Joseph "Joe" John Check

" We now say goodbye to Joe Check, husband of the late Anita Check, father to Gary, Barbara, Joanne, Theresa, Sharon and Mary, grandfather to 15, great grandfather to one, brother to Walter and Chester.

Born at Prince Albert Saskatchewan, Joe moved to Vancouver at age five for a short while and then to Ocean Falls. He met his future wife, Anita while playing basketball in Bella Coola. They married and settled in Ocean Falls where he worked at the mill. All six of his children were born there. A great deal of his memories revolve around Ocean Falls. Joe's second love was boating and fishing with his family in the "Burrungaroolong"

Having purchased Anita"s father's homestead in Bella Coola, they enjoyed summer vacations there and Joe took his last trip there shortly before his passing.

With the closing of Ocean Falls mill in 1980, Joe and Anita moved with the three youngest to Port Alberni. He worked for two years there and then finished his career working at the Port Alice mill and commuted on his days off until his retirement in 1996.

Retirement meant loads of free time for Joe and Anita to go out driving. It's possible they covered every logging road on the north and central Island at least once. But the best drives were the yearly trips to Bella Coola, always driven in one day. They divided their time between Bella Coola and Port Alberni. Joe continued to make the Bella Coola journey alone the past four years, although it was not the same without his navigator/wife. He had a profound sense of peace in the Bella Coola valley. Joe's love of taking photographs and making copies for everyone will ensure everyone has memories to last their lifetime.

Joe's remains will be laid to rest alongside Anita in Bella Coola."