Victor Grant Eriksen

Grant Eriksen passed away peacefully surrounded by family and love at the Campbell River Hospital, the morning of September 2nd. He was the oldest child of Henry and Anna Eriksen. He was predeceased by Henry, Anna and his beloved brother Roy and sister Phyllis. He missed them all very much.

Dad was born in Vancouver, January 28, 1935. The family moved to Nanaimo where they lived close to the sea. Henry was a boatbuilder from Denmark and taught both boys as shipwrights. The boys built their own boat and puttered around Nanaimo and up island as kids. Boats and the sea were in dad's blood. He did his apprenticeship at Madills in Nanaimo receiving his welding/fabrication ticket. Henry brought both sons to Quadra Island to run Quathiaski Cove Boat Works as a family business in 1959.

Dad brought his prairie bride, Kay and 6-week old daughter Carrie to live in a house on pilings along the shore. Mom said if you dropped and can of peas on the floor, it rolled out the front door and into the sea. Over the years to support the family, he did many things. He leased the gillnetter/troller Rhonda Jean and fished. He loved every moment of it. Grant and Roy had a tug and scow for salvage, and he ended up as a welder in Fauchon Engineering, eventually becoming the owner.

When all was lost in the early 1980's, he opened Nordic Welding Supplies where he and Kay operated this until retirement in 1993. Grant volunteered with many organizations that supported community in his lifetime. The closest to his heart was salmon enhancement stream keeping and restoration. In retirement, they puttered around their home, fishing, camping, travelling, gardening, building boats and welcoming grandkids. Dad moved into Yuculta Lodge in 2022, where he received loving and respectful care from the staff at Coastal East.

Dad leaves behind his wife of 67 years Kay, daughters Carrie (Tim), Patti (Christopher), Cheryl (Stephen). He adored his grandkids Jennika, Cody, Emily, Claire and Scott. He was thrilled with his great grandkids Savannah. Karisa, Tommy Claire, Luke, Rosalie, Tatum and the newest member Weston.

He was loving, generous, adventurous and supportive family man and we will miss him deeply. He was a member of Bill W's family for 40 years. Through this family and his working career, it was almost impossible to walk through Tyee Plaza as he had to stop and say hello to so many people.

We want to express our gratitude to Dr. Naicker for his respectful care given to Dad. We are also grateful to Coastal East and all of the staff at Yucalta Lodge for their loving, compassionate care they gave generously to Dad. We are forever grateful. Rest in peace, Dad. We will see you again.