Dale Edward Mack

Dale passed away on October 30th with his family and friends by his side. He leaves to mourn his mother Anna Mack, sisters Trish & Carolyn (husband David), Brothers Kenny & Wayne, nieces Joanna & Jennifer (husband Billie) and great nieces Mollie, Stella & Mimi. Dale was a well-loved son, brother, uncle, great uncle, nephew and cousin. His many friends and co-workers remember him as one of a kind and one of the best.

Dale was born in Comox, BC to Jack & Anna Mack, the middle child of their five children. The family moved from Courtenay to Maple Ridge following the closure of the Fanny Bay Sawmill in 1962. Dale spent his childhood and most of his adult life living in Maple Ridge where he made many lifelong friends.

In his teens he started work in the wood industry that continued into his late 20’s, until a bitter union organizing drive almost cost him his life.

In the last two decades he worked as an industrial cleaner, work that took him away from home and to remote locations in western Canada.

Throughout his career Dale is remembered as hardworking and fair with an extraordinary work ethic and a low tolerance for B.S. from management and co-workers alike. No matter who you were, he demanded that people treat one another with respect. One of the best in his class, he mentored and trained many co-workers in the art of ‘gunning’. He loved to tell the story of how he would urge an unsuspecting co-worker to take a break and then refuse to return his gun. Dale insisted the guy could supervise him instead because well, he was bored just watching him work.

Dale was a unique character and could make anyone smile - his sense of humour and wit was renowned. He made you laugh or gasp out loud – sometimes words would tumble from his mouth and he’d say, ‘I’m even shocked at myself, I just didn’t see it coming!’ But his kind spirit gave him a free pass to say things no one else could.

Dale loved his old classic vehicles, dirt bike, belly boat, snowmobile, Harley-Davidson and his fishing boat – in that order they all represented an evolution in his life. When his boat and fishing became his new passion, he would pass a Harley rider and say, ‘he must not have a boat – SAD’.

Friends and co-workers who visited him quickly understood the idyllic lifestyle he had built on the Island and it made sense to them why he always wanted to get back home. There were few things he enjoyed as much as salmon fishing, prawning or just being on the water, even if his boat never left the dock. He told his health care team that while he appreciated what they were doing for him the appointments were seriously screwing with his fishing! They won’t forget him anytime soon – he made them laugh and he made sure they knew how grateful he was to have the best care he could want.

Dale lived the life he loved and loved life! He had an infectious character providing entertainment value wherever he went. He reached out regularly to family and friends and he was kind and friendly to perfect strangers. Dale enjoyed little kids and they adored him. He never hesitated to offer someone in need, a helping hand or a meal – he did not pass judgment on anyone’s situation. He generously shared his catch from the sea with family, friends and strangers alike. He lived a simple life and took comfort in life’s small pleasures. Dale had a big heart and he would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it more than him.

Our tough guy Dale was kind, compassionate, principled, considerate and generous and no one could ever want a better person in their life. Over his lifetime, Dale had more friends, touched more hearts, and had more fun than most dream possible. When he faced his biggest fight, Dale comforted us all by saying “I’ve had a good run”.

A celebration of Dale’s life will be held on Saturday, December 2nd @ 1 pm at the Little Red Church in Comox, BC across from St. Joseph’s Hospital where he was born. In lieu of flowers please donate to support BC Cancer Research or to support Salmon Enhancement to either the Tsolum River Restoration Society or Nile Creek Enhancement Society.