Lorne Rogers

Lorne was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend. He lived a full and rich life though much too short. He was known by family, friends and colleagues as a man who spoke his mind and someone who could be relied on in any situation. In the lumber industry that he loved, his word was all that was required to seal a deal. One of his favorite saying was "A man can build many things in life, but perhaps the most important is his reputation."

Lorne's family, friends and colleauges were the joy of his life. He was so very proud of his children, Scott, Erin and Kim and his adorable grandchildren, Sam and Lucia.

He loved sports of all kinds from an early age but was especially fond of soccer, golf, baseball and football. His many friends enjoyed Lorne's numerous Superbowl and Grey Cup parties that were legendary. Travel was his other passion and he especially loved in warm climates during the rainy west coast winters.

Lorne was born LORNE ROGERS HUCULAK on February 5, 1943. He was the first born child of Dr. Nicholas and Coral Huculak. Lorne was a happy, healthy little boy who was quickly joined (11 months later) by his sister, Anita. The family had moved to the Haney area into a beautiful, stately home overlooking the Fraser river where their father set up his dental practice. The family was active in the community with many close friends and neighbors. Unfortunately, the war years required Nick to travel to Europe with the Canadian forces for an extended time so, like many other families, Coral, the children and their beloved grandma, Myrtle, stayed at home and carried on. When their father returned home, the family resumed life in Haney with his busy dental practice and the birth of 2 more children, Greg and Ava. The children were all very active and enjoyed a wonderful life in the country setting building friendships the other neighborhood children. Five years later, Bryn joined the family!

Lorne was described early on as the "neighborhood organizer". He would often call around to the neighborhood kids and set up a football or baseball game. He loved sports from an early age and it was obvious that he was blessed with considerable athletic ability. He loved all sports and played on several provincial championship teams in high school in both basketball and volleyball. He longed to play hockey but, unfortunately, in those days, there was no rink available in the area so Lorne turned to baseball. Lorne excelled in baseball and he ended up playing at the AA level while going to university.

When Lorne graduated from high school, the family moved to the west side of Vancouver and his father began a dental practice in downtown Vancouver. Lorne enrolled at UBC in the Faculty of Commerce with a major in Industrial Management but he always had an interest in the forest industry. This would eventually be where he found the career he loved. During this time, Lorne also join the Kappa Sigma Fraternity and the many stories of thier exploits are legendary! there was the case of the mysteriously missing huge St. Patrick's Day flag from the Vancouver Hotel and the late night runs across the US border,Lorne's fame as the quarterback for the Kappa Sigma football team during intramural games and many moreadventures and stories that will live in the annuls of Kappa Sigma history! He lived at the KS house for the duration of his time at UBC and made lifelong friendships.

After graduation from UBC with a Bachelor of Commerce, Lorne made a decision to change his name to LORNE ARNOLD ROGERS, to honor his maternal grandfather. He began work at Xerox Corporation and, one fateful, sunny, May afternoon, he went down to English Bay with some friends. That is where is met Lynn who was relaxing at the beach with her sister, Joan, recovering from a family wedding celebration. joan was attempting to teach Lynn to play Bridge when, suddenly, a head popped up from behind the log and said " Hi! Can I play?" That was the beginning of what would be a marriage of 42 years! After a whirlwind courtship and Lynn's graduation from UBC in Rehabilitation Medicine, Lorne and Lynn were married on December 5, 1970.

It was apparent immediately that Lorne excelled at sales and Xerox Corp. sent him to several advanced sales courses in Anaheim and Fort Lauderdale. These skills would serve him well throughout his career.

Several happy, exciting years followed when Lorne and Lynn both concentrated on establishing careers and having great times with friends. They lived in North Vancouver for the first 2 years close to Anita and Dave, but eventually moved to Langara Gardens in Vancouver. Trips to Hawaii and California began a life long passion for travel. Although most of their friends were thinking about settling down with homes and starting families, Lorne and Lynn knew they were not ready for that phase of life yet. They decided to quit their jobs and travel the world. The first stop was Australia where Lynn's sister, Joan and her husband , Colin and little Lorraine lived. They loved the adventure and spent several months exploring Sydney and the surrounding area including a fabulous road trip up the Gold Coast to Brisbane and north to the Great Barrier Reef. After a harrowing trip from Cairns to Brampton island on a very small plane, they spend a magical 2 weeks exploring several local deserted island where some of the movie South Pacific was filmed.

After a wonderful trip north, reality set in. They needed jobs! In a peculiar trick of fate, Lorne decided to travel into Sydney to explore the city one day was offered a great job at Ranke Xerox. In those days, Australia had yet to see the latest telecommunication equipment that was being introduced in North America so Lorne had the advantage of being familiar with all this new technology. As luck would have it....on the same day, Lynn and Joan traveled into Sydney to have lunch with some physio friends of Joan’s at Royal Camperdown Children’s Hospital and Lynn was offered a great job as a combined physiotherapist/occupational therapist! It was meant to be!

