Leonard "Don" Carlson

Surrounded by the love of his family, (Leonard) Don Carlson passed away peacefully on October 10th, 2026, leaving behind a lifetime of memories and family and friends who loved him dearly.

Don leaves behind his loving wife, Pam, and his five children, Sherri (Jay), Dennis (Lea), Doug, Robert (Nadine), and Matthew (Miranda). He was also a very proud grandfather to Riley (Emma), Taylor, Alicia (Mitch), Summer, Trinity, and Lucy.

Don is also survived by his mother, Ruth; his younger brothers, Robert (Eileen) and Lloyd (Ann); his sisters, Lorna (Dean) and Nancy (Don); as well as his sisters-in-law, Shelley (Frank) and Janice (Gary), and brothers-in-law, Chris and Clifford (Myrtle); along with many nieces and nephews.

Don grew up on a 160-acre dairy farm near Cardston, Alberta, where he spent the first 16 years of his life. At just 17 years old, he and his younger brother Robert set off on a new adventure, travelling to Victoria, BC, with one-way tickets and a future full of possibilities. It wasn't long before the rest of his family followed, making Victoria their new home and beginning the next chapter of their lives together. Little would Don know he would embark on the greatest journey of his life.

Don went on to build a long and rewarding career as an electrician and engineer, working at Royal Jubilee Hospital and later Victoria General Hospital, where he continued working until his retirement at the age of 60.

Don loved life, and he loved sharing it with the people who mattered most to him. He enjoyed travelling, exploring new places, cruising the open sea, camping and spending time with family and friends. He worked hard throughout his life but always made time for the things that brought him happiness.

Don was a man who could build, fix or figure out just about anything. Whether he was tinkering in his shop, working on his models or tackling a new project, he loved a challenge and always seemed to find a solution. As family and friends often said, "If Don couldn't fix it, it wasn't fixable."

One of Don's favourite places to spend his time was in his metal shop, where he loved creating and building miniature steam engines. Some were built with little more than an idea and a few instructions, which, knowing Don, usually needed a little fixing themselves! He had a natural curiosity for how things worked and found great satisfaction in figuring things out, solving problems and bringing his creations to life.

But above all else, Don's greatest pride was his family. His marriage to Pam in 1993, his daughter and four sons, were among his greatest accomplishments, and he lovingly referred to his growing, blended family as his "family bush" rather than a family tree.

Over the years, he coached baseball and soccer, cheered on his grandchildren in their own sports and took great joy in being part of their lives. Nothing meant more to Don than seeing his family grow, come together and share in life's moments.

On November 15th, 2023, life changed forever when Don began what would become a courageous 35-month battle with cancer. His life would change, and so would the lives of those who loved him. But through it all, he never lost his love for life, his sense of humour or his determination to keep living.

During those 35 months, Don and Pam moved into a new home, enjoyed two more cruises, continued their annual camping adventures with family and friends, explored the Sunshine Coast, and spent many memorable moments at their lakeside retreat in Lake Cowichan.

Don always had something to look forward to, another adventure, a family gathering or simply the next "good thing" on the horizon. He continued to set goals for himself, giving him something to fight for and a reason to keep pushing forward, even on the hardest days. He wasn't about to let cancer get the best of him or take away the moments he still wanted to share with those he loved.

Among the many moments that meant so much to Don, were the arrival of his sixth grandchild, Lucy, and his granddaughter Alicia’s wedding to Mitch; two wonderful additions to his growing family “bush”. These were special milestones he cherished, and experiences he was determined not to miss.

One of Don's favourite sayings was, "Life is good."

Even through the most difficult days, he continued to find reasons to say those words.

Incredibly, they were words he shared with his family even in his final moments, a reminder of how he chose to look at life and how much he treasured the time he had with those he loved.

Don taught us that life isn't just about the years we have, but the moments we share, the memories we make and the people we hold close along the way.

Our family would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the incredible medical team who cared for Don and supported our family throughout his illness, with special appreciation to Dr. Sara Chater and Dr. Glen Manders for their kindness, compassion and care during Don's final days.

Don will be deeply missed by his family and friends, but his love for life, his strength, his kindness and the memories he leaves behind will forever be a part of those who knew and loved him.

Life is good.