Darrel Arlen Seyler, age 79, passed away peacefully the morning of Saturday, January 19, 2019 at Laurel Place Hospice in Surrey, British Columbia. He was born December 8, 1939 in Holland, Michigan to William and Julianne Marie (Ver Burg) Seyler.
After graduating he joined the United States Navy where he served for six years as an avionics specialist and was honourably discharged in 1964. He soon after began a three-decade career as a telecommunications technician, first with GTE in Oakland, California and then in the late 1960s after moving to Canada with BC Tel, working in Prince George (Central BC), Vancouver, and Surrey, retiring from BC Tel in 1999. He became a citizen of Canada in 1975 and thereafter was a passionate and ardent flag-waving Canadian. Friends will remember conversations with him about his many passions and interests, especially his trip to Germany with the Zastres (Mike and Susanne).
He was a gifted gem cutter who continued to take delight in seeing his stones mounted in the jewellery worn by friends, plus the one in the Smithsonian Institute; drag racing in Northern BC; the soothing comforts of Tim Horton’s coffee; raising St. Bernard dogs in North Vancouver with his friend Joel; the “bug-eyed” Austin-Healy Sprite he would drive on twisty Northern California roads; intricate details about 1950s military aircraft; his beloved cocker spaniel named Jaspar; Rosicrucian mysticism; the harpsichord music of JS Bach; his favourite wine, a Hungarian Tokay; everything and anything about Jaguar automobiles; and much more. Darrel is survived by his sister Jill from Lansing, Michigan, brother Jack from Gilbert Arizona, numerous cousins, and long-time neighbours & friends Margaret and Bruce Sloan from White Rock, BC who helped care for him these last two years of his life. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Kenneth William, who died at the age of six.
Darrel’s wish for his final journey was to be “thrown into the Pacific off the west coast of Vancouver Island”, and so a proper observance of that wish along with an appropriate time of remembrance will be arranged for some future date.
All of his family and friends wish to extend their gratitude and thanks to the caring staff of Bear Creek Villa and of Laurel Place Hospice.
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