August 31, 2021
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Lynn Howard Pollard from prostate cancer on Aug. 31st, 2021 at age 75. Lynn was born in Sarnia Ontario, lived and worked in Ontario, Newfoundland and then moved to BC. Lynn and his wife Bobbie had two children Jennifer and Ben. After Bobbie's death Lynn married Jacquie Stinson.
Lynn was a well loved teacher in Surrey B.C. He was a dedicated naturalist and brought his knowledge and infectious enthusiasm into the classroom. He worked in therapeutic child care for a short time but then moved into intermediate classroom teaching for most of his career. His love of natural history and the outdoors along with his joyful smile and friendliness made learning accessible. He changed how many students saw the world.
Lynn had many interests. He loved the exuberance of contra dance and fiddle music. For years he danced, played piano in a small band, sang in a local choir, and hosted singalongs. He was a voracious reader, cryptic crossword master and played Lexulous faithfully until the end. He loved to travel locally and internationally especially to visit his Italian family in Genova Fio (Fede) Fassone and their children Giulia and Jacopo.
Lynn was deeply involved in environmental issues in his free time and did volunteer work before and after retiring from teaching. His early work was with the Western Canada Wilderness Committee and, after retirement, did considerable volunteer work in schools and in the field for Friends of Semiahmoo Bay as well as monthly walks for the City of Surrey, and shared leadership of Nicomekl Nature Kids. Lynn particularly enjoyed sharing his love of the outdoors with the younger generation, and as we all know, he was exceptionally good at it. He inspired us all. He had a profound start to his forest walks with children. Check out Lynn on the You Tube Channel. https://www.birdsonthebay.ca/post/naturalist-lynn-pollard-in-360
In lieu of flowers, and if you wish to participate and/or contribute in his name, we ask you to work towards progressive environmental concerns and a climate change policy. Of local concern in South Surrey is the rezoning of Little Campbell Watershed www.littlecampbellriver.org and in BC, old growth forest preservation. www.stand.earth. The organizations he supported consistently are Greenpeace and Western Canada Wilderness Committee.
Lynn will be dearly missed by his wife Jacquie Stinson, his children Jennifer Pollard (Serge Martins) and their daughter Kate, Ben Pollard (Jen McGowan) and their children Rowan and Sam, as well as Lynn's sisters June Pollard and Donna (Gene) McLeod, many nieces and nephews, and other relatives in BC and Ontario. He was predeceased by his parents, sister Verna McLellan and his first wife Bobbie.
Jacquie, Jenny, and Ben will be planning a Celebration of Life in the spring, hopefully May 22, 2023.
Contact rememberinglynnpollard@gmail.com to be linked in to the event if you have not already been contacted.