Lawrence and Betty (Hansen) Lund
Our Dad, Lawrence Gilbert Lund, age 84, passed away June 20th, 2019. He was pre-deceased by our Mom and his wife of nearly 60 years, Elizabeth Beatrice (Betty) Lund on March 16th, 2018 at the age of 76. They are survived by their three children Lawry (Colleen), Rhonda(Gary) and Peter (Rona), eight grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
Dad grew up on his family’s farm in Canoe, BC and applied the pioneering skills and work ethic learned from his parents to opportunities in logging and worked in the local sawmill piling lumber and then as a sawyer.
Mom was born in Fort St. John and early in her life moved with her family to Salmon Arm. She loved horses, trained to be a hair dresser and also worked for a short time at the hospital in Salmon Arm as a cleaner. After a brief courtship, they married on November 8th, 1958. Over the next four and a half years they had three children and lived in a small one room cabin on a parcel of land overlooking the Lund family farm.
Dad, was often away logging, so took a job closer to home at the Enderby Hotel. Soon after, the hotels owners sold and moved to Smithers having bought the Hudson Hotel. Dad was invited to come work for them and in 1966 they moved to Smithers leaving large families and close friends behind. As difficult as that was, both agreed it was the best move they ever made meeting and making many lifelong friends and neighbors in the community.
Mom and Dad worked at many jobs during their lives and were both known for their abilities, work ethic and generosity.
Mom worked as a meat wrapper at Overwaitea, as a printer at See-Moore Printing, as a teller and head teller at the Royal Bank, and then onto running various equipment at the West Fraser Sawmill, retiring from that only to start her own home painting business. In keeping with her “I can do anything attitude” at the age of 70 she organized and led a family expedition over the Chilcoot trail. She conquered the summit but was unable to complete the hike due to a medical issue.
Dad worked in the hotel, the BC Government Liquor Store and then resumed working in the lumber industry at the West Fraser Mill. He began piling lumber but quickly moved to lumber grading, then as a foreman, and then ended up applying his knowledge and math skills to the Quality Control position until his retirement at the age of 55.
Together they loved cutting wood, clearing and brushing properties, fixing up houses and at every opportunity had a nice fire going to sit around during breaks.
Our memories though are far less about what our parents worked at or accomplished. They undoubtedly worked hard and did accomplish many things but those things quickly fade.
Who they were as people, friends, neighbors and more importantly as our parents and grandparents will last and be the legacy remembered and lived. They were an example to us of integrity, compassion, diligence, commitment, honesty, grace, humility, humor and most importantly love. As we dust off old pictures and photo albums we get a glimpse and often tearful reminders of how important family was to them and what an incredible example their lives were to us.
We love you and will miss you Mom, Dad, Grampa, Gramma and will do our best to honor your lives with ours.
Our family wishes to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Dr. Jodi Preto, and the nurses, caregivers, friends and neighbors who helped Mom and Dad so much. Smithers is a blessed community because of you and we are truly thankful for the quality of care you all give our community day in and day out.
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Lawrence Gilbert Lund June 23 1935 June 20 2019 (age 83)..
Décès pour la Ville: Smithers, Province: Colombie britanique