Ian Rees McLaren

In 1952 the family moved to the Tranquille Sanatorium, where Ian's dad was a surgeon.

In 1956 the family moved to Kamloops. Ian's dad became the president of Kamloops Ski Club in 1955 and Tod Mountain Ski Club in 1962; his dad was also the President of Kamloops Tennis Club in 1961. This is how Ian developed his love for tennis, skiing and ski racing.

The family started building their cabin at Magna Bay on the Shuswap Lake when Ian was 4. This much loved cabin is where they spent all their summers which continues to this day. Ian married Celeste, the love of his life at the Shuswap cabin in August 1993.

Amongst his many talents, Ian was an avid tennis player and water skier, learning to bare foot water ski in the early 1970's; he also played hockey, baseball and softball in Kamloops.

Ian started ski racing at the age of 8 on Kamloops Ski Hill. He continued to ski race throughout his childhood and adult life holding the unofficial title of the most wins for an amateur ski racer from Kamloops. He was one of the first to ride the new Burfield Chairlift at Tod Mtn in 1961 with his parents and two brothers.

Ian graduated Kam High in 1968. He was still 17 when he first attended Simon Fraser. By 1971 Ian had left university to travel around the world.

Ian worked in the ski industry and became a business owner in Kamloops beginning in the 1970's. He opened McSporties in Sun Peaks in 1996, becoming the first independent retailer there. Ian and Celeste moved to Sun Peaks in 2004 where they lived until returning to Kamloops in 2020. They received the devastating news in the spring of 2016 that, Ian at the age of 65, had dementia and aphasia. They sold McSporties shortly after in October 2016.

Ian has been described as being kind, loyal, charismatic and an adventurer, with a great sense of humour that he never lost. He will be remembered as the fun and spontaneous Uncle Coo Coo. Ian's friends and family were extremely important to him. He was one-of-a-kind and very much loved by his family and endless friends. He will be deeply missed by us all.

Ian is pre-deceased by his sister-in-law Bonnie in 2010, his mom Patricia in 2012 and his dad William in 2014.

Ian is survived by: his wife Celeste, step-daughters Kristin & Alyse; grandchildren Josie, Libbie, Eira and Beau, his brothers Andy and Niall, sister-in-law Dawn, nieces Tricia, Mackenzie (Dylan), Kimberly (Kevin), nephews Craig (Lisa), Brent (Christine), Kirk (Abby), his sister-in-law Alexia (James), their children Brayden (Janelle), Koaddy (Kayla), Joshua (Molly), Mikaya and 15 great-nieces & nephews, his father-in-law Geoffrey & mother-in-law Veroncia, all living in BC. His brother-in-law Todd and family in Moose Jaw Sask, and cousins Simon & Gavin and their families in the UK.

Celeste and his daughters would like to express their heartfelt thanks to the staff of Brocklehurst Gemstone Care Centre. Ian lived there from January 24, 2022 until his passing on September 24, 2023 surrounded in his final days by his wife and step-daughters. The level of loving care and genuine concern for Ian was greatly appreciated.