They had only a few days to find an apartment in the city before starting their new jobs so the panic was on. They found a tiny, furnished flat in Belleview Hill overlooking the famous Bondi Beach that would be the scene of many wonderful parties. They moved in with only their suitcases and a box of survival things from Joan and Colin including 2 towels, some dishes and cutlery, 1 pot and 1 frying pan. They quickly learned that, with a little ingenuity and imagination, it was possible to entertain in style with limited resources, including hosting a pre New Years’ Eve party for 20 people in a small space with little equipment! They enjoyed many wonderful times during the 2 ½ years they lived and worked in Sydney. But Lorne had always wanted to go to Law School so, after much thought and debate, he applied to the University of Sydney and was ACCEPTED! What a dilemma! This would mean staying on another 4 years and possibly living in Sydney. A few weeks of soul searching followed and Lorne finally decided that, although he was so pleased to be accepted for law school, he felt we would be happier living and raising our family in Canada and that the business world was really where he was happiest. His other love was always the forest industry in BC so, after a few months of planning and saving, they left Sydney for an extended trip home, eventually to return to Vancouver. They traveled for 7 months through South East Asia, Hong Kong, Japan, the Soviet Union and many countries in Europe including Austria, Switzerland, France and Italy before going to England where they spent another month exploring. They eventually returned home. They landed in Montreal and took the train across Canada, stopping in Winnipeg to visit Lorne’s mother, Coral.

After arriving back in Vancouver, it was time to re-establish careers and a game plan for the future. Lorne was very happy to be offered a job as a lumber trader at Ralph S. Plant Company, a venerable, well respected leader in the lumber industry in the Vancouver area. They purchased their first home in Richmond on Pendelbury Street thinking they would settle down for awhile.

They were thrilled at the arrival of their first child, Scott, in August 1976. Again, fate would take a hand when Lorne was offered a promotion with the company in Edmonton! What a shock! With only a few weeks’ notice, Lorne and Lynn sold their home and traveled to Edmonton in January with 4 month old Scott. They lived in a hotel for several months during a very bitter, snowy winter and ended up buying their new home which was under 3 feet of snow! It was quite a surprise to actually get to see the yard several months later when the snow melted and they discovered a beautiful garden and yard. The 3 years went by so quickly and wonderful friendships were made, especially with Karen and Jamie Decker who were neighbors with small children as well. To this day, 40 years later, they are still great friends.

Lorne and Lynn were delighted to welcome Erin Bryn to the family on January 18, 1978. It was a very cold, snowy winter so the 2 families spent many weekends together with their 4 little toddlers. We started our “Gourmet Club” during this time. The 4 couples would meet monthly, rotating between our homes. Everyone brought their kids who were bedded down upstairs after lots of play and dinner. Then it was time to get serious about what we thought were very “gourmet” meals, usually with Italian, Asian, French, Indian etc. themes. There were many interesting dishes produced as no one actually knew the first thing about this sort of cooking!! Great fun!

After 3 years, Lorne was then transferred back to head office in Vancouver and once again, the family was on the move. They had to sell the Edmonton home and find a new home in Vancouver, not an easy task as there was almost zero vacancy at the time! After several trips back and forth to find a home, they settled on a new area in Richmond and began building their new home. It was a bit of a surprise to discover that their third child, Kimberly Dawn, was on the way! The family moved into the new home only several weeks before Kim was born on May 15, 1980.

This was a challenging time for the family as the economy was in a major slide and Ralph Plant Company suddenly, without warning, announced that the company after existing for decades was going out of business! What a shock! With so many people in the lumber industry suddenly out of work, it was a huge task to find work. In his typical style, Lorne did not mope or panic. He was always pragmatic and a realist. He just got on with the job of finding work to support his family. Within several weeks, Lorne had secured a position in the industry and the family was well provided for. Within a year, Lorne was offered another position at Canfor as a Senior Lumber Trader and he excelled in this position for the next 15 years, making many close friends and colleagues and building a reputation as a tough, respected, skilled trader with a reputation for honesty and integrity. His nick name was “Mr. Lumber”.

Another crisis during this time involved Lynn's health including an extensive surgery and a month in hospital. Once again, Lorne rose to the challenge. With the help of Vic and Tiny and our wonderful friends and neighbors including Lynda and Mo Prystie, Lorne carried on working, maintaining the home and caring for 3 small children. He regularly brought the kids to visit Lynn in hospital and they were always "spit and polished". He even learned how to do pony tails!

During these years, the children grew and developed a love of sports, like their father. Lorne took huge pride in introducing the children to various sports. Soccer became a major part of the family’s interests, with each of the kids showing outstanding athletic ability. Lorne coached Scott’s early teams in Central Richmond and was so proud to watch his son excel. He felt very privileged to have the opportunity and experience of working with the kids and their families. Scott became a very good player and went on to play at the Metro level. Having spent much of their early years on a soccer field, Erin and Kim also began playing soccer at this time and were obviously also very talented athletes. Speedy Kim also made her mark locally in track while Erin and Scott both showed an aptitude for golf. They joined their father as members at Quilchena Golf and Country Club in the junior program and both were naturals. They all had many fun days playing golf at the club and on summer vacations in the Okanagan with the Suttie, Reykdahl and Euland families.

