Dad died peacefully at home on December 22, 2021 spending his last few days surrounded by family. Born in Victoria at St. Joseph’s Hospital on September 25, 1936 to Sohan Singh and Beant Kaur Basi, Dad was one of 4 children.
Predeceased by his sister Bibi and sister-in-law Geri, he is survived by his wife Raghubans, children Ron (Gwen), Teri, Rob (Chris), and Kim; grandchildren Jenna (Stacey), Cameron, Ryan, and Graham. He will be greatly missed by family members and his many friends.
Dad grew up on Market Street spending the majority of his youth hanging out with his brothers (and best friends) Kirp and Jerry. At the age of 8, sitting on a block of wood with blocks on the pedals, Dad started to drive his father’s ’42 Dodge wood truck. He got caught occasionally, each time costing his father a bottle of rye when he was picked up from the police station. In his youth he developed lifelong meaningful friendships growing up with members of the East Indian community while working around the mills and lumber yards in Greater Victoria. Dad attended SJ Willis in grade 8 (for two years) where he learned that if you bought your teacher cigarettes, they were obliged to share them with you. He learned how to smoke in the metal shop. At 14, his first job was as a stencil boy at Highway Sawmills and then at Plumper Bay when he was 16, where he drove a lift truck loading lumber on his father’s truck using a sling rather than forks. At the end of his second grade 8 year he started truck driving for Ideal Fuel, however, it wasn’t until Dad turned 21 that he actually got his license. In the following years he was considered to be one of the best two-stick gear jammers around. He and Mom married on February 23, 1958. He worked for Ideal Fuel until 1984 when the company, as Dad would say, went belly up; and then Doman’s and Blue Star. He retired in 2001. Not one to mince words, Dad will be remembered as an upbeat, to the point, caring guy who’d give you the shirt off his back. With his blue-collar upbringing he knew where he came from and how to command a room with his stories and humour.
He loved his grandchildren, niece, nephews, and had an incredibly soft spot for animals.
With consideration to the current Covid-19 situation, a private Funeral Service will be held. A recording of the service will be available on Thursday on Gurdial’s obituary page at www.mccallgardens.com.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Royal Jubilee Hospital: Heart Function Clinic, 1952 Bay Street, Victoria, BC V8R 1J8
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Gurdial Basi September 25 1936 December 22 2021..
mccall gardens funeral and cremation service
Death notice for the town of: Victoria, Province: Colombie britanique