Obituary – Alvin Douglas Parker, 75

August 25th, 1935 – May 21st, 2011

Al was raised in Hanna, AB, until June 1952 (age 17) when he and his brother Frank travelled to Fort Nelson, BC, to find work for the summer. The federal government department of national defense (DND) was building a new complex called Muskwa Garrison, so that the Army could support the maintenance of the Alaska Highway more efficiently. There were lots of jobs available and he and Frank got hired immediately. At the end of the summer, the family decided that instead of going back to Hanna, Al and Frank would go back to school in Dawson Creek and board at the dormitory there. In the spring, they went back to Fort Nelson and again worked at the Muskwa Garrison project. In 1956, Al married the love of his life, Kathe. Children began with Lois in 1959, followed by Barbara in 1961, Elizabeth in 1963 and Alvin in 1964, and they quickly became his second love. Al continued to work for DND doing many different jobs from packer to helper to purchasing agent until 1964 when the Department of Public Works (DPW) took over the maintenance of the highway. Al didn’t like the look of all the changes coming so he left DPW and went to work for Westcoast Transmission Company who were building a natural gas processing plant at Mile 285 of the Alaska Highway. This job lasted for 6 1/2 years at which time he left the gas plant to build and operate his very own taxidermy shop and sporting goods store; Al’s childhood dream. Al and Kathe named it Lobo Taxidermy because they used a picture of a howling wolf on the storefront and on all of the stationery. Al and Kathe both worked in the taxidermy shop until 2008 when they were able to sell the business and retire. Al had always wanted to have his own registered trapline and in 1979, the right one came up for sale. Soon he was the proud half owner of a trapline with partner Les Zohner from Powell River, BC. There followed many years of good times, extra income and lots of adventures on the line. Making gourmet meals out of wild game like grouse, rabbit, or roast of elk, deer steaks etc, was one of Al’s favourite pastimes. In 2009, Al started having problems with bruising and bleeding and low platelet count, which kept getting worse. In the spring of 2010, Al decided to build a new trapper’s cabin beside the old one at 12 Mile. The old cabin had been partly destroyed by a bear and was in rough shape. Al was very grateful for lots of help from family and friends and was able to move in ahead of winter. He used it for the 2010-11 trapping season. It was his pride and joy. In early May 2011, Al lost the use of his hip and was diagnosed with leukaemia. Following the diagnosis, Al, with the support of his family, decided not to undergo cancer treatment. He expressed the wish to “let nature take its course” and wished to return home to Fort Nelson and be made comfortable with pain control. Al passed away quietly with family present on Tuesday, May 31st, 2011. Love, wife Kathe, children Lois (Don) Turner, Barb (Gilbert) Chamberlain, Liz (Colin) McIsaac, Alvin (David Young) Parker, grandchildren Charman (Clint) Morey, Dustin (Andrea) Peters, Brad (Heather) Chamberlain, Johnny (Ashley) Peters, Kristin (Brayden) Sluggett, Travis (Jessie) McIsaac, and great grandchildren Tylar and Darwin Peters.

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