In 1993, Lorne and Lynn decided to move the family to a new home in South Surrey. Fortunately, several other long time friends also moved their families there around the same time making it an exciting time for everyone.

Both girls went on to play soccer at the provincial level and Kim was able to secure an NCAA Div 1 soccer scholarship at San Diego State University that would eventually result in her playing professionally for Bayern Munich. Scott chose to enjoy golf as recreation but Erin became serious about the game and was offered a scholarship at the University of San Francisco where she competed at the NCAA Div 1 level during her 4 years on the team.

These were very busy and exciting years for the family with many challenges and changes. With Lorne and Lynn both working full time at their careers, they had to work as a team to keep everything on track. Social life was also a huge focus for Lorne and Lynn and they enjoyed hosting many wonderful parties and dinners at the new house including Lorne's 50th birthday bash that was held amid packing boxes only 1 week after moving into the new home! Many warm family Christmas memories were made with many of the extended family attending. A 60th Anniversary party was held at the home for Vic and Tiny with over 100 guests and later, Tiny’s 90th birthday party was also a huge success with many close friends and family present.

During this time, along with 3 other couples, Prysties, Bates, and Steels, the Rogers hosted what would become known as the Annual Pig Roast. This event took place for over 10 years at the Steel’s home and each couple invited a group of friends. It became a real highlight of summer and we all worked together to get it all ready in time. There were often well over 100 people at this annual event held on the Labor Day weekend. This was always great fun and special memories were made by all of us.

With the children grown and moving from high school to the next stages of their lives, Lorne and Lynn had time to start enjoying their other passion....travel. They were joined on many trips by Peter and Julia Backstrom and many adventures ensued including one trip to the Mayan Riviera where the foursome had a great time and casually arrived at the departure desk of the hotel for their flight home only to discover the flight had left at 3:00am , not PM! Ooops! Since Lorne and Julia shared a birthday on February 5th and Lynn's was February 7th, it was a great excuse for a winter trip to the sun! The couples traveled to Bahamas, Jamaica, Mexico and Hawaii several times and well as on several cruises. These were happy times. Lorne loved adventure and seeing new places. He loved the sun and warm climates and special memories were made.

Major changes occurred in the lumber industry in the late 90's. Canfor amalgamated with another major company and many operational changes resulted in significant job losses. This was another challenge for Lorne. As he had always done, Lorne took a step back and considered his options. Realizing a change was necessary, he contacted John Brink of Brink Forest Products who immediately hired Lorne to coordinate his Canadian sales division. This became a time of real contentment for Lorne as he was able to develop a perfect office space at home, allowing him to work without a long daily commute. Lorne loved being at the heart of the industry and running this part of the business his way. He was always on the phone by 6:00 am talking to people and making deals. He got a huge kick out of sitting in his housecoat, with his cup of tea at his desk and getting the day’s work done by noon! He loved hearing all the gossip and chatter in the industry and often met Tony and others for lunch or at afternoon “staff meetings” at the pub. These were happy, satisfying times for Lorne.

It was during this time that the family was blessed with the birth of the next generation, Erin's 2 children, Samuel Quinn and Lucia Rae. Lorne was so excited to be a grandfather and Sam dubbed him "Papa"!He was very proud of hisfirst little grandchild and they both loved spending time in the garden where Sam would follow his Papa around, chatting away and "helping out". Lorne was delighted when Lulu arrived 3 years later. Such a sweet little baby. His was so looking forward to watching them grow into adulthood but, unfortunately, this was not to be.

After 10 years working with Brink, Lorne was still happy with his job but was thinking of slowing down. He encouraged Lynn to retire from Children’s Hospital so they would have more time to travel and generally enjoy this stage of life together. In September, 2011, Lynn retired and they took a magical trip, planned to be the first of many on the “bucket list”. They went to England first and spent 2 wonderful weeks with Kim who was living and working there for the University of Roehampton. What an experience! A highlight for Lorne was when they traveled to Wembley Stadium to see an international soccer (football!) match. So much fun to see the huge crowds gathering to see England play a world cup qualifying match against Ukraine. Kim guided her dad to the pre-game tailgate area where beers where enjoyed by all! He commented many times that this was a dream of his. The trip continued with Lorne and Lynn boarding a Princess cruise ship in late September for a 17 day trip in the Mediterranean. This was a fabulous trip and they thoroughly enjoyed exploring the ship and all the shore excursions to sights such as Rome, Florence, Ephesus, Athens, and their favorite, Istanbul. They made plans to return to some of their favorite sites to explore further.

