October 21, 1936 - June 23, 2021
We are sorry to announce that another Nelson icon has passed on. Roger Allan Stallwood passed away suddenly in his home early in the morning of Wednesday, June 23, 2021. Roger was born in Calgary and moved to Nelson with his father and mother, James and Patricia Stallwood, when he was still a baby. For the first year of his life, Roger lived on his grandfather's fruit and chicken ranch just past the bridge on the North Shore before his parents rented a house on 4th street in Fairview and subsequently bought a house on Morgan Street close to Gyro Park. While Roger was attending elementary school at Hume Public School at the age of 8 or 9 his family was blessed with the addition of his sister, Lorraine. Roger was a member of the Nelson High School graduating class of 1954 and a few years later began an extensive career spanning over 35 years specializing in the installation and repair of commercial/business telephone systems in Nelson until he accepted early retirement in 1992. While he was still working for BC Tel Roger and his wife at that time sold their family home on Mill Street and bought a motel (now the Alpine), which they renamed from the Phillips Motel to the "Jolly Roger". After they sold the motel, Roger purchased and subsequently sold the BevAnne apartment building located on the corner of Stanley and Silica Streets, where he lived until he died.
Roger was a very unique and colourful character. It would be difficult to find anyone who has lived in Nelson for more than ten years who has not crossed paths with Roger at one time or another. He was notorious during his younger years for his reputedly reckless behaviour behind the wheel of what he constantly raved about as being the fastest motorcycle and the fastest cars in town. He was also renowned for his politically inappropriate (to say the least) rhetoric as well as his risky driving habits and for consistently "pushing the envelope". For example, Roger was on a first name basis with the border crossing guards for conveniently forgetting to declare certain imported goods. He would also routinely challenge his gas gauge just to prove he could drive a few more miles on empty and his passengers would often breath a sigh of relief upon arriving home safely after a terrifying roadtrip. Roger often came across as a grumpy old man, but those of us who managed to break through his crusty exterior found a love and tenderness which he preferred to keep hidden from the public eye.
Roger is survived by his sister, Lorraine Dvorak (John) of Sooke, BC, his son, Jaime Stallwood of Vancouver and a nephew, Jonathan Dvorak of Victoria, and his niece Kelly Dvorak (Jord Tanner) presently of Sooke. A Celebration of Life will be held at the Nelson Legion at a later date and the date and time will be advertised in this section of the Nelson Star.
No flowers or donations please but we are certain that Roger would appreciate it if you would raise a pint of beer or two in his memory.