July 19, 1941 to December 30, 2004
Louie was born and raised in Burns Lake, BC. He is predeceased by his father, Olof; mother, Violet; and sister, Esther. He is survived by his wife, Janet; son, Ole; daughter, Ellen (Rob); grand-daughters, Amy and Megan; brother, Ted; sisters, Helene (Frank) and Linda (Bob); brother-in-law, Don; and numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews, and friends.
Louie spent his adult life logging around Terrace, the Nass Valley, and Prince Rupert. Nothing made him happier than loading or unloading more trucks than he had the day before. He put the teapot on the Overwaitea Store in Terrace in the early sixties, helped build the road to Fred Wright Lake in the Nass Valley, put “Woodpecker Point” on the local map, helped build the Wedeene Mill in Prince Rupert, and put in the ramp to de-water wood at the Galloway Rapids Dryland Sortyard. In his own way, Louie the Loaderman left his mark on our history.
The last five years were hard for Louie as he battled Sarcoidosis. He was often frustrated that no one seemed to know anything about the disease and often expected him to be able to do more than he could. He had every reason to be angry with the way things were happening to him but he never was. He accepted what he had to and looked for the better side of things. He teased the Home Nursing Staff when they came and enjoyed the grand-daughters’ visit this Christmas.
Louie was just an ordinary person as we all are. But he was our ordinary person, good bad and all, and we loved him and will miss him. Sleep in peace, Louie, you were a “gentle” man. And from his girls, “We love you Grampa Burp, and we will miss you.”
Services were held in Burns Lake, BC, on Wednesday, January 5, 2005. In lieu of flowers, if you wish, a donation to the Northwest Loggers’ Association or the BC Lung Association would be greatly appreciated.
The forks are down,
The loader is still,
His work is done,
He has gone home.
Shaffer