In Memory

Shelagh Grant

1938 – 2020

It is with saddened hearts that we announce the passing of Shelagh Grant, past vice-president, long-time friend, share-holder  and avid supporter of Wanapitei. Shelagh’s leadership of the Wanapitei site committee pushed for the bold and lasting decision to shift our buildings from the Archibald white to the present earth-tones and she was instrumental in pulling together our first large reunion, celebrating 65 years.

Shelagh was also an acclaimed historian, researcher, adjunct professor and author. Her published works include two influential books focused on the Canadian North; Sovereignty or Security? Government Policy in the Canadian North, 1939-1950 (UBC Press 1988) and Arctic Justice: On Trial for Murder — Pond Inlet, 1923 (MQUP 2002). Shelagh passed away on Saturday at her home in Peterborough with her family by her side. She will be missed dearly and our deepest condolences go out to her family. Shelagh is pictured here with Bruce on a Wanapitei adult canoe trip in the early 1980s.

Bruce W. Hodgins

1931-2019

It is with profound sadness and deep respect that Camp Wanapitei announces the death of past Director/President, Bruce Hodgins. He had an enormous impact on all who were graced by his love, enthusiasm, insight, unparalleled generosity of spirit as well as his passion for friendship, community and the canoe. Since 1956, Bruce has been the heart of Wanapitei and we will be hard pressed to find another soul with such passion, principles, and strong hugs. His leadership will continue to inspire and influence our community. He was a true scholar, teacher, mentor, adventurer, environmentalist and friend and will be dearly missed.  Additional information can be found in the obituary as well as the tribute linked below:

https://communityalternative.ca/tribute/details/8625/Bruce-Hodgins/obituary.html

http://activehistory.ca/2019/08/bruce-w-hodgins-1931-2019-historian-and-master-canoeist

Lisa Korthals

1969-2018

Remembering Lisa

On Wednesday, March 28, 2018,  the world lost a beloved and bright light. Lisa Korthals – mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend – died in an avalanche while heli-ski guiding in the mountains near Pemberton B.C, not far from where she lived. She was 49.

Lisa was born in Toronto and grew up in an athletic family becoming an accomplished sailer, skier and (among many other pursuits) canoeist. First honing her canoe tripping skills at Camp Wapameo, when she was 16, Lisa was a participant on Wanapitei’s VII Nahanni ’85 led by Pat Bowles and Geoff Hodgins. This epic journey was the beginning of Lisa’s life long relationship with wilderness rivers.

Having learned to ski in the hills of Ontario under the guidance and inspiration of her mother, Judy, and alongside dear friend Gillian Frise (Bay Tripper ’85), a trip to Whistler during her last year of high school introduced her to the west and in 1987, Lisa moved from Ontario to attend UBC and to pursue perfection on skis. She quickly started achieving ski qualifications that culminated with her reaching the pinnacle of ski instruction, an impressive achievement.

Not slowing down in her summers off the slopes, Lisa continued to explore her passion for paddling at Wanapitei and, as a staff member beginning in 1986, she moved from a Temagami trip leader to eventually becoming a VI’90 and then VII’91 leader alongside co-leader and dear friend, Andrea Dorfman, leading trips down the Moisie and Coppermine Rivers. A gorgeous paddler, Lisa was graceful in a boat, the paddle and canoe, an extension of her body. Lisa was an adored member of the Wanapitei community, her smile beamed and her laugh was infectious. Lisa’s campers and fellow staff members loved her and echoed the sentiment that they simply felt great when they were around her. A completely grounded and authentic person, you felt embraced and brought into her realm.

Lisa was always a peripatetic adventurer constantly looking for new challenges. Her close friend Leeanne Patterson introduced her to rock climbing and Lisa took to it like any skill she perfected, with drive and determination. The natural outlet to this was attending Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops to study in the Outdoor Adventure Program.

These college years were punctuated with working at Outward Bound leading river rafting trips in Idaho and rock-climbing trips to places like Joshua Tree and Smith Rock.

