It is with great apprehension and sorrow that we announce the passing of Doug Jamieson of Quesnel, BC.
Born in Princeton, Doug spent his very early childhood in Comox where his Army dad was stationed, then grew up in Salmon Arm, BC, the oldest of 35 cousins. There he enjoyed an idyllic, adventurous youth filled with rock-hounding, fishing, and crow-taming, as well as many sports including lacrosse and basketball. Following high school, Doug spent one year employed as a plumber’s helper under the tutelage of his dad Jack and uncle Roland Jamieson and also working at the Canoe sawmill. However, he soon decided that university might be a better trailhead for his life’s path, and headed south to begin studies at UBC. His dad dropped off his country-boy son at his Vancouver boarding house with the concise parting words: “Write to your mother. I’ll see you at Christmas.”
After marrying his university sweetheart Helen in Vancouver in 1966, the lovebird teachers moved to Quesnel in 1967 supposedly for one or two years! In 1973, they became parents to Paula, Colin in 1975, Lana in 1978. Helen was a stay-at-home mom for 8 years, while Doug dedicated his 35-year career to teaching Social Studies and coaching girls basketball, first at Cariboo Junior School, then at Maple Drive Junior Secondary. Over the years, Doug earned the reputation for being a generous, fair and humorous educator. He was the attested mentor to many basketball players on the Maple Drive Raiders team. He also returned to ‘school’ to complete his Master of Education degree at Gonzaga University while still involved with teaching, coaching and parenting. Life was very busy.
Doug and Helen both retired from full-time teaching in 2002, and soon began dividing their time between volunteering for the Quesnel-Shiraoi Twinning Society, travelling around the world, and fawning over their growing collection of grandchildren. Wherever they were, Doug could almost always be seen with a map or a Lonely Planet book in his hands.
In January 2017, Doug and Helen were in a motor vehicle collision that would result in Doug requiring a lengthy hospital stay. In the early morning hours of Saturday, May 27, Doug passed away in hospice with Helen at his side. Doug was predeceased by his parents Jack (1994) and Eveline (1985), his beloved sister Carolyn (2016); and his closest friends Ted Thompson and Case deVries. He will be missed by his wife Helen; children: Paula (Chris Cunin), Colin (Jane Spalding), Lana (Karl Lerbscher); grandchildren: Jack (18), Charlotte (13), Ashton (8), Etienne (5), Jules (3); also by his brother Ken (Pamela); brothers-in-law Charles Reum and Steve Zoobkoff; nieces, nephews, many cousins, and friends...especially childhood friends Nick Barillaro, Bernie Kahlert, Ken Dahl, and Charlie McCarthy.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Correlieu Secondary Gymnasium on Saturday, June 17th at 2:00 pm. Interment will be held in Salmon Arm on July 28, 2017, returning Doug to his parents on what would be his 75th birthday.