Alex Dodge passed away in GR Baker Hospital after a short, but valiant battle with cancer on July 31, 2007 at the age of 75. Alex was born September 3, 1932 in St Bartholomew’s Hospital in Lytton BC to Annie and James Dodge. His stay in the hospital was short lived as he and his mother were evacuated because of a fire at the hospital the day he was born. Alex grew up at the McKay family ranch in the Botanie Valley just east of Lytton. It was the times at the Ranch where his love of music and story telling became apparent. A few months short of High School Graduation saw Alex get his first full time job working for Emile Anderson Construction on the Trans Canada Highway construction job in the Fraser and Thompson Canyons. It was during this time that he met the love of his life, Frances Heard, from Ladysmith who was one of the new schoolteachers in town. Over the next few years, Alex and Fran followed the construction boom around southern BC as Alex worked on the Malahat Highway on the Island and the PGE railroad, Squamish to North Vancouver extension. While living in Langford, Furry Creek, Lytton and Boston Bar their first 3 children; Debbie in 1955, Mark in 1957 and Steve in 1959 were born at the Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster.
With a sizeable herd to haul around, Alex decided to seek out a less transient employer. He got his big break in 1962 when Westcoast Transmission in Savona hired him as a maintenance man. In 1964, while in Savona, their youngest child, Catherine, was born and a year later a promotion was offered to him at the Station in Australian, just south of Quesnel. The family settled in Johnston Subdivision and all the kids attended Carson Elementary School. The maintenance crew at Station 5 proved to be a who’s who of the north Cariboo as Alex was welcomed with open arms by Charlie Love, John Marsh, Dewey Lund, Lorne Redonents and others. 11 happy years later, in 1976, Alex accepted a promotion to Station Superintendent in Willow Flats, just west of Chetwynd. In 1982, Fran and Alex were moved again, this time to Fort St John where they stayed until his final move back to Australian in 1987. Since his retirement in 1990, Alex spent plenty of time catching up on gossip with the Cariboo Hotels table of knowledge Alumni where the fish invariably became bigger, the jobs tougher and the beer colder. On most summer days, you would find Alex and Fran fishing and overseeing improvements at the Cabin at McLeese Lake. The place just won’t seem the same without him. Alex is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Fran, daughter Debbie (Cy) Bryant of Hope, sons Mark (Kathy Sutton) of Fort St John, Steve (Alison) of Quesnel, daughter Catherine (Andy Thompson) of Ladysmith and brother Lloyd (Dorothy) of Lytton. He is also survived by his Aunt Nellie Russell of Lytton, grandchildren Sarah Bryant, Jacy, Joslyn and Joelon Dodge, David, Christine and Adam Young and Michael and Nicole Dodge. Great grandchildren Dominique, Tristan and Brooke Dodge and Hailey and Camryn Folk. The family would like to thank the nursing staff at the GR Baker and Royal Inland Hospital for their compassionate care and the Quesnal Palliative society for their support. A Celebration of Alex’s life will be held Friday August 10, 2007 beginning at 2 pm at the Legion Hall in Quesnel. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Canadian Cancer Society in Alex’s name.