It was during this trip that Lorne’s health first became a concern. When he returned in mid-October, he was not feeling well and began seeing his doctor for tests. The family was shocked less than 2 months later, when he was diagnosed with stage IV Cancer. Although every effort was made to find a treatment, it was not to be and it became clear that Lorne’s time was limited. Unfortunately, no one knew or expected that it would actually be so short a time. He was very grateful to have his children around him, including Kim, who flew immediately home from overseas. The children were each a source of immense strength for Lorne during this terrible time.

With his usual strength, Lorne faced this incredibly sad and sudden situation with his usual dignity and courage. His thoughts were always for the safety and well being of his family and, even from his hospice bed, he gave instructions to Lynn to ensure the family would be financially well cared for.

It was remarkable to watch him during these last few short weeks. He took comfort in continuing to call his friends and colleagues and make deals. He said he wanted to keep things as normal as possible for as long as possible so he chose to postpone telling anyone of his illness. Unfortunately, his illness progressed more rapidly than expected and in January, he was admitted to Peach Arch Hospital Hospice for care. On one occasion, while in hospice, his nurse came in to the lounge room to give him his meds for pain. He was on the phone and held up his hand for her to wait. She asked Lynn “what is he doing?” The answer was “working...he is making deals!” She could not believe her eyes! He was obviously a favorite of the nursing staff as after several days,knew not to interrupt his phone calls! They arranged for a huge Lazyboy chair to be moved into the TV room so he could watch some ball games and make his calls in comfort. What an amazing group of people!

Other than the family and a few close friends including Tony and Maureen who were often by his side, Lorne kept this news to himself. One of his last requests was to come home to watch the Super bowl together. With the help of Tony, Maureen and Kim, we managed to bring him home and enjoy an evening together that he really appreciated.

He had intended to tell each of his colleagues, including John Brink, about the situation but, unfortunately, his disease progressed so rapidly that he was not well enough by the second week in hospice to make the calls. He wanted each person to know that he had intended to call and how much their friendship had meant to him.

Lorne celebrated his 70th birthday on February 5, 2013 with a few friends and family members in his room in the Hospice. Even at that point, when he was very weak, he smiled and really appreciated having everyone near. The family took turns being by Lorne's bedside. Scott spent the next day with his dad as Kim had to return to England after being home for many weeks. Erin and Lynn spent much of the following day with Lorne, which was Lynn's birthday. That evening, the BC Wholesale Lumber Association executive met and awarded Lorne the LUMBERMAN OF THE YEAR for 2013 award. This award reads " With heartfelt thanks, appreciation and gratitude to LORNE ROGERS, a true and honored friend of the British Columbia Wholesale Lumber Association." Unfotunately, Lorne was not aware he had received this honor. In addition, a bursary in Lorne's name was established to be awarded to a deserving student in the UBC Faculty of Forestry.

Lorne passed away quietly in his sleep at 6:00 am on the morning of February 8, 2013. A Celebration of Life was held on March 2, 2013 with over 150 family and friends attending at Victory Memorial Park. Kim produced a beautiful service including a presentation of pictures showing many happy moments in Lorne's life and some of Lorne's favorite music. Close friends and family later gathered at the family home and shared their fondest memories of Lorne.... and it was what he would have wanted, a party!

In his final days, Lorne told his family that, although he of course wished he had more time, he felt he had a wonderful life with a great family, many special friends and colleagues and he had no regrets.

Lorne was laid to rest in the Victory Memorial Gardens in South Surrey in a beautiful forested area with a stream and flowers nearby.

He will be sorely missed by his family and all those who knew and loved him but he has left a treasure trove of memories for us all to cherish and share of a life well lived by a man of character and integrity who lived his life on his own terms and always put his family first.

Rest In Peace, Lorne. We love you and miss you so very much. You will always be in our thoughts.

LYNN'S REMARKS AT THE MEMORIAL SERVICE ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILY.

On behalf of Lorne, myself, our children and extended family, I wish to thank each of you for taking this opportunity to celebrate Lorne’s life with us today. He would be so honored to know that the most important people in his life have come together to remember him and reminisce about the many good times you shared. His relationships with family, friends and business associates were incredibly important to him and he cherished each one.

If he could speak to you all today, he would tell you how much he enjoyed his life, especially sharing it with each of you in so many different ways. Lorne faced his unexpected, sudden illness with characteristic strength, dignity and resolve. His thoughts were immediately about our family and how we would cope without him. He did everything possible in the few short weeks he had to ensure we were all secure and well looked after. He was prepared to fight the fight but, sadly, it was not to be. Even though his sudden illness prevented him from speaking to many of you himself as he had planned, he would want you all to know how your friendship, comradery and affection enriched so many aspects of his life and for you to remember the good times you shared together.

Although Lorne has left us much too soon, he told us he loved his life and felt he had been very fortunate to have had his family and friends in his life and that he had no regrets. He lived his life his own way with integrity was well loved.

Scott, Erin, Kim and I also want to thank each of you who sent messages of love, support and encouragement to our family during this difficult time especially Greg, Brenda, Lynda, Tony, Maureen, Lin and Jane. We would not have been able to get through the last few weeks and months without you.

