1931 – 2020
BERKHOUT, Antonie Dirk Jan (Tony)
April 26, 1931- November 11, 2020
It is with gratitude for a life well lived and for a peaceful ending that we advise that our Tony has passed away. As a husband, father, grandpa, brother, uncle and friend – he was ever so unique. He was generous with his skills and time and a perfectionist in his trade with an incredible work ethic. He showed his big heart through the help he gave rather than spoken words and never said no to a request for help. There was nothing the man could not build, fix or figure out and his energy was endless.
Tony is survived by his dear wife Nora, his daughters Taya (Mike) and Karen (Derek), his grandchildren Simon and Lindsay, all of whom he was so proud. He also leaves sisters-in-law Heleen Berkhout and Valerie Beamer, nieces and nephews Leslie Morris, Don (Deb) McArthur, Randy (Shannon) Morris in Canada and Sandra, Ariette, Jeroen (Yvonne), Rebecca (Jonathan), Judith (Leon), Floris (Ildiko) and Lotte (Ramon) Berkhout in Holland. The third of four boys, Tony was predeceased by his brothers Meint, Fries and Carl. He was blessed with so many dear friends, colleagues and neighbours, many who’ve been so helpful and generous with their time and assistance in his last years.
Tony was born in Wisch in the Netherlands, the namesake of Dr. A.D.J. Berkhout, and grew up in Den Haag. WWII had a huge impact on him as a boy and his resourcefulness grew out of necessity in times of scarcity. After attending trade school, he came to Canada at the age of 19 in search of a better life and trained as an industrial electrician. A member of Local 993 of the IBEW, he loved the big industrial projects and worked many years on big power and pulp projects helping to build the infrastructure of the Province of BC and beyond. He finally retired at the age of 75 and in 2019 was honored with the presentation of his 65-year pin.
He met his wife of 61 years in Prince George, unknowingly set up on a blind date by mutual friends. Seemingly unimpressed with the meddling he waited a few weeks and then called her himself and they married in 1959. They settled in Kamloops to work and raise their family with most of the years spent in a house they built along the North Thompson. Tony enjoyed many years of outdoor adventures, skiing at Tod Mountain, cross-country skiing and canoeing with a wonderful tightknit group of friends who really knew how to laugh and have fun. The annual Johnson Lake boys retreat was replete with beer pancakes and poker games each May long weekend. His absolute love of fishing peaked when Tony nabbed the biggest Chinook salmon of the season at a whopping 55 lbs. and earned the title of Master Fisherman at Peregrine Lodge.
While he disliked flying, he loved to travel and the two had many trips abroad, spending many weekends camping and fishing throughout the Southern Interior and the US and leaving their kids free to have house parties. He loved Oscar Peterson and Errol Garner and, on weekends would wake up his young kids with “Swing Session” cranked on CBC radio.
The staff at RIH and Ponderosa were especially kind and made his last days comfortable.
Memorial services are not possible until the pandemic abates, but the family would love to receive your memories, stories and photos.
No flowers are needed but Tony would be delighted if you caught a fish in his memory.
Offer Condolence for the family of Antonie Dirk Jan (Tony) Berkhout
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Antonie Dirk Jan Tony Berkhout..
Death notice for the town of: Kamloops, Province: Colombie britanique
To Tony’s family; I’m so sorry to hear of his passing.I had visited Tony in the past month and he seemed to be doing fine , I called his home several weeks later to arrange another visit and Nora told me Tony had had a fall and was in the hospital as he had injured his back and shortly after was sent to Ponderosa for recuperating. I was surprised and sorry to hear he had passed .Unfortunately during this pandemic visiting was not allowed . My most sincere condolence to his family. Robert Beauchemin