Alex Brian GREEN
Alex Brian Green (“Al”), 71, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, May 4th, 2014. He leaves behind his daughter, Tracie (William) Der of Nanoose Bay, BC; son, Richard (Stacey) Green of Lacombe, AB; grandchildren Samantha & Alexa Der and Nicolas Green; brother, Burt (Ann) Green of Lethbridge, AB; and extended family in Ontario and the United Kingdom. He is predeceased by his wife, Bonnye (nee Knight) Green; and granddaughter, Robyn Green.
Born in Wiltshire, England, the son of Ernest and Gertrude (“Pat”) Green, the family immigrated to Canada when Alex was just 5 years old aboard the Aquitania, landing in Montreal and settling in the Orono/Leskard area of southern Ontario to farm. His mother died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage when he was just 15 years old and before long he dropped out of school and fled home to enlist in the Canadian Army. There, he trained as a signalman, joining the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals, and served on the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus in the 1960s.
It was during this time that he met his future wife, Bonnye Jeanane Knight, marrying in 1962. After starting his family, he was honourably discharged and settled in Calgary, joining the business ranks of Xerox in the early days of the copier industry. Although he did well there and enjoyed promotions and advancement, the corporate world was not for him and he sought to return to the simpler, rural lifestyle he’d enjoyed as a child. Al moved his young family to Naramata, in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, in 1972.
The family moved many times within the Okanagan, ultimately living in Kelowna. Al joined Copytron and re-engaged in a career that saw him return to his expertise in technology and electronics. He advanced within the company, taking on managerial roles and new enterprises in research and development, with Photofax and Micron Imaging. He oversaw offshore production and started a manufacturing facility in Bulgaria during this time. Once again, however, the pressures caught up to him and he left the corporate world a second time, moving with his wife to be close to his son’s young family in Alberta for several years before returning to Kelowna.
After his wife died of cancer in 1999, Al abandoned the Okanagan and moved to Parksville to be near his daughter and her family. There, he passed his retirement assisting neighbours and others in the community with computers (his new passion), designing websites and making travels plans for his big motorhome. He debated political and social issues with anyone who would take him on and enjoyed sharing stories of old times with friends at the Legion, as well as his family. He had a brush with his own mortality when a heart condition caused him to collapse and landed him in hospital in 2012. He was recovering well and it came as a shock to family and friends when he died so suddenly. All his life, Al had a special place in his heart for animals – especially dogs – and very nearly always had at least one dog in the family. When he passed away, his faithful companion Cocoa was at his side and she has since joined the “furry ranks” within his daughter’s home.
A Memorial Service will be held at the Mt. Arrowsmith (Parksville) Branch #49 of the Royal Canadian Legion, Monday, May 26th, at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, please consider honouring Al’s memory by making a donation to the Royal Canadian Legion or the SPCA.
I leave to the friends and family who survive me, the following:
“If I should go before the rest of you, break not a flower nor inscribe a stone;
Nor, when I’m gone, speak in a Sunday voice,
but be the usual selves that I have known.
Weep if you must, parting is Hell,
But life goes on, so sing as well.”
(by Joyce Grenfell)
To send a condolence to the family please visit
www.yatesfuneral.ca
YATES FUNERAL SERVICE & CREMATORIUM
(250-248-5859) in care of arrangements.