Edmund Bud Arthur Ellingson

Edmund Arthur (“Bud”) Ellingson was born May 29, 1925 in Shaunavon, Sask., the only son of Emma and Ben Ellingson – both members of pioneering families in the area. The family farmed and Bud was educated in Shaunavon. When WWII started in 1939, Bud was very anxious to join the air force and become a pilot. By the time he was of age, his father was already in the army and Bud was running the farm, so he was not allowed to enlist.

With the war over and his Dad back home, Bud and some friends began widening their horizons. They travelled west to BC where Bud worked in the Okanagan for time before ending up in Port Hardy and working in maintenance at the airport. He also took flying lessons there and finally earned his private pilot’s license. Later, Bud decided to become a logger, working in the same area. He and a friend eventually decided to move south, and through hiring offices in Vancouver, they ended up working in Squamish.

One weekend, the two friends went to the home of Bud’s aunt in Vancouver, where Bud met his cousin Rena and her chum Barbara Beatty. Bud continued to work in Squamish, coming to town most weekends. Bud and Barb were married in Vancouver in June 1953. They made their home there and had three children – Joan, Brian and Joyce. With the completion of the road up Howe Sound to Squamish, they moved and built a home in a new area just north of the town of Squamish.

As time passed and the area grew, a developer decided to try to get sewers installed in the area – a requirement for getting government mortgages. Bud became the chairman of the Mamquam Sewer District... the first time an unincorporated area was allowed to sell bonds. With so many lots being sold, schools going to expand and wiring to be done, it was decided to incorporate the whole area. As chairman of the Sewer District, Bud was appointed a member of the interim town council until an election could be held. He did not run for a permanent council seat.

Later, Bud did become interested in another local idea – a golf course. He was one of the 100 charter members of the Squamish Valley Golf Club and joined many others to clear the required land for building the golf course.

Over the next years, Bud and Barb had a fourth child – Beverly. They were active in golf, the Legion, and the Elks and Royal Purple. Bud eventually quit falling and went back to truck driving. He bought his own truck and formed Ellingson Trucking, eventually having multiple trucks usually involved in road building.

Bud and Barb had begun spending the Christmas school vacations in Hawaii and then in Mexico, and eventually settled in Desert Hot Springs, CA as their winter home. On retirement they had a truck & camper, then a class A motorhome, a fifth-wheel and finally a park model RV in a park with a great golf course. In 2010, they sold their Squamish home and settled in Surrey, BC near the homes of their three daughters.

Bud was predeceased by his parents, his son Brian, and his sisters Louella and Verna. He is survived by his wife Barbara and daughters Joan (Jim) Cosford, Joyce (John) Slater, Beverly (Fred Pletcher) Ellingson, grandchildren Diana, Amber, Darien, Ciara and Devon, great-granddaughter Celina, and also by his sisters Alice and Ruby.

The family extends special thanks to all the medical personnel for their compassionate care, especially the Emergency Department at Peace Arch Hospital in White Rock. There will be no service by request, but donations in Bud’s memory would be welcomed by the Salvation Army or a charity of your choice.

Arrangements under the direction of Victory Memorial Park Funeral Centre, Surrey, BC.