August 1947 – September 2016
There’s a party goin’ on in heaven and everyone is there. Elvis is there, and Roy Orbison too and now Keith has joined them. There is singing and dancing. It’s a little bit rowdy but in a nice way. Keith has left behind all his cancer. Ernie and Lily (Keith’s parents) are there too, along with brother-in-law Derek and even our dog, Corky. It’s a good time.
Keith had a wonderful life. He had a happy childhood in the UK (Manchester and then Blackpool) and then left home to join the merchant navy and sailed all over the world. He saw Canada when his sister emigrated and moved himself there, joining Shell Oil to deliver fuel to the Inuit communities in the Eastern Arctic. All this time he was going through the levels to become a Master Mariner (ship’s captain to us landlubbers).
An opportunity came up to run the marine fleet for Gulf Oil out of their Toronto office and Keith thought he would try it to see if he could enjoy life ashore. He met Chris at that office and never went to sea permanently again. They married and had two kids, Ken and Jill.
Gulf moved the family to Calgary in the 80’s where Keith had the exciting job of building a Marine Department from scratch and hiring
a team of professional mariners to run a fleet of Arctic ice breakers and supply ships to support the offshore drilling program in the Western Arctic. In the 90’s that program was shelved, the equipment sold and a golden handshake left the family free to move to
Vancouver Island.
Keith then started his own companies and offered himself as a consultant and ice expert to the marine industry. He was very successful and in demand for studies and ice piloting work.
He piloted expedition ships to the Arctic and Antarctic.
We have lived in Campbell River over 23 years and daughter, Jill, married a local lad, Gord, and they now have two sons, Alex and Jack. Son, Ken, has taken to the sea himself on the cruise ships and travels the world as a Cruise Director. Keith enjoyed his golf and soccer and he and Chris had a wonderful semi-retirement travelling the world.
We will all miss Keith terribly. He was a wonderful husband and father. He was a warm, funny, strong and determined man. He livened the place up wherever he went. He loved to sing Elvis and he loved to laugh. He will be sorely missed by his sisters, Wendy and Barbara (Larry), and his nieces and nephews. He leaves behind many friends
all over the world. So party on, Keith, and save a place on the dance floor for Chris when it’s her time to join you. Thank you for being you.
A Celebration of Keith’s Life will be held at the Sequoia Springs
Golf Club on Wednesday, October 5 at 3:00 p.m.