Also, thank you to each of you who generously made donations in Lorne's memory to Salvation Army and the SPCA, 2 charities our family has supported for many years.

After the service, please join us downstairs for a reception. Raise a glass for Lorne and know he is looking down at us and smiling.

THE FOLLOWING ARE EULOGIES GIVEN AT LORNE'S CELEBRATION OF LIFE BY KIM ROGERS (representing the children), LYNDA PRYSTIE, GREG HUCULAK (representing the family) and TONY DARLING

MEMORIES OF MY DAD: GIVEN BY KIM ROGERS

My first memories of my Dad as with any very small person is your Dad is the huge, impossibly strong giant who can sweep you up with one hand. My Dad and I have always shared a love of the water, and I remember on our summer vacations when I was still in water wings, he would pretend to be a whale...he’d say to me hold on tight we are going for a dive! I’d hang on to his big shoulders and with a smile be taken to the depths of the ocean (or in my case an 8 foot motel pool).

Growing up, my Dad was always in the back garden and encouraged us kids to have 1 v 1 soccer matches. We played for hours on end, ruthlessly, laughing and out of breath. Usually being the smallest, I was the loser being pinned against my older brother and sister, but Dad never let me feel sorry for myself or convince myself that I wasn’t capable or shouldn’t have won. If I got tackled or hit, Dad always told me to get up, brushed off my tears and grass stained clothes and told me to be quicker and more clever...as most people who know my Dad would agree, his philosophy was crying and whining didn’t solve anything. Just because you are smaller or weaker that is not an excuse for not giving your best or succeeding. This was an attitude and lesson that became my mantra. At the time I probably sulked, but I kept playing and eventually I even started winning a few matches (although my siblings might argue about that). It led to us gaining scholarships and set a foundation for success...it even lead to me having a ultimate life goal of going pro that I never even knew that I wanted, but ended up meaning everything and defining my life...and that is all because of my Dad.

Later in life, after growing up and experiencing all the trials and tribulations with the help and advice from my Dad from afar, we were able to not just be Father and Daughter, but we became friends. Living overseas we usually saw each other once or twice a year, but regardless of how long a flight or how much distance, we’d both always come home from the airport, crack open some wine and start one of our marathon talks that went on for hours, even until the early morning in some cases. He and I would always find a time for us to go alone to Ocean Park pub where we would talk about relationships, family, career, politics and most importantly of course, soccer. I got to know him as a person and learned that we had a similar sense of humor, some might say dry and usually controversial, and we’d always look at each other and be thinking the same thing, me trying to keep it together until Dad made one of his faces and I’d end up cracking up giggling.

So many of these lessons my Dad taught me I learned in the last 4 weeks when he was so sick. My Dad showed me how to have a sense of humor in adversity, humility when we are being humbled by challenges, conviction in your values and how your attitude dictates every outcome. Even on his last birthday he was ready with a laugh and a toast with his good friends and family.

I know though that right now Dad is somewhere, waiting for all of us in the middle of a party telling jokes with a cold beer in hand and flashing his signature cheeky grin. I am looking forward to meeting with him again, like we used to after a bit of time apart.... Cheers Dad, we will be thinking of you and missing you always.

EULOGY GIVEN BY LYNDA PRYSTIE, LONGTIME FAMILY FRIEND

The Rogers and Prystie families go back about 33 years. We lived across the street from each other in Richmond for 13 years and then moved out to South Surrey within 4 to 5 months of each other . Only a 2 minute walk through the green belt separated us.

When Moe and I moved to Dakota Place in Richmond, we had no children, no pets and I was an "overpaid" teacher with long summer holidays so I had lots of time to spy on the attractive couple with 3 gorgeous children who lived directly across the street.I wondered what the man of the house did as he was always around during the afternoon....was he "connected"???A Racketeer???? He had money but, it seemed , no job!!Little did I know that the attractive man had already done half a day's work before most of us were out of bed.

On the weekends, their house seemed to be the place to be. They were a very social couple and always had friends stopping by. Over the years, Lorne and Lynn hosted many Xmas parties, birthday parties, summer BBQ's and even Vic and Tiny's 50th Wedding anniversary in their garden. Moe was a bartender! We soon got to know Lynn and Lorne and were included in many of the gatherings and we enjoyed a few family outings over the years.

Lorne was a well spoken, straight-shooter. He told you what he thought, no flattery included. He said what he meant and meant what he said and I took this into high regard when, after having my first child, I asked him about babysitting and he told me, in no uncertain terms, that Lynn had that market secured and I was on my own! I pretty much felt that I wouldn't be getting out much for awhile.

I soon learned that Lorne had a subtle sense of humor, and, like Lynn, he could find something humorous in even the bleakest of situations and for this reason, I know he wouldn't mind me sharing a few amusing stories with you today.