In 1997 Lisa moved to Pemberton and then eventually 10 km north of town in a small nascent neighbourhood called Walkerville. She homesteaded here in true Lisa fashion, getting a friend to build her a tiny 10 x 10 shed that she lived in for two summers. At the same time she met her future husband and life partner, Johnny Foon Chilton, in a skiing contest. They proceeded to build their dream home on the hill.

Soon after settling in Pemberton Lisa decided to concentrate on ski guiding as a winter profession and began the Canadian Ski Guide Assoc. certification.  This led to working at Mike Wiegele Heli-skiing and gaining a Level 3 ticket. Her summers were occupied with horticulture, working for the municipality of Whistler. Climbing and big mountain skiing became central to her life, taking on big objectives with her husband Johnny, culminating in the climbing and skiing of University Peak in Alaska. A daunting feat, skiing 2,700 meters at 50 degrees plus, Lisa became the first woman to log a descent of this face.

By this time family beckoned and Lisa gave birth to son Tye in the summer of 2005. Settled into her cozy neighbourhood, living alongside close friend Wendy Brookbank and raising their son, she decided to stay close to home and took a job as a guide with local Pemberton heli-ski operation Coast Range. Again, she excelled here and became the operations manager for two seasons.

A long off-season demanded a shift in gears and she decided to enter the real estate trade as a realtor for Remax Whistler alongside her neighbour and long-time friend Erin McCardle Stiel. As well, her husband Johnny began to make skis from local yellow cedar and Lisa dove into this endeavour, sharing Johnny’s passion for the technical and artistic complexities of making skis. Lisa transitioned to Whistler Heli-Skiing soon after and became a part-time guide as her real estate business began to flourish.

Lisa was a sublime skier. Fluid. Graceful. Powerful. An absolute dream to watch. Her son Tye has learned the trade well from this incredible athlete and is becoming a complete skier at the tender age of 12. Her passion for skiing and adventure were matched by her dedication and love for Tye who she introduced to all of her outdoor pursuits, including canoe tripping. Tye attended Wanapitei in 2017 as a Coureurs de Bois.

Lisa transitioned from rock climbing to mountain biking,dogged in her pursuit of excellence in this sport like everything else. Her texts to me about “cleaning” a trail became legendary. Lisa was known to many, carving out a life in the mountains surrounding Whistler and Pemberton for the past 30 years. As one close friend remarked, she was “a proper legend”.

Lisa is survived by her husband Johnny, her son Tye, her mother Judy, her father Robin, her brother Jamie and a colossal list of friends from the east to the west and in between. She was predeceased by her brother Chris. Lisa was a connector, a truly social being, a hugger and a kisser. She made people feel special. She was full of raw emotion and deeply felt love for everybody who crossed her path. She lived life INTENSELY. Her smile was extinguished by the whims of nature but its luminosity and power will forever be etched in our minds.

Written by John Inglis with some additions by Andrea Dorfman

Larry Hodgins

1935-2017

With great sadness we say goodbye to one of Camp Wanapitei’s longest standing community members.

Larry and Bruce (his brother) grew up immersed in the life of camping from an early age. Stanley and Laura Bell (parents), Bruce, and Larry, canoe tripped in the Temagami area as early as 1936.  In 1944 until 1955, Laura Bell and Stanley managed Camp Wabanaki, a YMCA camp on Beausoleil Island, in Georgian Bay. This is where both the boys learned to swim, canoe, appreciate the outdoors while rarely wearing shoes and for Larry it was the start of his love for sailing.  In 1956 Stan and Laura Bell purchased Camp Wanapitei on the shores of Sandy Inlet. Because Stanley was tied up as a Principal in Kitchener and Bruce was immersed in his first teaching job in Charlottetown, PEI, that left Larry and Laura Bell opening, and for the most part running, Camp Wanapitei for the first few years.  The co-ed camp was small at first with between 25 and 45 campers but the spring and fall were very busy with fishermen and hunters.  Larry fondly recalled the experiences he shared with Dick Twain, Bella White, and the rest of the gang particularly refurbishing the old cabins, helping haul in 40 lb trouts, and shooting a black bear from the upstairs window in the Chateau (that particular room was thereafter named the “Bear Room”). He was proud to say he was given the task by Laura Bell of choosing the camp colours (white and blue) and helped create the Wanapitei chant. Larry pioneered the first Lady Evelyn Loop canoe trip in June of 1956, on which later that summer Bruce led a group of Pioneer Boys.  In 1957 Larry prepared a comprehensive BA Thesis on the economic geography of Lake Temagami.  He introduced sailing to Wanapitei and led several multiple day sailing trips on Lake Temagami.

