Geoff is survived by his daughter Jill (Anthony) and his sons, Bruce (Silvia) and Grant, two grandsons, James and Colin, and 2 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife, Joan, after 61 years of marriage.
Geoff spent his last year at Rest Haven Lodge, in Sidney BC, and prior to that, he was well looked after in his home by wonderful caregivers provided by Sidney Senior Care. His family is very grateful for the compassionate care that Geoff received from 2020 until his death.
Geoff was born in 1925 near Salisbury, England. He lived there until he joined his father in Montreal in 1938. By 1939, they had moved to Vancouver where Geoff continued to live until 1962.
Geoff attended Kitsilano High School in Vancouver until 1943 then trained with the RCAF in Alberta. He was then transferred to the Armed Forces in Kingston, specifically the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals, for radio technician training. Upon discharge, Geoff returned to Vancouver where he completed two years at UBC in the Sciences.
In 1946, Geoff was hired by Canadian Telephones & Supplies as an equipment installer; in 1950, he joined the BC Telephone Company as a plant technician. Geoff worked for BC Tel, in various equipment engineering positions, including five years in Prince George, after which Geoff and his family moved back to the Lower Mainland. After retiring from BC Tel in 1983, he was briefly involved in bidding on international telecommunication projects which required visits to China and Thailand, experiences which he really enjoyed. In 1988, Geoff and his wife permanently retired to Brentwood Bay, near Victoria, BC.
In addition to a long work career, Geoff’s life was filled with many interests. From his young days, helping to pump the pipe organ in a church in Salisbury, he developed a keen interest in organ music, particularly the works of Bach. His interest in music became eclectic, enjoying everything from jazz to the music of the Beatles, Pink Floyd and the Moody Blues. He enjoyed attending live performances of local musicians as well as concerts given by the more famous, such as Paul McCartney. Geoff was always generous, sharing his music experiences with friends and family. During retirement, Geoff took keyboard lessons, his first attempt to play the music he so loved. He even took ballroom dance lessons at the age of 87!
Geoff was always generous with his time so it was natural that he would volunteer on the strata council of his residence or help seniors with the Medi-Alert systems before companies took over this role. He also regularly provided recorded music sessions for the residents of a seniors’ residence. Geoff saw amazing technical change during his lifetime so he stayed current with the latest advancements when he joined a group of like-minded computer enthusiasts.
After his wife passed away, Geoff formed new friendships which kept him going through his nineties, sharing common interests such as astronomy, music and films. Since cooking was never one of Geoff’s strengths, his solution was to invite his friends and family to good restaurants. When Geoff was no longer able to get out easily, his friends would often visit him, and bring dinner too! His family is very appreciative of all that his friends did to make his life more interesting during the final decade of his life.
Please join us on Saturday, October 1, 2022, beginning at 2 pm, for a Memorial Tea at First Memorial Funeral Services, 4725 Falaise Drive, Victoria, BC.
You will be given an opportunity to talk about your friendship with Geoff while meeting his family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity or cause of your choice.
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