It is with sadness that the community of Seymour Arm bids farewell to Alf Daniels, the last member of a generation that was of one of the original homesteading families at the north end of Shuswap Lake.
Alf spent most of his life in Seymour Arm working at everything from trapping, logging, guiding, running a sawmill, building forest roads, cattle ranching and working for Fisheries and Parks. His final endeavor saw him become a small business owner dispensing gas, groceries and sound advice from Daniels’ Store and Marina, a floating store that operated all year round despite a small customer base and the long, bone-chilling winters. The ‘store’ was a place that folks could gather for a small purchase and a long conversation on anything.
The community of Seymour Arm was a very important part of Alf’s life and while he usually chose to avoid the limelight he did find ways to support the community through other means. The community hall and ‘upper’ ball field were built on land donated by the Daniel’s family and the gravity-fed community water system was originally conceived and then built in partnership with the Daniels’ brothers, Ernie and Alf.
Thanks to a local organization called AWE (Aging With Ease), Alf was able to remain in Seymour Arm up to his last days. He even kept one of the best fruit and vegetable gardens going up to the end… until a mother bear and two cubs helped themselves to all the carrots and parsnips. Gardening was always an adventure and a challenge for Alf in the Arm.
Alf was pre-deceased by his ‘tough-as-nails’ parents Vern & Nellie, his brothers Ernest, Arnold and Albert (Abbie), his sisters Violet (Hamilton) and Shirley (Quast), and his nephew Randal Quast. He is survived by his nephews Arnold and Jack Hamilton, Rick and Leroy Daniels, and his favourite (and only) niece Shari Bachynski (Quast), as well by as a host of great nephews and nieces.
Thanks go out to all the community members who made Alf’s life comfortable and meaningful at the end, in particular Sue Kyle and Lorraine Thompson, to the AWE association for setting up a support system, to Dr. Welder who kept him going into ripe old age, to Lillian and Gary who supplied much-needed and appreciated in-home care in the last few months, to the medi-vac and ambulance crews who braved the weather and roads to ferry Alf out a few times, the Kamloops hospital staff who made his last few days peaceful, and to all the friends, relatives and neighbours who were so supportive along the way.
Alf will always be remembered as being a ‘foundational’ member of the community of Seymour Arm and his memory will be cherished by those whom he touched with his humour and his kindness.
A memorial in Alf’s honour will be held at the Seymour Arm community hall on Wednesday 09 August 2017, starting at 2pm. All welcome.