Conrado Garcia Sevilla

Conrado Garcia Sevilla was born on January 14, 1946 in Manila, Phillipines to Rufina and Conrado Sevilla Sr. He was the fourth born child to the family with older sister Carmelita, two older brothers passed away as children. Rufina and Conrado would soon add Romeo, Juliet and then Josie. Family life for the Sevilla family was very challenging in the Phillipines.

In the words of Conrad’s older sister Carmelita, “Growing up with Conrad, we were always hungry, we were very poor and half starved most of the time. Our Dad found a job as a Security Guard at the Port Terminal. Our Mom managed the best she could with the little money he earned. I remember being sent to buy one can of sardines or squid and we all three shared that with a lot of rice. Or there would be this one fish and a bowl of watery rice gruel and Mom would pinch pieces of that fish on a spoonful of gruel into our gaping mouths one by one until the bowl of rice was finished and the fish was nothing but bones. Our 2 sisters were not born till 5 years later, and life became easier for them when I was able to send some money home.” She also shared, “Conrad was always the teacher's pet, always neat, quiet, respectful, obedient, soft spoken and very well behaved at home and school. When there was any program in school, he was chosen by the teachers to perform the lead role. He loved scribbling and drawing, he was always bent down with a pencil and paper drawing something. While Romy got spanked a lot, Conrad was spared. I never even once heard him complain about our life as it was. He was so easy going and we never quarreled as kids, he was everyone' s friend. He was your Grandma's favorite.”

Conrad did very well in high school, and went to University in Manila, earning his degree in Fine Arts. During his teen years, Conrad and his brother Romy played in a band Excaliber, very popular with the youth of the times. By 1968, Carmelita had worked hard to sponsor Conrad to come to Canada. Once he arrived in Vancouver, he did any work he could find, even working as a janitor. Eventually they found a newspaper ad for an Art Director at a TV Station in Dawson Creek, BC. Conrad applied by phone, and they quickly offered him the job. Carmelita describes it like this “We saw an ad by a TV station in Dawson Creek for an Art Director, so he applied by phone and lo and behold, they phoned back. “They want him to start right away." It was mid February, so I put studs in my new car's tires, and off we went, asked Jun to come along as an extra driver, tackled the snowy Rogers Pass, arrived in Dawson Creek, looked thru the local paper for a place for him to live, found a rickety Rooming house, bought him some groceries, left him my summer jacket, then Jun and I left to return to New Westminster B.C. to our own jobs. On the drive back my new car skidded and was demolished, we drove it back barely drivable.”

Conrad would see the love of his life, Lorrie three times by chance before she had the courage to make eye contact with him at a wedding dance. One word and that was it. Before long, Lorrie decided to take a job in Dawson Creek. Conrad’s life in Canada was met with many firsts. He embraced everything there was to “being a Canadian.” His first experience with snow, making a snowman with brother-in-law Jun, lacing up some hockey skates and joining a recreational hockey team. Lorrie recalls a hilarious story of Conrad’s early life in Dawson Creek, “Conrad had not been in Dawson very long, and arrived in the middle of winter. After one particularly cold northern night, Conrad told his co-workers (in his very broken English) – “it was so cold last night, my wiener froze to the table! I banged it and it broke in half!” His co-workers laughed hysterically. Conrad and Lorrie were married in 1971. Stacey arrived in 1972 followed by Conrad Jr. in 1974. Stacey and little Conrad spent many enjoyable Saturdays growing up (when Conrad took care of them while Lorrie worked) test driving sports cars, going to the pool hall, and having lunch out with Dad.

After 18 years at CJDC, Conrad ventured out on his own specializing in sign painting. Many of his signs, and hand lettered trucks still survive today. A lifelong musician for more than 60 years, Conrad played drums and sang in various bands in the Dawson Creek area until finally retiring in the early 2000’s. There was rarely a weekend that he was not off somewhere playing a dance or wedding. Almost every time, someone would beg the band to play “Wipeout” by the Safaris, as Conrad played the drum solo so well.

In 1993, their first grandchild Riley was born. Riley became a constant fixture in Grampa and Grama’s life. The Saturday tradition continued with Riley spending most Saturdays with Grampa throughout his childhood. Everything Grampa did, Riley would join in. One thing you could always say about Conrad, he loved his family, and his friends who became family. Many fun times were spent with the McConnells (especially coffee dates with Jock aka Tonto), Lagaces, Harbottles, Stefanyks, and Johnson families at the acerage outside Dawson.

In 2016, Conrad and Lorrie’s second grandchild Nolan came along and by 2018 he was joined by Zackary. Conrad and Lorrie had moved down to Langley, BC in the summer of August 2017 to live with Conrad Jr., Giulie, and their little family. This move helped Conrad to be closer to his medical care and allowed him to be close to his youngest grandkids. Conrad is survived by his wife of 48 years Lorrie, kids Stacey (Richard) and Conrad (Giulie). His siblings Carmelita, Romy, Juliet, and Josie, and grandchildren.

We will all miss his infectious laugh, his great smile and his quick wit. Until we meet again, we will remember all the good times, listen to great music, and look at funny cartoons.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the kidney foundation in Conrad's memory grateful accepted.

www.kidney.ca