Herman Stoelers

The world has lost a super hero- a beloved husband, a devoted and loving father, a proud grandfather, a caring uncle, a good friend and so much more. Herman was so many things to so many people. The depth of our grief is indescribable. Herman’s call to adventure was always great - as a young man he ventured to the Beaufort sea and explored the arctic. He was a commercial fisherman. His youth read like the dreams of young men everywhere - adventurous, dangerous, spectacular. He lived life large. By twenty-three, he had accumulated enough adventures that he was compelled to try something new. He married the love of his life, Elva, in 1978. By thirty he was the proud father of Ali, Bryson and Erica, and they became the reason he got up in the morning, the reason he pushed himself, and the lights of his life. He “Dad-ed” like a boss. As kids we thought Dad could leap tall buildings in a single bound - he set the bar for achievement. He skied like the wind. He rode a dirt bike like a pro. Threw a baseball into tomorrow. He was a tough act to follow; he was our super hero. He set us up for success, helped us reach for the stars. He leaned into work - he was the last of the wildcatters, his handshake was his word. He founded Stoelers Contracting in 1988 and built a business on the principles of his character; honesty, integrity and commitment. A natural problem solver, mechanically inclined and inventive, he took these talents and his adventurous nature and tackled projects all over the province. He knew the back roads of BC better than the guy who drew them on the map. His story was filled with people from all walks of life and he made friends everywhere he went. He was a hero in many stories. If we made Dad crazy through our teen years he never let on - we brought kids and their car problems to the shop and he always made time. His motto, “hit it til it works “or “get a bigger hammer” fixed more beaters, rebuilt more engines and restored a ‘52 Chevy truck - the shop was always full of problems and laughter and patience. Dad never shied from anything. When we introduced Dad to the loves of our lives he welcomed the additions to the family with open arms. Craig, Becca and Kyle became just another of his kids. He genuinely loved them. When his grandchildren started arriving, Dad developed a sense of wonder that he had never experienced before - they became his greatest adventure, his greatest reward. In Layne, Peyton and Blake, he got to touch immortality - they became his tomorrow and he was awestruck. Papa lives on in those little girls and his story continues. Herman/Dad/Papa was one of a kind. It seems appropriate that he passed on a blue moon. He will be missed as he was loved - greatly. What a guy. The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at Surrey Memorial Hospital and the Jim Pattison Out-Patient Centre. Herman was an avid supporter and participant of the Ride to Conquer Cancer. In Lieu of flowers he would love to know that you were supporting the ongoing fight against cancer. Service details –Saturday Aril 14th, 2018 @ 14:00 (2:00pm) with refreshments to follow at Victory Memorial Park Funeral Centre 14831 28th Avenue Surrey, BC