Scott, Erin and Kim were always well scrubbed and polished. They all had co-ordinating shorts, shirts and socks. Scott's hair was always slicked back and the girls had their blond hair in pony tails with matching barrettes. The Rogers kids wee the fashion plates of the cul de sac, however, as competent and knowledgeable as Lorne was in business, he had little fashion flare when it came to dressing the kids. One glance told you that Lynn was working and Lorne had been in charge of the children's wardrobe selection for the day. On those days, Scott, Erin and Kim would charge out of the house, still wearing some breakfast on their faces and nothing matched! NO ponytails, no pigtails, nothing matched.

Now Kim has always been as fast as a speeding bullet and, even as a toddler, I could wave at her across the street and she would be at my side before my arm was down. Another sign that Lorne was in charge was when a white streak flashed out the door and a diapered, bare foot Kimberly would join Scott and Erin and the other kids in the cul de sac. Kim would have about a 10-15 minute window before Lorne realized the baby was missing and he's rush out of the house, not too worried as he knew that Scott, the King of the Cul De Sac and Erin, the Glam of the Cul De Sac would look after her. Even at 2 years old, Kim could hold her own. Lorne also knew that the nosy neighbor was watching.....mind you, he probably just sold a carload of lumber which made Kim's escape worth it.

Lorne was an astute business man. However, there was a time when all his skills failed him. It involved forgetting something, a birthday, his wife, his kids and his in-laws. Lynn had taken Scott and Erin to Tiny and Vic’s a few blocks away so they could take them to a birthday party. Lorne had 2 tasks...get there on time and bring Kim.....well he got there on time! He could not talk his way out of this one and I am sure he broke all speed limits getting back to the house to pick Kim up and hopefully escape the wrath of Lynn

.

Even at an early age, my kids knew who to go to if their Dad wasn’t home...Mr. Rogers. Not Mrs. Rogers because she gave Steve and peanut butter and honey sandwich once (inside joke). If you remember 25 years ago we did not have electrical garage door openers, so we had to open and shut them manually using a handle. Well, one day I was closing the garage door and yelling at my kids...because you could in those days, and instead of grabbing the handle, I stuck my fingers in the slots and starting pulling the door down. Of course my fingers got jammed in the cracks. Ouch!!...should not have been yelling at the kids. Quick as a wink, Steve jumps from the car and runs to find Mr. Rogers. Mr. Rogers came running, but stayed calm and collected. I remember thinking “get on with it! Do something!” but thank goodness he took his time and calculated which way to move the heavy door as my piano playing days would have been over. Then, bless his heart, he released my hands and says he would drive me to the hospital or I could call a friend and he would watch the kids....okay, that would make 6 kids! We know 3 is a challenge.... I don’t think so.

The only time I saw Lorne really upset and frazzled was one night when he banged on our door and gave me the kids, yes, Kim was there too, and said he needed to take Lynn to the hospital. This did shake him up. Of course, all eventually turned out fine.

Lorne must have been a shrewd, determined businessman as he stood his ground, took no nonsense and negotiated a great deal when selling their house in Richmond. I think he may have surprised both Realtors with his stamina and ability to endure what must have been a marathon home closure. He always knew what he wanted and would accept nothing less in all facets of his dealing and life.

Lorne was a good man. He was a hard working and determined individual with a quick wit. These qualities and the support of Lynn, Scott, Erin, Kim, family and friends helped him face his biggest battle with courage and dignity. He worked hard all his life and Lynn had just retired. This was to be a time of relaxation, fun and travel, but this was not meant to be. He kept the faith and told me that he thought chemo would give him some time, however, that also was not meant to be. Lorne’s devastation must have been immense, but you’d never know from his demeanor. When I hugged him I didn’t want to squeeze too hard. I must have been holding back and he said “Don’t worry. You won’t catch anything” When I saw Lorne in the hospital he was still pretty stoic. I apologized for bringing in some nuts, realizing that he could probably not eat them and he gave me that “Lorne look” like “whatever”....I am sure you all know the look...it lingers.

On another visit, Lorne wanted to go to the TV room. As we walked down the hall, he rested his hand on my shoulder for support as we walked. I thought that this is probably one of the only times that Lorne Rogers has ever needed to lean on someone. He must have been the patient of choice because within 2 days, the nurses had re-arranged the TV room and brought in a Lazy Boy recliner just for Lorne’s comfort.

Lorne showed amazing courage throughout this time and always maintained his dignity. He wanted to enjoy his retirement with Lynn and watch his children, who he was so proud of, fulfill the rest of their lives. He wanted to see Sam and Lulu grow up and he wanted many more walks with Holly. He even wanted to see the spring flowers and leaves on the trees one more time.

Lynn, Scott, Erin, Kim, none of us has the words to say to you, but know how much we care. You will have your memories, as will we. You will laugh, cry and even get really mad, but you now have your own special Guardian Angel watching over you.

Rest in Peace Lorne.

EULOGY GIVEN BY TONY DARLING, LONGTIME FRIEND AND COLLEAGE

I had the good fortune of knowing Lorne for going on forty years. We both shared common views in outlook and philosophy.

Even our career paths tended to parallel each other. We came out of university with Commerce degrees; worked for industry

leaders in the data processing field, (Lorne Xerox, myself IBM); went traveling for a while; and somehow in the mid 70’s

ended up in the lumber industry where we both remained to this day.

