Passed away at home with his daughter in White Rock, BC May
3, 2020, age 87. Don was predeceased by his wife Sherron in 1996, his ex-wife Karen in
2006, and his brother William Wallace Crabb in 2013. Don is lovingly remembered by his
ex-wife Marilyn, his daughter Yvonne (Wade), his sons Richard (Shelley), David, and
Sheldon (Kelly), his nieces Carol and Colleen, his nephew Steve, his grand children Clint
(Jordan), Cody (Bronwyn), Tyler, Kaelyn, and Carter, his great grand children Zachary,
Phalynn, Deacon, Gunner, Ellie Rae, and Charlie.
Don was a pioneer in the Automotive Towing and Recovery business. 1959 he began
managing service stations in Calgary. He returned to Kelowna BC in 1963 where he
continued to excel in operating a pristine service station. In 1969 Don moved the family and
started Don’s Auto Towing proudly serving Kamloops, BC. Don’s was an incredible success
story growing from a single truck ‘add on’ to his service station to a ten truck operation in the
first six years. Don’s truly did it all from motorcycles to highway tractors they could haul it all.
Don showing the way, never asking anyone to do a job he wouldn’t do himself. In 1987, Don
handed the reins to Joe Wielgoz and went into ‘early retirement’ He wasn’t idle for long
before starting Bayview Auto Towing in White Rock, BC later in 1987. Bayview was truly a
family affair as his daughter Yvonne and son Sheldon both worked with him at Bayview over
the years. In 2000 Don retired from the business and passed the torch to Cory and Dennis
Rushinko.
Don was a real people person and his larger than life fun loving personality made an
immediate impact on many of the people he met. He was fiercely loyal to family and friends.
The family would like to thank Cory Rushinko at Bayview for graciously posting a message
of Don’s passing on the Bayview Facebook site. We would like to thank everyone for their
kind thoughts and well wishes. We are working on plans to hold a celebration of Dons life in
White Rock when it becomes possible again to hold group gatherings.
Winston Churchill wrote,
“I am ready to meet my Maker.
Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me
is another matter.”
I can here him now, “Hey Lord, my name is Don. How do you like me so far?”
The Silver Fox has slipped the mortal coil and blessed all those he encountered with many
great memories that will carry us through eternity.
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