WILLIAM RICHARD DOYLE
May 11, 1936 - September 8, 2017
It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved Father and Grandfather during the early morning hours of September 8, 2017. Dad passed away peacefully at home as he wished following a year-long battle with esophageal cancer. Dad was born in Islay, Alberta on May 11, 1936.
He is survived by his children Brent (Korina), Dawn (Delano) and Michael (Reta) and their Mother, Adeline together with his Grandchildren Bradley, Kelsey, Paige Jillian and their mother Nancy, Joseph, Tyler and Paige Cory and Great Grandchildren Khloe, Maria, Jaxen and Bradley.
Dad is also survived by his sisters Eileen and Amy and brother Pat.
He was predeceased by his parents, Bill and Dorothy Doyle and his oldest sister Donna and her husband Bruce.
Dad and Mom met in Pouce Coupe, BC and their first year of marriage was spent in the wilds of Dease Lake, BC where Dad worked for Bruce Rome Construction on the construction of highway 37 from the Alaska highway to Dease lake where he met his best friend for life, Don Stamer.
Brent was born in Lower Post at the residential school infirmary, as hospitals were few and far between. Dawn was born the following year in Fort Nelson as this had become Bruce Rome's base of operation as it was the access point to the rivers which was the transportation route into the north. There were no roads, other than in the winter when the ground was frozen. Michael was the last to arrive. He was also born in Fort Nelson.
Dad later became a partner in Bruce Rome Construction, which worked all over the north, including the high arctic constructing the early warning defense system (Dew Line), They grew to be one of the largest barging companies to run the Mackenzie river. They were purchased by Bralorne resources and eventually bought out by foreign players. Richard, didn't want to work for a large company and chose to be bought out and start his own company along with Ev Larson, they built a successful construction company, Kledo Construction Ltd. Kledo Construction continues today as a family-run company with second and third generation Doyles.
Dad was an entrepreneur and went on to form another company called Coal river maintenance, which maintained the Alaska highway. He loved this group of people he partnered with. Ev Cantlon and Ben Parker, as well as his other partner Ev Larson.
He also started an airplane company with Glen Gulakson, whom was Bruce Rome's pilot. The company was known as Glen Air.
Dad retired at the young age of 55. He spent some time in Vancouver and Kamloops and Calgary but after a few years he wanted to see the world not as a tourist but as an expat. He moved to Beirut where his good friend, Andrew Schuck (an ex-mayor and lawyer in Ft. Nelson) had relocated. Using Beirut as his base Dad travelled to most of the Middle Eastern countries. When the civil wars started to escalate he moved on to South Africa and then Australia. He spent a short period of time in New Zealand but found it a little too cold for his taste.
Dad found his paradise in Costa Rica where he wintered for the past 17 years. His contentment was found in the little fishing village of Sonoma where he met Mayella was embraced with love by the Costa Rican people. Through his sickness all he wanted was to go back and sit in the sun.
Our families were lucky enough to spend our summers during the past 25 years at our cottage on Shuswap Lake. Dad worked tirelessly maintaining the cottage so that his family could come and enjoy the beauty of the lake.
Dad's final year was spent at his home in White Rock where his life-long friend Don Stamer was a daily visitor.
A memorial service will be held in Ft. Nelson in October.
Dad's urn will be interred in the Doyle Family plot in Calgary on his birthday in May.
In lieu of flowers donations to the Canadian Cancer Society in Richard's memory would be appreciated.
REST IN PEACE DAD - you will be forever missed and loved.