July 23, 1929 - February 24, 2024
In Loving Memory ~
Born on the eve of the Great Depression and the 'dirty thirties', Alex would be impacted and influenced by those difficult times for the rest of his life. Third in a family of four children, cultural and economic difficulties shaped the honest, hardworking, intensely loyal, and frugal self-made man who left us for his eternal reward on February 24th.
Our father, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle, and lifelong friend lost his own father at the age of 11 in 1940. This brought more change, as he eventually had a stepbrother and a stepsister added to his family. He went from third in the birth order to fifth.
Alex's work career started in the coal mines in the Crowsnest Pass, followed by work at Kootenay Forest Products from 1953 until its closing for good in 1985. There is a good chance that the house you live in has lumber that he ran through the planer in his time there.
Alex leaves behind his three children, Bill (Lori), Lorna, and Verna (Bryan); three granddaughters, Francesca (Derek), Maria (Curtis), and Ashley (Roberto); and two great-grandchildren, Eli and Eva.
Alex was predeceased by his wife, Julia, in 2012, son-in-law Angelo in 2005, and grandson John in 2015. Alex was the last surviving sibling in his family of three siblings and two stepsiblings.
In his years he was an avid gardener and farmer, fisherman, hunter, forager, and provider for one and all. This was no doubt the result of his early years in difficult times.
You were always welcome at is house at four mile, and food and drink were generously and happily offered any time. He became famous for his Sunday morning pancake breakfasts, where we all knew the coffee, pancakes, bacon, and eggs were always ready on Sunday mornings. He earned and proudly wore the nickname Flap Jackson; "you can get anything that you want, at Flap Jackson's restaurant."
His love of the outdoors, whether it was fishing, camping, picking greens, berries, or mushrooms, and in his later years, hunting with Bill and his friends, also got him another moniker, Big Al the Hunters' Pal.
He will be missed by all those who crossed paths with him.
We also need to convey an enormous thank you to Mountain Lakes Seniors Home, which Alex called home for these last three years. All the staff (care aides, nurses, and doctors - especially Trevor Janz) that supported him with professionalism and class. To a person, these people are the best.
In lieu of flowers, in Alex's memory, the family requests that donations be made to the Angelo Mastrobuono Bursary Fund at the Osprey Foundation or the Kootenay Lake Hospital Foundation's Equipment Fund.
There will be a service held Saturday March 2nd at Thompson Funeral Services, 613 Ward Street, Nelson at 10am with the burial to follow at Nelson Memorial Park.
To leave a personal message of condolence please see Thompson Funeral Service website: https://www.thompsonfs.ca
Service Details
10:00 AM