Julian Alastair Appleby Forsyth

Father,

I never thought I would be writing this – a father should not lose his son but it happens.

1973 was the first year that hospitals in Alberta allowed fathers to be in the delivery room so I was privileged and proud to be in that room at the Misericordia Hospital on 11 January to witness the miracle that was the birth of Julian. I was equally privileged and proud to be with family and friends at his bedside at Lions Gate Hospital on 29 January 2025 to pray over Julian and be present as he passed into his second life – with Jesus. Julian was not a religious person but Kay and I believe that deep down in his heart he knew about God and that he was loved. He was baptised and confirmed in the Anglican Church of St. Timothy in Edmonton where he was also a server (or altar boy). He spent most of his time when called to serve timing the length of the sermon or, in the case of our neighbour Rev. Tom Leadbeater, counting how many times Tom used his favourite phrase “Our blessed Lord’ during the service. Irreverent I know but that was my boy.

As a small child we used to put Julian in his “Jolly Jumper” either hanging from the beam in the living room or out in the garden and he loved bouncing around and making noise. We also had a teddy bear that was as big as I was which “lived” at the bottom of the stairs. Julian and his friends would jump off the stairs on to the bear until eventually it burst. These days I suppose those things would be considered bad parenting, as would letting Julian and his friends play unsupervised in the ravine next to our house or in the basement. But those were different times and good times. Julian joined the scouting movement as a cub scout and enjoyed learning different things and earning his badges. Maybe this is where he first got his love of the outdoors that led to the many camping and ATV trips he and Jen would later take. At age 12 he attended the Canadian Jamboree in Guelph and then flew on his own from Toronto to London to join us there. This might have been his first big solo adventure as the plane was delayed due to a bomb threat and was hours late arriving, but Julian was not phased!

Early on he developed a love for stories and books and I had to develop a range of different voices for the characters in Winnie the Pooh and Paddington Bear and a host of other books. Later in life he would disappear with his latest adventure or thriller into the bathroom and you knew that was an hour gone out of the day! Over the last few years he and I swapped books that we had found and downloaded – he would take a photo of the cover in Costco and then go searching.

Julian’s first “job” was as a page in the Jasper Place branch library in Edmonton, obtained because I knew the librarian. It did not last long as he decided he knew a better way to do the job and did not take direction well! He went on from there to work the concession at the theatres in West Edmonton Mall, stock shelves at Superstore and then work on the parts counter at Canadian Tire. He thought there was a better way to do that work too but at Canadian Tire he met Jen and their life long love affair was begun.

One memory I will never forget is the Christmas that Julian and Jen proudly told us they were expecting a baby. They didn’t have two nickels to rub together as the saying goes and I spoke without thinking. I regretted my words and the next Christmas wrote the one and only poem I have ever written expressing my regrets and my love for them and Jared. I had learned that the only thing that really matters in life is LOVE. Thank you, son.

Julian loved model railways and enjoyed the Flying Scotsman we had bought in England when he was little. He often sent me videos of different railways and he and I would have loved to go to Hamburg and visited the magnificent layout there, but had to be content with the annual exhibitions in Edmonton. He also loved cars! He drove several of our vehicles into minor crashes and at one point I was refused insurance because of his driving record. His first vehicle was a “lil red truck” and he loved it. He had installed a massive stereo system and a protection system called Viper. That was so sensitive that the least vibration set it off and a voice would boom “Stand Back” at all hours. Unfortunately the Viper did not protect enough and the stereo was ripped out. In the last year or so he acquired a BMW SUV which he loved. He was so proud of the car and all the bells and whistles and enjoyed driving it. That car was a money pit but he didn’t care and those who knew him would just smile.

We all inherit DNA from our ancestors and there is no doubt that Julian inherited lots from both of his grandfathers. They could turn their hands to anything, I had trouble with a hammer or saw! He was a master at all types of handiwork and always enjoyed figuring out how things worked and building things – starting with Lego sets galore and ending up as a flooring expert. He did renovations in our house and all the houses in which Jen and he lived. I remember that he came out to Parksville a week before we moved to rip out all the carpet upstairs and lay a beautiful hardwood floor in our kitchen and dining area. At all times it was about doing the job as close to perfection as possible – in cub scout parlance “dyb, dyb, dyb” (or Do Your Best). He began as a carpet layer’s helper, graduated to all kinds of flooring and soon found that he was also a great salesperson and leader of people. Over the last 10 years he developed Oasis Inspection Services into one of the most sought after and respected inspection and consulting businesses in British Columbia and was at the pinnacle of success.