His life with his beloved wife Nancy in the 60’s lead him away from Wanapitei and his focus and teaching (Canadian Physical Geography) drifted to western Canada  They later returning to Ontario and he started teaching at York University in 1970 where he introduced canoe tripping to his students. He claimed he was the top paying customer for Wanapitei for some years when he was outfitting his University Canoe trips which paddled all over northern Canada from the Yukon to Baffin Island and also on the prairies.  He taught extensive topographic and air photo map reading and used these on all his canoe trips. Several of Wanapitei’s V2 groups have touch on waterways that Larry paddled back in the 70’s and 80’s.

Nancy and Larry purchased a 26’ MacGregor in 1990 and sailed huge water such as Great Slave Lake and Georgian Bay and occasionally would come around Ferguson Point in full sail anchoring just off the Wanapitei Chateau Beach. He would stand on the decks and proudly survey his surroundings. For the past couple of years, he was known to watch the sailing lessons on the beach in front of the Singoose camper cabin.  I am sure it made the sailing instructors nervous but it was only a matter of time before he had those instructors wrapped around his fingers and out sailing with him.

Sailing continued to be his passion only outshone by his love for Nancy (passed away in 2002) and his never-ending love of dancing and jazz music.  In early September, at the age of 82, and with his pride and joy ‘Splash Dancer’ he and his daughter, Jackie, enjoyed an incredible 3 days sailing on the water circumventing Beausoleil Island, reminiscing about the good old days and sharing some special times.

It was so wonderful to see Bruce and Larry laughing, poking fun at each other, and relaxing in front of Bruce and Carol’s cabin, “Kesis” this past summer (2017). As the two strolled around camp, it was hard not to compare the two to Laura Bell and Stanley …. a reminder of the circle of life …..

Jackie Hodgins, November 2017

 from Kate Morrow (Cathy Squires)

I attended Wanapitei, starting in 1956 for several years. During those years, I spent an average of two and a half months there each summer. It was my second home.
My maiden name was Squires and back then a lot of people called me Cathy.
Larry taught me to sail. In 1957 or 1958 he was participating in a sailing race against some of the more established and definitely wealthier camps on the lake. He asked me to crew for him. I was dazzled to be his second. We sailed an old and leaky gaff rig and my job was to bail as fast as I could for hours. It was one of the best days of my young life just to be there with him.

Daryl Ross Hodgins

Passed away March 27 2013 due to complications from cancer.

Born on December 28, 1933, Daryl grew up with his younger by two-years brother Warren in Stratford, the sons of Cecil and Margarite Hodgins.  His connection to Wanapitei extended back to Daryl’s father Cecil who was Stanley Hodgins older brother.  As most know, Stan and his wife Laura Belle bought the Wanapitei property in 1956 bringing the Hodgins family formally to Lake Temagami.  The connection of the family however, extends a further 26 years.  In 1930, Stan and Laura Bell together with Cecil and his new wife Marguerite (who were on their honeymoon) travelled to the Wanapitei site for the first time camping near the present day Red Squirrel cabin at the mouth of the Red Squirrel River.  Daryl’s first visit was in the early 1960s.

