Donald "Don" Ernest Achurch

Born in Winnipeg November 20, 1934, alongside his twin sister Jean Achurch (Deceased October 8, 2018), Don spent his early years in the St James section of Winnipeg before he moved west with his mother and sister to eventually settle in Duncan on Vancouver Island. Like most boys of his age, he used a bicycle to ride to school and manage his paper route, despite the large hills along the way from his downtown home. Later on, bicycles gave way to motorcycles, cars, including his love for stock cars, and planes. He became a skilled mechanic and spent a lengthy career with the Cowichan Valley School District.

Don’s love for flying showed as he joined the Duncan Flying Club and became their first student to earn a private pilot’s licence in only three months, completing a long list of firsts for the club. In 1967 he won the Imperial Oil trophy for the most outstanding pilot of the year and in 1970 became president of the club. Don also taught ground school and could be seen for many years at the club with his red and white Beechcraft Musketeer.

In addition to teaching ground school, Don’s love for sports kept him fit and eager to try something physical. He was involved in baseball, hockey and skiing….both snow and water, to name a few. Despite a number of injuries, he managed to participate in most of these long after his retirement.

Travelling to warm locations was always on Don’s agenda. For many years he would spend winter vacation time in Hawaii, Mexico and in later years in Arizona. Summers were always set aside for the Okanagan. To be precise….Westbank. From 1966, he reserved the same beach site, in the same campground until the flooding kept the park closed around 2016-17. He was given the title “Campsite Counsellor” by the many friends he made during those years and a sailor’s cap to support the position. Being the eternal prankster, he was always creating hilarious situations where objects would disappear from friends’ sites and mysteriously reappear at another site with no knowledge how this happened. He had his lawnchairs permanently located on the sand at the edge of his lot ready to welcome anyone over for a chat, but never turning down the opportunity to crank up his boat and teach someone to waterski.

Don’s life was fulfilled in the late 1990s when he met and married Carol. They both enjoyed time in the sun, whether it was Arizona in the winter or the Okanagan in the summer. Those years together were the best of times for Don until Carol’s passing in 2008. Although his travel routines remained the same in the years that followed, the spark that kept him going seemed to slowly fade. His illness eventually caught up to him and in January 2019, he returned to Duncan unable to continue his travel adventures. This past year was a tough year for Don as he spent the majority of it in hospital and recently in a care centre where he passed away.

A huge thank you to the staff at the Cowichan District Hospital in wards 2 West and 2 Central for the professional care and attention they provided to Don during his extended stay. Also, thank you to the staff at the Chemainus Health Care Centre for the short time Don was in their care. He spoke highly of the staff at both locations.

An urn with Don’s ashes will be placed in a niche next to Carol’s in First Memorial Garden of Memories, Victoria. Due to the current COVID-19 situation, a memorial service will be delayed until further notice.

Don will be missed by many but never forgotten.