In all things Julian was guided by his love for family and friends. He had a way of working with people or working for people that showed that he cared about them and about what he was doing for them. Even the staff at the hotel at which he stayed in North Vancouver said they loved him.

There is so much more I could write but this will have to do. Julian, I love you with all my heart and know that we will be together again one day. The Lord bless you and keep you until then.

Love, Dad

Mother,

Julian was a mischievous and fun loving child, often teasing his younger brother Andrew unmercifully!

By the time he was one, Julian could read over 100 words. This backfired, for when he began school he was so far ahead of many of his class mates that he was bored, waiting for them to catch up.

He never did enjoy school, much preferring to follow in his grandfather's footsteps, using his hands and amazing his father and I with what he was capable of doing or making. In high school he managed to skip many classes without us knowing. He still managed to pass most subjects, but didn't graduate as he did not pass Grade 10 Phys.Ed. - something else he was very ambivalent about.

Julian could be very obstinate, and once he made up his mind not even an earthquake was going to make him change! He was always convinced that he was right, and very often it was the right decision for him.

Julian always had many friends and was very loyal to them – and they to him. His brother Andrew, David, Jason, Rob, Mike, Keith, Brett and Brad are just some of the names from those teenage/early 20's years. Many other names have been added, but were not part of our, his parents, lives; as was right for a young man growing into independence and his own life.

As an ardent Manchester United soccer fan, Julian enjoyed teasing his dad with their wins, and commiserating with his dad, a Newcastle fan. His truck had a large Manchester United decal on the back window, and he had a Manchester United shirt and jacket.

As parents we were so proud and it was wonderful seeing Julian develop and grow his business Oasis Inspection Services. He had recently completed the Quality Assurance Program for the new hospital in Terrace, and was currently doing the same for the Lions Gate Hospital expansion, the new St. Paul's Hospital and the new hospital in Duncan. Julian had a very strong work ethic and was very knowledgeable in his field and was well respected by his colleagues.

The very best thing in Julian's life was meeting and marrying Jen, the love of his life. As a parent it has been so incredibly satisfying seeing that relationship develop and deepen – and they also gave us two wonderful grandsons in Jared and Jaden.

For the three weeks that Julian was in hospital, Jen was always at his side, for which we will be forever grateful and thankful. We were unable to travel to the hospital as I was recovering from surgery and Joe was looking after me. We talked with Julian on the phone and were finally able to make it to the hospital on the Sunday before he died.

Julian, my beloved son, you will be forever missed, forever loved and forever in my heart.

Love, Mom

Julian Alastair Appleby Forsyth

January 11, 1973 - January 29, 2025

Our most amazing, wonderful, kind, caring and gentle husband, dad, son, brother and friend was taken from us too soon. After a brief illness and stay at the Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver, Julian was surrounded by love and his family as he passed to the other side.

Julian was born in Edmonton, Alberta on January 11th, 1973. He finished high school in 1990 and met the love of his life, Jennifer, working at Canadian Tire in the West Edmonton Mall in 1993, and they married in 1997. Their first son Jared was born in August 1998 and Jaden in December 2000. Julian started his career in the flooring industry in his early twenties where he started as a helper and eventually worked his

way up to lead installer. Over the years he was a project manager with a few different flooring companies, the last one being here in Courtenay. Before moving to the Comox Valley in 2019, Julian also took a big jump in his career and became a certified flooring inspector and brought to life Oasis Inspection Services. He worked on many large commercial projects over the last 6 years throughout British Columbia and was highly respected in his field.

Julian was a devoted husband, father and friend. When the kids were younger, they spent a lot of weekends camping and quadding with family and friends. After their move to the Comox Valley, they enjoyed many weekend island adventures including camping, whale watching, beach barbecues or just a drive down the old island highway. He always wanted our friends and family from Alberta to visit so he could tour them around our little patch of heaven.

He is survived by his loving, heartbroken wife, Jennifer (nee Rivet); his two sons Jared & Jaden (Jade); his parents Joe & Kay Forsyth; in-laws, Brenda (Jeff) Clements; Keith (Refa) Rivet. He also leaves to mourn his brother Andrew (Kate) and their children, and brother in-law Jeffrey (Jacob). He also leaves his special fur baby Finley who was such a light in his life; along with many great friends and work connections.

“If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together, keep me in your heart, I’ll stay there forever.”

-Winnie the Pooh