One of the early members of the Wanapitei Board of Directors, Daryl was elected in 1973 and moved to vice-president in 1975.  He played an important role on the board often providing the voice of reason or finding a middle ground when opposite opinions and strong emotions were presented which happened frequently given the emotional connection to Wanapitei most board members brought to the meetings.  Following the tripping tragedies in the Northwest Territories and Northern Quebec in 1978, Daryl played a crucial role helping reassure parents that their children would be safe on future trips and updating many of Wanapitei’s safety policies.

Daryl officially served as vice president until 1984 when he had to resign to avoid a potential conflict of interest with his job at the York Board of Education when they were looking for new outdoor sites where students could go for on-site outdoor education.  This however did not stop his voluntary participation on the board which he continued into the middle 2000s.  He love of boards became an important part of his volunteering experience and on the Wanapitei board, he reveled in the debate and using his ability to find middle ground in disputes.  He applied his school board experience by participating on several Director job searches including the initial hiring or Eoin Wood (“Woody”) in 1996 and the search committee for the new Wanapitei president Ted Moores in 2001.

He championed having his four children attend the camp as early as age six, despite the wishes of his father Cecil who wanted the grandchildren to spend the summers in Killarney.  All four went on to be staff members, most led V2 trips (Glenn, Murray and Andrea), Andrea became Director from 1993 to 1996, Eric a board member from the middle 80s to the mid-90s, and Glenn a Board member from the middle 1980s to the present. Clearly Daryl’s instinct to send his kids to Wanapitei was a gain for Wanapitei, not to mention the value the Wanapitei experience provided back to his kids.

He and his wife Barbara (who had no previous camping experience other than raising 4 avid Wanapitei campers) went on several trips led by Bruce and Carol including the Killarney in 1982, Spanish River in 1984, Soper River 1996 (without Barb), and the Coppermine in 1999 with Glenn.  And while the canoeing was great, Daryl’s real passion was for fishing.  He had spent many years before becoming involved with Wanapitei doing canoe-based fishing trips with his university friends.  Daryl also co-led with Bruce an adult trip on the Spanish River in 1995.

In addition to his formal roles at Wanapitei, he and his family ventured to Wanapitei in the winter over many years in the late 70s and 80s skiing the trail and road network.  And in the summer, he and Barb were regular visitors to Bruce and Carol’s cabin on the change-over and family weekends.  In the fall, he and Barb hosted the Toronto reunions  at their home in Scarborough for almost 20 years and the only reason this stopped was that they moved to a condominium that made the logistics more challenging.  His last time at the Wanapitei site was in 2011 where he welcomed his granddaughter Alicia back from her V2 expedition to the Yukon.

His family cottage in Killarney (built by Cecil and Marguerite in the late 1940s) was and continues to be a favourite stopping point for the Camp trips including one of the early “Co-Ed” trips in 1961 from Wanapitei to Killarney where Daryl joined the trip as the third trip leader for the Sudbury to Killarney portion.  The trip spent the night at our Killarney cottage and the participants were treated to a large pig roasted on rotating spit over an open fire prepared with great ceremony by Cecil.  This was not the only link between the Wanapitei and Killarney Hodgins.  Cecil helped Stan purchase the 1947 Grew “Cruiser” inboard boat from the Killarney boat builder and long time friend of the family Joe Lowe in 1966.

Daryl had a significant and lasting contribution to the birth and growth of the canoeing program at Wanapitei.  His participation on the board, participating in and leading trips, and that he provided his home and family cottage as destinations for Wanapitei events shows the commitment he had to the place and the people.  These “gifts” are just part of the legacy he leaves in the Wanapitei community.

CLARKE, John William –

Passed away on May 25, 2014 at Stevenson Memorial Hospital, Alliston, following a brief battle with cancer.

John W. Clarke practiced law for over 30 years in the town of Alliston.

He is survived by his partner of 21 years, Monika Castaldi.

Remembered by his aunt Grace of Kitchener, family and friends.

John will be fondly remembered by Ed Murphy and the Friends of Wanapitei.

If so desired memorial donations in John’s memory to the Canadian Cancer Society would be appreciated.

