Dan Boerma, 78 yrs old, passed away peacefully after a 7 month fight against 3 types of cancer.
Dan, born Albert Dan Boerma, was born and raised in Vancouver BC, attending schools in the Marpole area and graduating from Churchill Secondary School. In 1961 a draw was made for Dan’s date for his high school graduation and Barb’s name was pulled. After graduation, they went on more dates and eventually married June 6, 1964.
Dan completed many certificates in trades related to auto and marine mechanics, including teaching mechanics, and taught at BCIT. Dan was always into sports, playing roller hockey, swimming, gymnastics, ropes, boxing, football, soccer and baseball in the early days and then hockey, fastball, golf and refereeing became his passions. As well as playing sports, he refereed, umpired, and was a lifeguard.
He coached baseball, hockey, girl’s hockey, soccer, and softball for boys, girls, men and women of all ages.
He refereed ball hockey as well as hockey for all ages, including sometimes refereeing for the Old Timer Canucks.
Dan taught coaching, umpiring and refereeing and was referee chief for the tri cities for many years. He was president of leagues, on committees, was a scorekeeper, volunteer, timekeeper and prided himself on being a referee for CARHA, never missing specific tournaments each year for 35 years.
And if that wasn’t enough sports – he loved attending and watching all his kids play and taking others to enjoy games. He especially loved watching the Whitecaps, various baseball games and held season’s passes for the BC Lions and for the Canucks since the 1970’s, even had a few years with the Vancouver Blazers.
Dan was inducted into the Port Coquitlam Sports Hall of Fame this year as a builder for sports as he was instrumental in the starting of 3 Leagues – Girls Hockey in the tri-cities, the Coachman, and the Old Timer’s Hockey Leagues. Here is a link to the interview that was recorded after his brain tumour surgery:
www.pocosport.ca/dan-boerma-hall-of-fame-2021
Dan had a love for being together with others and didn’t want to miss out on any gathering. He enjoyed being with his family, friends and sports buddies. He loved to be on or in the water – any and all kinds of water sports and boats.
He had a good sense of humour and a giving heart. He was always helping others and giving of his time to help people move, fixing their cars or later windows and doors, driving and being a tour guide around Vancouver, or giving away his many “things” he had collected. He also loved to travel in any way possible, to anywhere possible, especially liking cruises in his latter years, of which he went on 17. He made it to most of the 50 US states, most of the Canadian provinces and to at least 40 other countries.
A mechanic by trade and for 25+ years, Dan sold his different service stations in the 1980’s and changed careers to build an architectural hardware business of sales and distributing to manufacturers of doors and windows. His mechanical awareness, experience and ingenuity helped to grow the business and service many customers, right up until the very end of his time with us.
No matter how busy Dan was he always took time to play with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren (and their pets), even when he was not well, he would play from his chair or his bed.
Predeceased by his parents Leonard Boerma and Gladys Boerma, his sisters Thelma and Linda and his half brother Bud (Boyd) Mason, Dan leaves many survivors. His wife of 57 years, Barb Boerma (nee Shaw), his 4 children & their spouses: Dana-Lee (Ian), Tambra (Brad), Keith (MC), Kevin (Diana), 15 grandchildren: Elisha (Kevin), Taynyn (Sam), Caleb (Marabeth), Westin (Ashley), Jenna (Simon), Reid, Shade (Natalia), Sarah, Zeallah, Heidi, Luke, Aubrianna, Levi, Lena, Leo, 11 great grandchildren, sister Vi (Jack), brother Bob (Sue), and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. He will be greatly missed by all.
A Celebration of Life will be recorded and held in Coquitlam BC on Oct. 19, 2021 at 2 pm. You can watch on You Tube that day – look up Albert Dan Boerma Memorial (@DBoermaMemorial)
Or click on this link:
rebrand.ly/191021-memorial
Please R.S.V.P. to rsvpdanboerma@gmail.com if you are interested in physically attending. Due to Covid restrictions and regulations we are limiting attendance and will abide by the current mandated guidelines at that time. After you R.S.V.P you will receive more info for attending.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Dan’s name to Crossroads Hospice in Port Moody, the Cancer Society or Port Coquitlam Sports Alliance (pocosport.com) are always appreciated.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Albert Boerma Monday September 13th 2021..
Death notice for the town of: Coquitlam, Province: Colombie britanique