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Former Salmo school trustee and coach dies

Art Field, the man the Salmo secondary school gym is named after, has passed away at 79.
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Art Field

The man the Salmo secondary school gym is named after has died.

Art Field, a longtime coach of Salmo sports teams who also represented the area for many years on the Kootenay Lake school board, was 79.

He served as school trustee for Salmo, Blewett, and Taghum for several terms totalling a dozen years until he was defeated in 2011.

Field was born in Port Alberni, grew up in East Vancouver, and attended the University of BC, where he excelled in varsity soccer and baseball and obtained degrees in physical education.

He taught in Kamloops, Vancouver, and at Macdonald College of McGill University before relocating to Salmo with his wife. He spent years coaching high school athletic teams as well as the Salmo Ski Racers, minor baseball, youth soccer, and men’s basketball.

He also played softball, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, and hockey.

When the new Salmo secondary opened in 2004, the gymnasium was named in his honour.

Field passed away on July 14 in Trail following a long struggle with diabetes and heart failure. He is survived by his wife Joan, one son, two daughters, and four grandchildren.