Camp Wanapitei Remembers John Clarke

Bruce Hodgins – John Clarke first went to Wanapitei in 1961 (before that he was a Wabanaki camper) as a camper and in that August he went on our first canoeing Bay Trip to James Bay, on the Matagami-Moose.  The trip was all male.  I was the trip leader and John Scott the Assistant.  Ted Moores and John Clarke were participants.  See the picture of the group returning by train (Wanapitei on Temagami, 2006, blue cover edition, page 59, or the white edition p.64, 1996).  Then for several years he was on staff leading many trips.

Professionally, with a Master’s Degree, he became Registrar of the new Laurentian University.  Then later he studied law at Queen’s.  In the mid-sixties, John Clarke, Tom Roach and myself were the triumvirate running Wanapitei, all on the Board.  Carol was running Trip Stores.  John would appear at Camp to examine Life Saving candidates.

Later John was practising law in Allison and helped out Wanapitei as a Board member.  John, Tom and I made and cleared out the Red Squirrel trail from the end of the cutting (jack pine) road to our Camp site.  Milne had ceased cutting there in 1971.  Before leaving Sudbury for Queen’s, John acquired for us the refrigeration system for an expanding Wanapitei.  Up to that point we had used ice blocks cut and hauled out of the frozen Bay and put into the Ice House, slowly decaying.  Dick Twain was in charge; we helped.

In 1971, Alistair Thomas and two other staff led a large group of Intermediate Boys, including four Hodgins,  Glenn, Shawn, Dan and Eric, plus others including Bruce Flemons, on what was to be a trip to Killarney Bay.  The trip moved carefully to the south west but slowly.  No contact with camp of course.  John Clarke flew in with his shared owned old sea plane.  He and I, John the pilot and myself, took off and searched to the south west.  We flew through heavy rain.  No sight.  Finally we landed on a small Lake on the route amid a thunder storm.  No sight.  We called and called and horned.  Finally, a faint reply.  The group portaged back one lake and found us.  Great joy.  The group on our advice cut the length of the trip at the village of Wanapitei (now inside Sudbury).  We returned to Camp and sent cars to transport the trip south and west to Georgian Bay.  The group paddled to the Cecil Hodgins site in Killarney Bay.  All was well.  High morale.  Most of the participants became Wanapitei Staff members and shareholders and Board members—later of course.

All thanks to John Clarke.

Sincerely,

Bruce W. Hodgins,
Tom Roach.

Ted Moores.  John William Clarke; an integral member of the Wanapitei family for 53 years.

John Clarke passed away at 3 AM on May 25, 2014 at Stevenson Memorial Hospital, Alliston, following a brief battle with cancer. He had been taken to Toronto General about three weeks earlier, apparently with throat problems.

John’s main family. besides his partner of 21 years, Monika Castaldi, was Wanapitei and his wish was for his ashes to be spread up there, which will happen this summer.

John graduated with an MA in English from his home-town, Waterloo, in 1969, took a position as Registrar at Laurentian U in Sudbury, where he stayed until 1974. He then studied law at Queens, after which he made his home in Alliston, where he established a law practice for over 30 years.

During his time at Laurentian he had a junior share in a float plane, which he flew into camp several times. He sold his share after the plane froze on a winter trip into camp to meet up with Bruce Hodgins and Tom Roach. (He flew home, but the senior shareholder of the plane was nervous that he might eventually lose the plane.) For the three summers John was in law school, 1975 – 77, he was Program Director at Wanapitei and worked for the camp and the Chateau during the springs of ’75 – ‘78.

The original group that talked about purchasing Wanapitei from the senior Hodgins was Bruce, Carol, John Clarke, Joyce Relyea and myself. By the time the first Board was created in 1971 there were 15 of us, but John and Bruce are the only two Wanapitei Board members who have been on the Board consistently since it was formed.

