Arthur Thomas Reeve

Reeve, Arthur Thomas (Bill) - Died peacefully Tuesday, November 6, 2012 in his Okanagan Falls home while sitting in his favourite chair at the age of 75 years. Born in Penticton, Art, who was known as Bill to his family soon moved with his parents and three sisters to Victoria where he spend the majority of his childhood and young adulthood. After a three-year hitch in the Royal Canadian Navy, where he served on several ships including the HMCS Ontario, Art began working on tugboats up

and down the Inside Passage. Art realized he’d found his calling and studied to earn his skipper’s ticket, which at the time made him the youngest tug skipper on the West Coast. Art studied hard to earn his deep-sea ticket and was soon making trips through international waters, including one where he towed his old ship, the Ontario, to Japan where it was cut for scrap after being decommissioned by the RCN. He worked for many B.C. operations, including Chemainus Towing, Swiftsure,

Seaspan, Fairway Towing, and others. Art gained a solid reputation as a skipper and was well respected for his

ability to do the job, which he did until he retired from the tugs in the 1990s. Later years saw him still on the sea, but as a pilot for many of the international yachts that sailed into local waters. Art fully retired about two years ago. Art was also an avid sports fan his entire life, and had a special spot for his beloved Vancouver Canucks. He also contemplated his passing and wrote: “It’s not hard to die when you know you have lived, and I have lived.”

Art was predeceased by his parents, Cecil and Hilda, his daughter, Michelle, and his sister Judy. Art leaves to mourn his passing his children Wayne (April), Karen and Teresa, eight grandchildren and five great grandchildren; sisters

Dawn D’Amour (Art) and Jacqueline Westwood and loving wife Ester. “I miss your warm smile and all the fun and laughter you brought to my life.”

As per Art’s instructions, there will be no service. His body is to be cremated with some of the ashes spread with those of his daughter, some with his mother and sister and the rest to be scattered at sea. Arrangements entrusted to Graham Funeral Home, 5920 Kootenay St. in Oliver, B.C. (250) 498-3833. Messages of condolence or the sharing of memories may be sent to www.grahamfh.com.