September 24, 1922 - October 27, 2019
Bryan Albert Quinlan passed away peacefully at Lions Gate Hospital on the morning of October 27, 2019 surrounded by his loving family. He will be missed by his wife Joan of nearly 69 years, son Dennis and daughter Peggy, son-in law John, daughters-in-law Penny and Nancy, cousin Tricia and grandchildren Kevin, Alison, Grant, David and Michael. Bryan had a remarkable life that spanned 97 years. Born in England in 1922, he sailed across the Atlantic at the age of 12 with his mother to Canada where they settled in Edmonton. In 1941 at the age of 19, Bryan enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force as part of Canada’s war effort. He trained in Manitoba as a pilot to fly Wellington bomber aircraft and was soon dispatched to England to join No. 458 Squadron whose primary role was to seek out enemy shipping in the Mediterranean. Bryan was stationed in England, Malta, Gibraltar and Egypt and in 1943 was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross by King George VI. Following the war, Bryan enrolled in the civil engineering program at UBC. In the summer of 1949, while working in Creston, BC on a survey crew, he met his lifelong love and soulmate, Joan Anderson. They married in November 1950 and two children Dennis and Peggy then followed. Bryan’s career as a civil engineer working at aluminium smelters, powerhouses and hydroelectric projects took the young family from one side of the country to the other, including stops at Kitimat, Kemano, Montreal, Castlegar, Victoria and finally in 1977, Vancouver where Bryan and Joan moved to their present home in Ambleside. In retirement he pursued his love of golf and gave tirelessly of himself to activities at the West Vancouver Presbyterian Church and a variety of endeavours directed to the memory of those who served in the armed forces, including being one of the driving forces behind the creation of Veteran license plates. Bryan will be remembered as a calm, kind and gentle man who was devoted to his family. Nothing pleased him more than Sunday night dinner discussions with the grandchildren regarding current sporting and political events of the day. The family wishes to thank his caregivers over the past year, the medical staff at Lions Gate Hospital and Dr. Haaf and Christine for their kindness. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at West Vancouver Presbyterian Church on December 6 at 1:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Bryan’s memory to a charity of your choice.
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