John went to Wabinaki for a few years, then his first year at Wanapitei he was on the first Bay Trip, (1961) and was then on staff from ’62 – 68, and again in the mid 70s. He and I were co-counselors in 1963, when we led the likes of “Vin” Norris, Gary Norris, Alister Thomas and Tommy McCullough on various and sundry trips. John remained very active in camp business until well into the 90s when he slowed down a bit to nurture his law practice. He wasn’t very active recently in camp business but he could always bring the wisdom of his 43 years of Board history and his sharp legal mind to the game. I’m very sorry to see him go, especially so fast and so young. I believe he was about to turn 69, or just had recently.

Ted Moores; Board Co-Chair/CEO Camp Wanapitei

Tom Roach – One summer, John was leading a trip of people only just younger than himself. The group came to a long portage over boggy ground. John was in the lead, carrying a canoe and a pack when he accidentally stepped into a hole and found himself up to his neck in mud with the ends of the canoe bridging the hole. He was about to throw-off the canoe and use it to climb out of the mud when there was a bump and the canoe was pressed down further in the mud.  The person behind him had stepped on to the canoe and then walked along its bottom, getting off on the solid ground at the opposite end. A cheerful “Thank you, John!” rang out. I believe each member of the trip followed this lead and thanked John loudly before continuing on leaving John to extract himself and then catch-up.

Years of working for the Chateau as a teen, resulted in John having local knowledge like few others. Driving at full speed in a boat powered with a 40HP outboard, he could drive up and down the Red Squirrel river at night scorning the use of lights. An experience definitely NOT for the faint at heart.

One summer afternoon, I discovered that our Bear Island staff were, in the near future, planning a party. As the party would interfere with the presence of 250 young people, it had to be stopped. I ordered John and his senior programme staff, to meet with the party holders and ensure that all the alcoholic beverages were consumed before the party got really going. This they did at the expense of some colossal hangovers the next morning. The Bear Island side, however, were not happy but all were fully functioning. I was very grateful!

As Program Director, John was fantastic. He took a lot of the load off of Bruce and myself. His efforts resulted in a large increase in the number of campers in the years he held the job and subsequently.

Joe DePencier – John was the rock of the programme staff of the mid- and late 1970s. His big personality, his big laugh, his inexhaustible supply of Wanapitei lore, his Northern Ontario warmth, all made the lives of new staff of the day so much easier. His Stan and Laura-Belle Hodgins (and Leander) anecdotes from innumerable springs working at the Chateau were legend. No one wore blue jeans and suspenders, and a t-shirt, in all weather, with more elegance and comfort. He was the Lord of Mountain View for many summers. He loved a cold beer (from the Ice House) and a lively game of euchre. His calm and good humour stood the staff well when Bruce and Tom would get themselves worked up (i.e., into a spitting lather) on the matters as consequential as how many Wanapitei hooded sweatshirts of what colours and of what sizes ought to have been ordered, and were in fact delivered, or who was responsible for the latest wiring failure of the White Camp Van and the big green canoe trailer. He could tell you for the past ten years which trips had used which canoes (never needing the white file card box that came to reside in Charles Paradis and used to record such minutia in the day). John was my mentor at Wanapitei. He guided me through my first summer (1975) and I never looked back. He was a rock. What a guy.

Mary Ann Haney – An important part of the Camp community is our shared memories. John was the keeper of so many of them. He will be missed.

Mark Isaacson – I remember many scenes with John Clarke as an actor, but the one I remember best took place at the end of the 1977 season, when two brash young staff members, Mark Isaacson and Louis Heavenrich challenged two legends of Wanapitei, Marcus Bruce and John Clarke, to a canoe race from the pothole to the bridge. The old timers won, but only because they cheated.

Debbie Baldwin – How like John not to bother us with the seriousness of his condition. I am glad he is being brought back to Wanapetei. I think in many ways he was the happiest at camp, and among us. He was kind, forgiving and generous.

Janet Campbell – I am deeply saddened to hear of John’s death.  I didn’t know he was in the hospital but was aware he was not well.   I grew up at Wanapitei with John around. He taught and tested me for my Master canoeist and Wanapitei tripper. Thinking of him brings back a lot of memories. It is hard to believe he is no longer with us.

