It is with the deepest of sorrow that we announce the passing of our Dad on December 20th with all of his children, some of his grandchildren and brother at his side.
Glen Ernest Anderson was born in Biggar, Saskatchewan on August 18, 1924 to Ernie and Charlotte Anderson. He had 5 siblings, Stan (deceased), Eileen Toombes, Barbara Wilson, Gordon (deceased) and Bob.
The Anderson family moved to BC in 1937 and Dad spent his childhood in Giscome and Hansard. Glen left home at the age of 13 beginning his working career as a dishwasher in a logging camp. He flunkied in camps with brother Gordon, hacked ties, loaded ties into boxcars and later on fell many trees in the area either for his own sawmill or working for other employers.
He often worked alongside his brother Gordon and later on his brother Bob. Dad went on to work for BC Hydro, completing his working career with the School District as Maintenance Supervisor until his retirement at age 65.
On July 1947 Glen married Doris (Mould) in Burns Lake – the exact same day his brother Gordon married his bride, Betty. Glen and Doris soon started a family. Son Tom was born, closely followed by Lynne (Sketchley), Louise (Fisher) and the baby, Jackie (Anderson). Doris passed away in 2003.
Glen on guitar, Doris on accordion and brother Gordon on banjo played for many dances in the area and music continued to be a large part of our family life. Glen and Doris loved the outdoors and made many canoe trips down various rivers and lake chains, many of them for days at a time.
Dad didn’t need or want a lot and for to him less definitely was more. Camping and fishing with their family was just simply…… the best. Dad was still trapping with his snowmobile this winter, skinning out his last martin the end of November.
Our father was an excellent role model as we watched him make soup or beans, taught us how to knit, darn a sock, construct a building or taught us the intricacies of how a motor should go back together.
Dad had an uncanny 6th sense for any motor that was not running exactly as it should for he could hear problems far before anyone else could and he had a lack of tolerance for anything not working well. “Grease it, store it under cover, and go easy on it” was the mantra we all learned at a very young age.
One of Dad’s doctors said that he must have been a very good man because of the amount of family he had around him as he was passing. Our family received this as a complement not on us, but a true testament to Dad – he was a kind man, great father and taught us well.
Glen is also survived by his 11 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren, 1 great great grandchild, sisters-in-law Betty and Peggy, and sons-in-law Larry and Dan.
Dad was predeceased by his daughter-in-law Elaine (Tom), brothers-in-law Stan Toombes, Len Wilson, Ted Mould and sisters-in-law Ann and Evelyn (Bob).
Our Dad, Our Angel
Your battle is now over, no more tears flowing down your cheek,
No more pain, no more suffering, now you are no longer weak.
We still do not understand why this had to happen to you
But we are proud to say you are our dad, the greatest man we ever knew.
Although you will not be there for us we walk down our own aisle,
When that day comes we know you will be by our side with a smile.
You were always there for us and not once made us cry,
Until the day you closed your eyes and had to say goodbye.
Now you are our angel, so spread your wings out wide,
Please wrap them around us whenever you see us cry.
Our time together was memorable and God took you way too fast,
But the most precious thing to us was you being there for our first breath and us being there for your last.
Rest in peace Dad, we love and miss you much.