May 24, 1949 - June 13, 2018
Port Alberni, BC - With great sadness, we announce the unexpected passing of Chris Hayhurst, 69, on Wednesday, June 13th, 2018 after a courageous battle with Parkinson's Disease.
He will be greatly missed by his wife of 45 years, Gwen, his daughter, Dawn (Jordan), his son, Scott (Tracy), his adored grandchildren, Stella, Carson, Carter and Savanna, and his brother Bob (Pat). He will also be fondly remembered by other family members including Jean, Tom, Catherine, Vicki, Mark, Sean, Carly, Caitlin, Libbie, and Sam.
Born in Ulverston, England, the son of John and Dorothy, he moved to Canada at the age of 2. He lived in numerous places including Fernie, Houston, Vancouver, and Coquitlam. He inherited a love of the outdoors from his parents that he passed along to his own family.
This love of the outdoors inspired him to attend BCIT to specialize in Forestry. This is where he met his wife Gwen, while on a canoe trip with the Outdoors Club. In 1971, he started work with the BC Forest Service, which took him to Terrace, Prince Rupert, Houston, Granisle, Parksville, and finally, Port Alberni in 1980.
Chris could often be found making trails with his cross-country skis, camping with family and friends, finding unchartered waters in all sorts of watercraft, hiking various terrains, and fishing any lake, river or ocean in search of the big one. Chris also enjoyed golfing, curling, travelling, and taking his family on unforgettable back- road adventures. Family was Chris' priority. He was always there for his kids' activities, despite a heavy workload.
He established a local chapter of the Junior Forest Wardens (JFW) and dedicated many years as a volunteer leader. On weekends when he wasn't on a JFW excursion, you could find him refereeing local youth soccer. After retirement, he volunteered for 15 years with the West Coast General Hospital Foundation.
Chris will be remembered for his distinct sense of humour and the indescribable sidelong glance and sparkle in his eyes when making a joke. He liked to entertain and dressing up as Smokey the Bear and Santa Claus are perfect examples of this.
Special thanks to the staff at Echo Village for their care and kindness over the past five years.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Parkinson Society of British Columbia or the West Coast General Hospital Foundation. A private gathering will be held at a later date.