Marcus Bruce – JC  and  his cohort (Ted)  saddled me with a lengthy lengthy Latin handle in 1963. I forgave him that once I learned how to respect  his appreciation of W.C. Fields. He was my counsellor, co – leader, friend  and occasional partner-in crime over the course of many years .There are so many incidences that I could cite and yet not one will suffice to describe his all encompassing importance to the esprit de corps of Wanapitei. To Mark I say: we won not so much because we cheated but rather because we knew how to do so properly , appropriately  and with incredible panache, all of which can be attributed to Mr. Clarke.

Shelagh Grant -During my years on the Wanapitei Executive, and especially when I was Vice-President, John and I became close friends – for the most part by way of lengthy, long distance phone calls as I sought advice on potentially sensitive issues. We didn’t always agree, but we were always able to settle our differences prior to board meetings. On critical issues,
I could always count on his support. But my lasting impression of John was his deep and abiding love of Wanapitei, gleaned from long discussions on the beach when he regaled me on more than one occasion with tales of his early years as a camper then as a trip leader. Inadvertently, or perhaps purposefully, he taught me that Wanapitei was far more than just summer
camp, but a spiritual entity that spread across the years through friendships and experiences gained in the Canadian wilderness. I will miss John dearly, but he will remain forever in my fond memories of Wanapitei.

Mary Catherine Subasic

SUNRISE

June 4, 1958
Toronto, Ontario

SUNSET
March 17, 2016
Toronto, Ontario

Cathe Subasic was a free spirit if ever there was one. She passed away suddenly on March 17, 2016.

Cathe loved life in all its forms. Music was her biggest love, of course, its ability to allow the spirit to soar, to ease deep wounds. The folk scene was her first love. But then she met jazz, and it was love. She developed her voice until it sang with a Sarah Vaughan clarity that made everyone take notice. Then she auditioned for the Mendelssohn Choir, and she re-trained her voice for classical.

She considered her cats, Nikka and Mischa her children. They trained her very well to give them treats. She also loved owls and elephants and every year she posted links to webcams that watched baby eagles being born on Facebook.

Speaking of Facebook, Cathe could probably win an award for the number of FB friends she had. There she’d post jokes, animal videos, wine jokes, yoga jokes. You couldn’t ask her to sew on a button, but if you had a problem with your phone or computer, she was your girl. But if you asked her for directions, she’d pull out her GPS.

Cathe could cook up a world class roast beef dinner with Yorkshire puddings, or flambe a banana in rum that would leave you yearning for more. Before she lived in Longview Co-op, she had a garden that was her joy. When she moved to Longview in recent years she was head of the social committee. She cooked burgers for barbecues and tried out different events to create community.

Cathe started working at the Workers Health & Safety Centre March 5, 1990, which made her a long-standing employee of 26 years. Cathe was proud of the work she did there, the importance and value of the work. But it was also where she had many valued friends. She appreciated their support, their love, their time, their talks.

As some of you know, the world knocked her about a bit sometimes, and she wasn’t always up to its pushes and punches. But she was always smiling. Her laughs, songs, funny stories, and crystal clear singing voice leave a blank space that can never be filled.

She leaves behind sister Colleen, brother Michael, mother Joan, father George, aunt Rita, cousin Glenn, sister-in-law Jennifer, Nephew Marlo, sister-in-law Brenda, niece Sam, former husbands Lloyd, Mike and Bruce, and so many others who are struggling to find some sense in what happened.

Peter Roach:  Cathie will be remembered for her readings of Tolkein’s The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings while on the Intermediate Girls canoe trips in the evenings around the campfire. She would liven up the stories by adding in her own interpretations spoken in the Elven tongue, no doubt sending the campers and anyone else listening, off to sleep with dreams of Hobbits and Elves. In the evenings at Wanapitei she could be counted on to singing and playing her guitar to a willing audience as seen here in accompanying photo.