Wayne Russell Gies

We regretfully announce the passing of our father, Wayne Russell Gies, on July 14, 2019, at his home in Comox, British Columbia. His four-year fight with cancer did nothing to upset his positive personality, and although he knew it was terminal, he always kept his uplifting sense of humour. We his sons Brandyn (Amy) and Cody (Sarah), his mother Yvonne and sister Diane, and his girlfriend Tess are thankful to have been with him at the end, surrounding him with love. Dad enjoyed the fun in life. He was born March 29, 1952, in Ponoka, Alberta, but grew up in Calgary, where every summer his father Russell took the family water-skiing at Mara Lake outside Sicamous, British Columbia. Dad later moved to Vernon, and in his late teens, he met our mother Linda. It took him 12 years, a firstborn baby boy, and a firm deadline (set by her) before he finally asked her to marry him. They spent 29 years together — skiing Silver Star Mountain, boating Okanagan Lake, and uprooting to Comox on Vancouver Island — before she passed away in 1998. For almost 50 years, he continuously built a prominent career in the road-building industry. He loved meeting and helping as many people as he could, and with his wealth of knowledge, quick wits, and humble attitude, he made endless connections and upheld a reputation of fun and kindness. A casual, lighthearted celebration of life will be held at 1:00p.m. Saturday, July 27, 2019, in Courtenay at Piercy’s-Mt. Washington Funeral Home, 440 England Ave. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the BC Cancer Foundation or a charity of your choice.