Clancy Conrad Chisholm

True to form, Clancy did it his way, just as he had lived: fiercely, freely, and with a twinkle in his blue eyes that rarely dimmed.

Born at the Hotel Dieu Hospital in Cornwall, Ontario, on March 26, 1944, Clancy was predeceased by his parents, Myles Joseph Chisholm and (Mary) Monica Wheeler. He was the eldest son of 15 children, survived by siblings Monica McPhail (Bill, predeceased), Gladys McDonald (Stuart), Christopher Gillie (Pauline), Carson (predeceased) (Julie), Byron (Peggy) (Sam, predeceased), Colleen McPhail (Alex), Teresa Briere (Rick, predeceased) (Ivan, predeceased), Martin (Germaine), Helen Dunlop (Perry), Angus (Karen), Clarence (Colette), and Maureen Froats (Jeff).

He is also survived by his son Morgan (Caroline), stepdaughter Brook (Ron, John-Morgan & Ashleigh), partner Dianne (Sunny & Prytula family), and hundreds of nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his twin brother, brothers Carson and baby Myles, Penny Hardy (mother of Morgan and Brook), and lifelong friends Stan Paul Craibe, Ranald McDonald, Rick Puik, and Clive Hamman.

A proud father, Clancy loved his son Morgan deeply, “the Kid” - his pride and joy - cherishing their close bond and often saying he couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have such a wonderful son. “Penny was the best thing that ever happened to me,” he’d say. “She gave me Morgan.” Later in life, born from his deepening appreciation for connection, Clancy carried a quiet wish that he could have known stepdaughter Brook better.

His affection for the women in his life ran deep - his mother Monica Ma Pud was his cornerstone, Sr. Regina his best friend, his sisters his co-conspirators, and he had more admirers and love interests than he’d ever let on, recognizing that he had always been lucky in love, with a special mention of Becky, the Beast, and little Grannie Rita.

From the moment Dianne, the Queen, danced into his life, he knew he’d found his match - the love of his life with whom he shared his later years in deep companionship, joy and laughter. All his life, he ran close with his brothers - a tight and loyal clan - and left his mark with his many lifelong friends through laughter, loyalty, and simply by being unapologetically himself: Cleary, Little Bob, Dan the Cook, Rick, Pimms, Murdoch, Lars, Neils & Brenda, the Craigmeister, just to name a few.

Clancy’s life was never small. Growing up on a farm in St. Andrews, as the eldest son, he became known as ‘The Foreman’. The trials and tribulations solidified that farming would never be his vocation.

Born to wheel and deal, he could sell anything, challenge anyone, and almost always, get the last word. So many extraordinary stories - worthy of a book. He worked in a DuPont factory in Ontario, roamed as a private investigator through California and B.C., sold Britannica across the Canadian Prairies, spent three years in Australia as co-owner of Bonanza Frozen Foods - and may well have set a world record for buying and selling Ferro cement boats, much to his amusement. With an approximation of over 250 floating crafts of all descriptions, Morgan Marine Inc. had a meaningful impact on the boating community in B.C. He often said, “I don’t sell boats — I sell dreams.”

He signed his first work tender at age six and never looked back. Whether acting as janitor, cleaning the classroom, or shovelling snow for the one-room Catholic school (St. Claire’s), or running errands for the nuns in his four door 1954 black Lincoln he had purchased on his own, managing the school vending machine, bootlegging at university (while studying on scholarship), or flipping float homes, cars, boats, and real estate when he settled in his early 30s on the west coast – in Vancouver, then Victoria (his home for 45+ years) - he found ways to hustle, charm, and outwit the system, always on his own terms.

He dreamed of being a pilot, even challenging the R.C.A.F. exams, and while he never earned his wings officially, he did receive notification of an I.Q. score that would set him free to tackle life’s hurdles with a humble yet profound confidence. No one soared quite like Clancy.

He had a knack for finding himself in extraordinary situations. A proud Canadian with a U.S. green card, Clancy once found himself arrested by American military police and told to report for service in the Vietnam War. He was given ten days to leave the country or be drafted. He left, of course, to return to his family, friends, and homeland.

He had no patience for “suits,” the “tax man”, or pretense. He mocked convention and defied expectations. Loved pink sweatshirts & pink baseball caps, Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia ice cream, storytelling - no one could spin a yarn quite like Clancy – sarcasm (the finest form of intelligence, in his mind), and truth-telling, especially the kind filtered through his one-of-a-kind perspective.

Though he grew up Catholic, he found his own spiritual path in his early twenties while on the road, identifying as an atheist for the remainder of his life. His curiosity was boundless. He traveled extensively with family and friends, and for over 26 years, lived modestly in an assortment of vans, motorhomes and buses, chasing sunshine in Mexico or Central America.

To those who really knew him, Clancy was a fierce advocate, a surprisingly sentimental softie, a brilliant, quick mind, and a man whose generosity was real - though often hidden behind wit and bluster. He faced his mortality the same way he faced life: straight on, no apologies, no fear. The grace with which Clancy accepted dementia as his greatest adversary was a true reflection of his strength of spirit.

All people die, but not all people live. Clancy lived. And for those of us who got to share even a piece of his journey, we are all the better - and bolder - for it.

Clancy didn’t want a funeral - he wanted a party. We’ll fix the date for this spring/summer and let family and friends know. Please bring your best Clancy stories, your love, your laughter, and we’ll raise a glass to this remarkable man and friend, with Mateus and Baby Duck (if we can find some).

Dress Code: Come as you are – pink is highly encouraged.

With great sorrow and hearts bursting, we say goodbye to our dear Clancy Conrad Chisholm, this truly one-of-a-kind man.

To Clancy—we’ll see you on the other side.