Danks, Audrey Viola

Danks, Audrey Viola

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August 10, 1930 – October 21, 2020
at the age of 90 years

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Audrey is survived by her sons John (Christine), Bill (Bridget) and daughter Sandra (Dennis), grandchildren Christopher and Michael Danks, Raylene and JR Danks, Ericka and Thomas Blechingberg, Julia and Michael Casol, and great grandchildren Elliot, Jonathan and Samantha.

Audrey grew up in Copper Mountain, BC. She met her life partner John Danks in Victoria in 1948 and they married there in November 1949. They raised a family starting in May 1952 with the arrival of John junior. They moved to Kamloops six moths later. Bill and Sandra were both born there and Audrey called Kamloops home for the remainder of her life.

She and her husband travelled to England, France, Hawaii, Italy and Greece together and after John’s passing in February 1991, Audrey travelled to Alaska, Mexico, and cruised the Danube from Hungary To Germany.

Audrey’s family and friends were everything to her, and the last few months were very difficult for her due to the visitation constraints as a result of the Covid pandemic.

Her favourite charities were the Trans Canada Trail, the Heart and Stroke fund, BC Cancer Society and the Riverpole Project a gift to the city of Kamloops from donors. She was very proud of this project and worked tirelessly to see that this special piece of artwork was erected for everyone to observe and share.

She loved golfing, cross country skiing, curling, hiking, playIng bridge and gardenIng.

She touched many people in her lifetime and will be truly missed.

No service as per Audrey’s request. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to any of the charities mentioned above in the name of Audrey Danks name.

Ulmer, Richard “Rick” Baron

Ulmer, Richard “Rick” Baron

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July 7, 1943 – October 17, 2020
at the age of 77 years

It is with great sadness that the family of Richard Ulmer announces his sudden passing on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020, at the age of 77. Rick was born in Vancouver, BC on July 7, 1943 and along with his identical twin Bob, was one of five Ulmer boys.
Rick attended Aldergrove High School, where he and his brothers were notorious for getting into trouble, particularly on the school bus. After graduation Rick took college classes before beginning what would become a lifelong career in construction management.
In the winter of 1971 Rick was working on a project in Prince George when he had the good fortune to be set up on a blind date with Susan Bartleman. Despite a rocky first date, Rick continued to pursue Susan and less than a year later the two were married and starting a family.
In 1975, with two kids and another still to come, Rick and Sue settled on a 20-acre farm on Matsqui Prairie. During those years, Rick spent countless hours teaching his kids the values of hard work, dedication to family, and sacrifice.
The family moved to Kelowna in 1988 and settled into the community of Hall Road, where countless lifelong friendships were made by the Ulmers.
Though Rick had worked all across North America leading large construction projects and renovations in sawmills and mines, his most cherished professional accomplishment came in 2001 when he and Susan traveled to South Africa as part of an international team of experts put together by the United Nations to modernize the country’s sawmills.
Rick and Sue spent five incredible years in Sabie, South Africa before returning to Canada to build their dream home and retire at Mabel Lake. More recently, Rick and Sue had moved to Salmon Arm to be closer to their grandchildren and had the opportunity to enjoy their winters in Arizona with friends.
Rick spent his retirement years flying his beloved Cessna, gardening, handing out Werther’s to the grandkids, and most importantly, making Susan laugh every single day.
Rick will be forever remembered by his wife Susan, son Bradley (Colette), and daughters Sandra Major (David), and Christine.
He leaves behind three grandchildren: Peyton, Reese, and Tye, his brothers Howard (Darlaine) and Donald (Jacqueline), and numerous loving nieces and nephews. Rick’s parents Jean and Edward Ulmer predeceased him, as did brothers McClellan and Bob (Kirsten).
A celebration of Rick’s life will be held in the spring, or once gatherings are permitted again.

Smith, James Edwin

Smith, James Edwin

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October 29, 1931 – October 17, 2020
at the age of 88 years

A celebration of Dad’s life will be held at Carlin Hall, in the near future, when public health allows it. 

Jim as everyone knew him was born on the homestead in Meadow Lake, SK, the second in a family of seven kids to Thelma and Merritt Smith. No stranger to hard work, at 14 Dad was forced to quit school and work in the lumber camps to support the family after Granddad suffered a broken back. Dad met Irene Shepherd and married her in August of 1950. The marriage was fruitful as Mom gave birth to eight children in 11 years beginning with Kenneth, Douglas, Carolyn, Wallace, Alexander, Kathy, Robert and finally Allen.

Sad times befell our family with the loss of Sandy so they decided in 1961 to move to Salmon Arm from our home in Ontario. Dad always was a competent and confident man, never one to back down from a challenge. He constructed a plywood camper for our half ton and we drove 3600 kilometers with three boys in the back, Carol and baby Kathy up front with Dad and Mom carrying Rob.

Dad went to work logging to feed all those mouths plus brother Allen. A grader man back in Ontario, it was probably there that his love of all things Caterpillar yellow began. Our front yard was always adorned with some piece of equipment and it was in this element of machines and freshly turned dirt that Dad was happiest. His perennial scrap pile from which the most wondrous devices were built using salvage metal and repurposed thingamajigs was how Dad taught us the value of hard work, ingenuity and creativity.

He worked as a log scaler, welder, Millwright and carpenter over the years in addition to owning and operating numerous pieces of heavy yellow equipment. 

Playing guitar since a young lad, it gave him great delight to play aside his grandson Colin at the Carlin Hall coffee houses. Dad was a prime reason that the Carlin Hall was relocated rather than demolished as he and Mom, along with other community volunteers, worked very hard to ensure this historic building remained a vital center for the community which he had been a part of since 1962.

Too many years of hard work and injury took its toll on his mobility, so he quit running grader in his late seventies to concentrate on raising animals, but he still managed to repurpose metal into useful machines. 

Always joined at the hip and the heart, he and Mom celebrated their 70th anniversary this past August.  The only thing Dad loved more than Caterpillar yellow was our Mom so it was only fitting that she and others from our family were with Dad as he gently slipped away from a life well lived in a community of people that respected and valued his contributions to so many others. 

Dad, you did a good job of raising and providing for us and now its time to take a rest but I can’t help thinking you are pushing a road somewhere, diesel smoke in your face and the sound of creaking tracks in your ears waiting for Irene to cook you up some pancakes.