.  They married later that year, then moved to the Aldergrove property. There they raised beef cattle, along with various other animals and three kids, who ran wild and got into lots of trouble, but came out more or less okay.  Dad was an active member of the Aldergrove Volunteer Fire Department—long suspected to be an excuse to drink beer with the guys after fire practice.  Dad, along with Mum, also did volunteer work later in life as grocery shoppers for seniors, putting grocery orders together for the elderly—who often turned out to be younger than Mum and Dad were at the time.

Dad loved boats and motorcycles, and fishing and hunting with his Aldergrove buddies. He was also fond of blowing things up; a characteristic he shared with his brother Dave.  As a family, we all enjoyed trips up and down the BC coast, in Dad’s old fisheries patrol boat, the Swantail II.

Dad brought the family to Salt Spring Island in 1965, to run Rainbow Beach Resort on Booth Bay.  He started the Stacey Charter Service watertaxi business soon afterward, which exists today as Gulf Islands Water Taxi.  Dad also played a major role in moving the old St. George’s church in Ganges on Salt Spring Island, and expanding it into All Saints by the Sea—one of the happiest times of his life.

Dad was a sociable guy, and could and did make friends with random strangers.  He always saw the best in otherwise questionable individuals… including his own kids. Dad was also a terrific storyteller, and never to our knowledge ran out of stories that we had never heard, many of them truly hair-raising. He will live on in our memories as a good-hearted, loyal, loving, hard-working and amazingly talented man who could truly turn his hand to anything, and who had a terrific repertoire of jokes which have been passed along to his children and grandchildren.

Dad is predeceased by his brother David Stacey, his sister Elizabeth Brightwell, and his grandson Rob Stacey.  Fondly remembering Dad are wife Sheila, kids Dave Stacey (Sandy), Mike Stacey (Lesley) and Jill Bartle (Dave), his brothers Robert Stacey, Tony Stacey and Neil Stacey, and an ever-expanding gaggle of grandchildren and great grandchildren. We are profoundly grateful that Dad was able to live out his entire life in his own home with his beloved wife, our mum Sheila.

Our heartfelt thanks go to Dad’s absolute gem of a G.P., Dr. Mohammud Ibrahim.  Words can’t express what your compassionate care of our Dad has meant to us. Thanks also to the staff of Cowichan District Hospital, and Dr. Michael Jansz, who provided such thoughtful care.

We are thankful for the loving care and support of our parents from the Parishes of St. Peter’s Anglican Church Quamichan, and St. John the Baptist Anglican Church in Duncan and the Ven. Brian Evans through these past years, and which continues to come our way through this difficult time.