January 7, 1947 - November 19, 2024
In Loving Memory ~
Gordon Stein, aged 77, of Nelson, British Columbia passed away peacefully on November 19, 2024, at Kootenay Lake District Hospital in Nelson. Gordon was born on January 7, 1947, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to Rhoda and Eric Stein and was sibling to older brother Walter and younger sister Marie.
In his youth Gordon spent many happy times outdoors with his family and grandparents as they all enjoyed camping and travelling; a favourite spot being on Jackfish Lake near North Battleford. Through these early adventures he developed a lifelong interest and appreciation of nature.
Gordon received his education at the University of Manitoba graduating with a degree in civil engineering. His enthusiasm for the outdoors led him to begin his career in northern Manitoba where his adventures included riding a moose during a canoe trip. After moving to the West Kootenay region, he then opened his own firm in Nelson, Intermountain Engineering and Surveying, which he operated for many years.
Gordon was an adventurous and thoughtful person with many interests. With an engineer's mind, he understood how things worked so was able to fix, mend or build most things and especially enjoyed woodworking. He was the intrepid Captain of the sailboats "Larks Vomit" and "Catspaw" and spent many hours sailing and camping on Kootenay Lake.
He climbed many local mountains with the Kootenay Mountaineering Club and is listed as a member of the first groups to traverse various mountain ranges in the area. Gordon, his wife Janene and son Colin, spent many enjoyable summers travelling in their RV and camping in the local area as well as in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Washington.
Gordon also had a strong sense of social responsibility to the community and was a Director with the Nelson Credit Union, supported the beginnings of the Kootenay Co-op, and was the Treasurer for the Harrop Hall until his passing. A favourite of all his volunteer efforts was working every summer for many years to help restore the McVittie surveyor's cabin in Fort Steele.
Although a quiet man, Gordon had an exceptionally witty sense of humour. He had a saying for every situation such as "It is possible to have an unexpressed thought," or "No fight is as vicious as when the stakes are small." He enjoyed discussing the state of the world with his friends and family.
Naming his first sailboat the "Larks Vomit" shows his sly sense of humour and love of Monty Python. He cherished his pets and traveled with the cremated remains of the family's dogs, Bonnie and Lucky.
Gordon is survived by his wife Janene, daughters Rachel and Martha and their families and son Colin as well as his siblings Walter (Tessie), Marie (David Baird) and their families. He had many long-time friends who will miss him greatly.
Gordon requested no memorial service and for his remains to be scattered in the places he loved. He would be pleased if you would remember to - cherish the beauty of this area; leave a place better than when you found it; take time to prepare delicious (and often spicy) food and volunteer where needed. If you get a chance to have an adventure along the way, it's even better.
For more information and to leave a message of condolence, please see the Thompson Funeral Service website at https://www.thompsonfs.ca