Donald Lloyd Gehring

Don left school in Grade 11 to work at R. L. Cushing Millwork in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, where his dad worked for many years. In 1948, at 19 years old, he found his calling and signed up with the RCMP. He was briefly stationed in Ottawa, Ontario, then transferred to Vancouver, B.C on January 1, 1949. These were the first of six transfers throughout his RCMP career, including Regina, Saskatchewan where he retired as a Staff Sergeant in 1969.

It was after his transfer to Vancouver that he met and married his first wife, Joyce Sumarlidson, on June 20, 1953; together they had three daughters.

In 1969, Don started his second career as a senior security investigator with BC Tel at 768 Seymour Street in Vancouver, B.C. Two years later he moved to Victoria to start up their Vancouver Island Security office, where he worked until he retired in 1994.

Don enjoyed several hobbies throughout his life from fishing (including a stint at gill-netting for pocket money) hunting and vegetable gardening, to snow skiing and travel later in life. Wild game and his garden vegetables were regular fare at the kitchen table for his growing family. In fact, he grew outstanding crops of tomatoes in his Cordova-Bay home garden until shortly before his death. He embraced the aerobics program at the BC Tel fitness centre in the 70’s until his retirement; and then attended a local gym 2-times a week until deciding to pack it in at the age of 90!

Don was a loyal and loving husband as well as a good father and provider for his family. He was also a generous and gregarious host to all who came to visit regardless of age and association; and many good times were had fishing and boating with family and friends, especially in the Gulf and San Juan Islands.

Sadly, Don was pre-deceased by his wife Joyce in 1981, and his second wife Joan (nee Simpson) in 2002 after 15 years of marriage. He will be greatly missed and is survived by Bonnie (nee Hook), his loving wife of 20 years, his one remaining sibling, Marlene Yorga of Assiniboia, Saskatchewan, his daughters Deborah Frey (Carl), Sherry Briggs (Murray), Cindy Gehring (Wayne), stepchildren Deborah Schroeter (Dale), Sandra Luznar (Derek), Karen Martell (Dale), Janice Graham, Wayne Gardler (Teresa), grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews, other members of his extended families and friends.