Grahame Fallon Francis Quakenbush
January 7, 1933 - September 29, 2017
Grahame passed away unexpectedly on September 29th at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria.
He is pre-deceased by his beloved wife Marie and survived by his sister Katherine Carlson (Our beloved Auntie Kippy); his children Susan Carley (Chuck), Peter Quakenbush (Donna), Tracey True (Gerry), Ann Stephenson and Andrew Quakenbush (Olivia); and his many adored grandchildren, great-grandchild, nieces and nephews. We are a blended family (some with our own blended families) but he loved us all and made us one family.
Grahame was born in Vancouver, BC, the youngest of 10 children where he attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School. He and Dorothy (mother of Susan, Peter and Andrew) were married from 1955 to 1972.
Grahame served as an airplane mechanic in the Canadian Armed Forces which cemented a lifelong interest in planes. He studied business at Vancouver Community College and owned a number of small businesses before settling in as the Director of Housekeeping, Laundry and Linen Service for the Greater Victoria Hospital Society.
While working in the hospital, Grahame met his beloved Marie (mother of Tracey and Ann) and they were married in 1988. He later started his own commercial laundry - Vancouver Island Linen Supply. After selling the company, he and Marie retired as successful business people to Cobble Hill and later Ladysmith where he became involved in the Mt. Brenton Golf Club, ultimately serving as Club President.
After Marie's passing, Grahame spent much of his time with his family and travelling to visit friends and see new places, often with his beloved dog Charlie at his side. An avid golfer, Grahame shot his only hole-in-one as an octogenarian and golfed his age on several occasions in the last few years of his life. He also participated in the BC 55+ Games and represented BC at the Canada 55+ Games in Brampton, Ontario in 2016 where he won a bronze medal. He was hardworking and possessed of a strong personality.
Throughout his life he never stopped learning and his family was more important to him than anything else. Grahame was a special man, deeply loved by his family and friends.
A celebration of his life will be held on Sunday, October 22nd from 1 pm to 4 pm at the Royal Colwood Golf Club in Victoria.
His family asks that donations be made to the BC Heart and Stroke Foundation or the BC 55+ Games in lieu of flowers.
Online condolences can be made at www.hwwallacecbc.com