Upon reflection, if Lorne looked back on his life I am sure he would be very satisfied and certainly not disappointed

with what he has achieved. Mindless of the fact that us lumbermen are generally regarded as being very lovable and easy to

get along with, one of his foremost achievements was convincing wife Lynn to keep him around through more than 40 years of

marriage. Even more remarkable is the fact that after all that time these two seemed to genuinely like each other and enjoy

each others’ company. An avid gardener Lorne took particular pride in their beautiful home and it’s surroundings. Always the

great hosts, that same home was the sight of many social functions. Whether it was a Christmas party, Super Bowl, Grey Cup or whatever, no one went home disappointed.

Between them they raised three great children. When you read about the Roger’s kids in the newspapers it was for all the right

reasons, either academic or athletic. For that alone they can feel proud.

For close to forty years lumber was a big part of Lorne’s life. He worked on both the wholesale (Ralph S. Plant) and mill sales side

(Canfor and Brink) of the industry. Despite his easy going manner, Lorne was effective and respected by all those who worked

with or dealt with him. Always professional in his dealings Lorne never lost sight of his mandate or who he was working for.

(Come to think of it at times he could be a right ******)

Recently Lorne was awarded a “Lifetime Achievement” award from the BC Wholesale lumber Association. The inscription on the

Inookshook statue reads ....”With heartfelt thanks, appreciation and gratitude to Lorne Rogers, a true and honored friend of the

BCWLA”. While it is an honored bestowed to very few, I am sure no one will begrudge having Lorne’s name on that list.

The reason Lorne remained in the business as long as he did was because he loved the general environment and especially

the people. I know in particular he enjoyed his final decade working for Brink Forest Products. For one thing he had the perfect

commute up and down the basement stairs. One thing he said he probably would not miss was Billy Braaten’s daily wakeup call at some

uncivilized hour in the morning. If he was picking numbers Billy he said 7 & 30 would be on the top of his list. All joking aside he enjoyed

dealing with you Bill, along with Dan and the gang at Westminster Industries, Bill Barnett at Marathon, the guys at Taiga, and all the

other regulars who know who you are.. It was definitely Lorne’s intention to say good bye and thank you all personally. Unfortunately

the swiftness of events prevented him from doing that.

Following Lynn’s retirement a couple of months back, I think Lorne was finally contemplating and gearing up for full retirement

himself. (I am sure many of you out there on the wholesale side probably feel that he actually started gearing up for retirement

twenty years ago when he took one of those cushy mill sales jobs...Only kidding mill guys). I know there were many things on the

bucket list he was planning to do.

The sudden and rapid demise of Lorne should be yet another wakeup call for us all. Personally I have had new shirts sitting in my closet

for over a year awaiting that “special occasion”. Eventually one realizes that the truly enlightened are those who appreciate the fact

that every day is a special occasion. Our stint on the planet is relatively short and passes quickly.

Lorne can take solace in knowing Lynn has a strong core of friends and family that I sure will rally around and help her through

this most difficult part of the journey. Hopefully Lorne is out there somewhere and enjoying a “cold one” and swapping lies with the

likes of Doug Suttie, Tom Bird, Ken Whittaker, Bob Elliott; friends and fellow lumbermen who have gone before.

God speed my friend....As I said, it has been a pleasure. Our paths have continued to cross as I am sure one day they will again.

LORNE AND GREG (1952 - 1961) - written by Greg Huculak, Lorne's brother:

In the early years Lorne and I were the closest of friends and worst of enemies. We would

protect each other one day and the next day fight until someone tore us apart. Being five years

younger, I gained a healthy respect for a tactical retreat if Lorne got serious. We shared dreams,

jokes, fears and tears; every day brought an new adventure. Whether is was a good day or bad,

we most often fell asleep each night in a fit of laughter over some silly joke or neighborhood

mishap. Lorne played the tough guy and comedian with perfection. He kept me in stitches by

mimicking his favorite lines from a James Cagney or Slip Mahoney movie. You could count on

Lorne to break the boredom when doing the evening schoolwork. His response to a call for

dinner was Cagney’s - “Come’n get me copper!” or if you broke his concentration while

studying -“You, you, dirty rat! I’m gonna get you...”. Our bedroom walls, which we shared

for 13 years were covered with the typical sports memorabilia and magazine cutouts of our heros.

Naturally some of the posters were used to cover up some collateral damage we didn’t want Mom

to see.

We grew up in a small town in Maple Ridge which at the time was more farmland than it is

today. Everyone knew their neighbors and they all worked locally. It was not a bedroom

community to Vancouver. No child was a stranger in those days and there was always a lunch

available to visiting kids at every home. There was no need to lock your house and there were

horses and endless open pastures to play in. It was a place where Lorne and his buddies would

have hidden treasures in the local forests and of course, a secret fort where, in fall evenings you

could sit around an open fire. Treasures like an old army helmet, a bayonet and a hatchet that

looked like a tomahawk were stashed in that fort. In a huge gesture of generosity Lorne’s best

friend George let me keep the bayonet which I so admired. There were endless days of good fun

when Lorne and George rigged a rope in the big maple. We would swing and make believe we

were in the jungle with Tarzan. Numerous cuts, bruises and blistered hands were no deterrent to

such good fun.

