PORTER, Cyril Robert
Cyril (Cy) is survived by his wife, Helen Maxine Sherwood-Porter, daughters Kerrie (Denny), Stephanie (Mike), sons Kim (Cheryl) and Russ (Arlene,) grandchildren Trisha, Shannon, Sarah, Joshua, and Kyle and great-grandchild Lily.
Cy was born in Old Town Alberni, B.C. of parents Grace and Alfred Pridham. Both parents died while he was a young boy and he went on to live with Reverend R.D. Porter and his wife Vivian, who loved and educated him. The Porters moved to Mayne Island in 1930 where Bob Porter ministered on five islands while the family lived on Mayne.
One of Cy’s long time Boy Scout friends while at School in Victoria was the late Pierre Berton, Canada’s foremost author who introduced him to Yukon Territory in 1937. Cy waited tables on White Pass & Yukon Route sternwheelers for a season, during which time Mrs. Porter passed away. The sternwheelers carried Cy from Carcross, introducing him to an astonishingly beautiful homestead at the head of Tagish Lake known as “Ben-My-Chree,” which would play a large part later in his life.
Cy joined the Canadian Army in 1939, serving overseas in England, France, Belgium and Holland, returning to marry his sweetheart Helen Patricia Wilson in Victoria in 1946. The two enjoyed many adventuresome years, during which Pat presented two daughters and two sons to her happy husband.
During their married years Cy worked for the Cowichan Leader, Duncan, as an Assessor for the Municipality of North Cowichan, Manager of Sunny Brae Dairy Ltd, Assistant Manager for Victoria Chamber of Commerce, Assistant Commissioner for Victoria & Island Publicity Bureau, Victoria Automobile Club, Greater Vancouver Convention Manager, and published a number of trade journals. With four partners, he developed and sold oceanfront real estate in the Gulf Islands, along the B.C. Coast and into the Yukon and Alaska as owner of Pacific Shore Realty Ltd. Eventually, Pat and Cy purchased the long-admired acreage on Tagish Lake, Yukon, 158 acres of pristine wilderness known as “Ben-My-Chree.”
Married 60 years, Pat and Cy lived and travelled in many places throughout BC,winding up in the Comox Valley, where Pat passed on in December 2002. Cy carried on, writing many books on the North and his favourite Gulf Islands, moving to Parksville in 2004, where he married Maxine, his gracious loving companion.
A public Memorial Service was held Saturday August 30th, 1:00 pm, at the chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-Day Saints, 591 Arbutus St., Qualicum Beach.
FIRST MEMORIAL FUNERAL SERVICES - NANAIMO
250-754-8333