Horst Sander

Horst was born on May 29, 1933 in Wuppertal, Germany and after growing up during WWII, he left Germany as a young man to experience more of the world first hand. He eventually found himself in northern B.C.; he and his new bride Helma made Prince George their home in 1963.

Horst embarked on an exciting and rewarding career in the fast-developing forest industry at that time, eventually serving as President and CEO of Northwood Inc. from 1979 until his retirement in 1990. But his commitment and passion for the development of northern B.C. went far beyond his working career, as he was deeply involved in community service. He will be remembered mostly for the vital roles he played in establishing UNBC and the Child Development Centre. He also served on the boards of UNBC, the PG Community Foundation, the PG Regional Hospital, and the B.C. Premier’s Advisory Council, to mention only a few. He was recognized as Prince George’s Citizen of the Year in 1999, was awarded an honorary degree from UNBC in 2000, and received Her Majesty the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002.

But for all of his service and accomplishments, Horst, if asked, would say that it was his family that brought him his greatest sense of joy and satisfaction. He was predeceased by his beloved wife Helma in 2020, and is lovingly remembered by his daughters Dorothea (Patrick), Christine (Les), and Andrea (Scott), his grandchildren Jared (Megan), Kailey (Brian), Jenna, Eric and his great-granddaughter Skylar.

Horst took a genuine interest in everyone he met and was gifted for making people feel respected and at ease.

The family extends its heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Devan Reddy, Dr. Tom Carter and all of Horst’s medical team for their excellent care and attention.

A Celebration of Life and reception will be held on Sunday, October 13th at the Coast Inn of the North Ballroom from 11:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Live-streaming will be available for those unable to attend in person.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a charity of your choice, or to the Sander Family Fund at the Prince George Community Foundation.