Our father struggled in sports but through some trick of DNA, Lorne was a natural athlete. With

his compact frame and great balance he was good at all sports but he excelled at baseball,

basketball and volleyball. He regularly received awards for his leadership as a high school

athlete. As I entered junior high five years later, Lorne’s record time in the 100 yard dash was

still on the trophy wall. He was regularly selected to play on all-star teams and commonly went

to provincial championships. If I begged, he would take me to the diamond to watch him play

baseball. It was a special day if he let me be bat boy and sit in the dugout with the big guys. He

played 3rd base and often batted clean-up. He shared his skills on the court as well as the

diamond. He taught me his favorite basketball shots and how to swing a bat. I loved inheriting

his old hats and mitts. In that era, getting an older brother’s hand-me-down baseball glove or

clothing was a badge of honor. I felt privileged to use his stuff because, everybody knows, an

experienced mitt is always easier to catch a fly ball with. Living up to Lorne’s reputation in the

field was not so easy.

The years in Maple Ridge flew by and in time, and because of events beyond our control, we

came to a fork in the road and went separate ways. But good memories are eternal and I will

always remember Lorne’s arm over my shoulder and how he had to kinda stoop down to put his

full weight on me. It was something only he did and it was his way of showing love and respect.

My memory of Lorne will always be of us, walking together down the road, arm over arm, in a

sort-of tipsy swagger, ready to take on the world. If you see me alone, shoulder slightly tilted

left, I’m having a private chat with Lorne.

THOUGHTS FROM LORNE'S CELEBRATION OF LIFE

It was beautiful as long as it lasted,

The journey of my life.

I have no regrets whatsoever

Save the pain I'll leave behind.

Those dear hearts who love and care...

and the strings pulling at the heart and soul...

The strong arms that held mne up

When my own strength let me down.

At every turning of my life I came across good friends.

Friends who stood by me,

Even when the time raced me by.

Farewell, farewell, my friends,

I smile and bid you good bye.

No, shed no tears for I need them not

All I need is your smile

If you feel sad do think of me,

for that is what i'll like.

When you love in the hearts of those you love,

Remember the, you never die.

- Rabindranath Tagore, Philosopher

"To laugh often and love much;

To win the respect of intelligent persons

And the affection of children;

To earn the approbation of honest citizens

And endure the betrayal of false friends,

To appreciate beauty;

To find the best in others;

To give of one's self;

To leave the world a bit better,

Whether by a healthy child,

A garden patch or

A redeemed social condition;

To have played and laughed with enthusiasm

And sung with exultation;

To know even one life has breathed easier

Because you have lived-

This is to have succeeded."

- Emerson

SOME MESSAGES FROM FRIENDS:

My heart goes out to you. I am so sorry to hear that Lorne is in the hospice. I pray that they are able to make him comfortable.

I did pass your sad news onto Philippa today.

Please do let me know if there is anything I can do big or small to help you.

Love Kathy

Lynn. I just heard of Lorne's illness last night from Tony and then the startling news this morning. We are so sorry and though we can do little our thoughts are with you

Dalton and Yuri

There are no words of comfort to express how deeply sorry I am to hear the news of Lorne. It must all seem so surreal. I hope that the hospice can get his pain under control to make him comfortable. His real medicine will be being surrounded by the love of his family. I know you will find an inner strength to help him on this league of his journey. May you console him with the happy and humorous memories.

You and your family have been in out thoughts over the past few difficult weeks. If there is any thing your friends or colleagues can do for you however trivial, please do not hesitate to ask.

Thinking of you and stay strong.

Love , Carol

My dear Lynn

No words are adequate right now…..you made Lorne’s time the very best that it could be, surrounding him with family, friends, and love…..

If there is anything at all, at any time, that I can do for you and your family, please ask….

Call whenever you are ready…

Much love

Maureen

* * * * * * * * * *

Rogers, Lorne

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing our beloved Lorne on February 8, 2013. He fought his brief illness with the same dignity, sense of humor and immense courage that he showed during his lifetime. Lorne played many sports in his youth and later developed a love of golf and travel. He was an avid soccer fan. He will be greatly missed by his wife of 42 years, Lynn, his cherished children Scott, Erin (Andres), Kim, grandchildren Sam and Lucia, Siblings Greg (Brenda), Anita (Harry), Bryn (Dennis), many nieces and nephews, our many friends and his colleagues in the lumber industry that he so loved. A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, March 2, 2013 at 1:00 pm at Victory Memorial Park Funeral Centre, 14831 – 28 Avenue, Surrey. In lieu of flowers, please donate in Lorne’s name to SPCA or Salvation Army.