Bruce Gilbert BROADFOOT

Bruce Gilbert Broadfoot August 15, 1943 - July 30, 2005 Funeral arrangements by Sands Funeral Chapel (Duncan) On July 30, 2005, after a courageous 15-month battle with cancer, Bruce passed away peacefully at home, in Duncan, B.C., with his wife Margaret (fondly called Maggie by Bruce) and his daughter Sandra nearby. He was predeceased by his parents Archie and Edna (Lacoursiere) Broadfoot; brother Archie and sister-in-law Pam; brother-in-law Bill Houston; and his fatherand mother-in-law George and Joan (Willis) Mayer. Bruce will be sadly missed by his beloved wife Maggie (Bolitho nee Mayer); his son Allan (Naomi), of Duncan; his daughter Sandra (John), of Vancouver; his step-son Dean (Jeannie) Bolitho and his very precious grandchildren Courtney and baby Dalton, of Youbou; his sister Doreen Houston and his brother Bill, both of Victoria; several nephews and nieces; as well as Maggie’s sisters and brothers and their families. He is also survived by his children’s mother Linda (Jim), her parents and her siblings and their families of Comox, Campbell River and Vancouver – Bruce’s special extended family, the Nelsons. Born and raised in Victoria, Bruce began his working life with a brief stint at the Victoria Plywood Mill followed by a 33-year career with B.C. Tel (now Telus). He spent the late 1960’s, early 1970’s as the first lone District telephone man in the Tahsis/Gold River area, often travelling by boat or float plane to isolated logging camps to install/repair phone systems, before returning to Victoria in the mid-1970’s. While stationed in the Tahsis/Gold River area with B.C. Tel, Bruce also served as wharfinger, checking freighters for the Federal Government - a job he enjoyed as he met many people of different ethnic backgrounds. In July 1993, while responding to telephone complaints at the Duncan Access Centre, he met Maggie, who was working for the Ministry of Environment’s Conservation Officer Service. They married in October 1994. In summer 1994, Bruce had the opportunity of being part of installing the telecommunication systems for the Commonwealth Games held in Victoria. After retiring from B.C. Tel in late 1996, Bruce and Maggie settled into life on a small hobby farm in Duncan, with a few sheep, one dog and a growing number of cats, eventually planting a small vineyard in 1998. Although Bruce was retired, his need to be forever busy led him to work for Kinetic Construction on several school projects in the Cowichan Valley for about year; followed a short time later in 2002, as a Commissionaire providing security for DND in Victoria for about a year. Bruce, a kind and gentle man, loved to share – be it a story, some of his delicious freshly pressed apple juice or a bottle of home grown grape or apple wine with family and friends. He was never too busy to lend a helping hand. Although always striving to obtain more knowledge, Bruce was forever searching for his ever elusive keys!! Bruce loved to go steelhead fishing, work in his vineyard, spend time on his backhoe pulling stumps in the ‘back forty’, make apple juice, read a good book, tell a story, carry on an intellectual conversation, drive his restored Mustang or his newer Corvette, go to the pub for a cool one, or look skyward through binoculars at planes, helicopters and hang-gliders. But most of all, Bruce loved to spend time with his family and friends. “Many times we prayed for you and many tears we cried. If loving you could have saved you, Bruce, you never would have died.” Bruce’s family would like to thank Dr. Faulkner, the Cowichan District Hospital 2nd floor nursing staff, the Home Care Nurses and the Home Support Workers for their kindness and compassion afforded Bruce during his last few weeks which he was able to spend at home. A private family gathering was held August 1, 2005, at Sands Funeral Chapel, in Duncan. A Celebration of Bruce’s Life will be held in late August – date, time and location to be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in Bruce’s memory may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society, the Cowichan SPCA, or to a charity of your choice. Arrangements entrusted to Sands of Duncan.