Allan Roy Harper

Allan Roy Harper passed away on 28 July 2023 in Campbell River Hospital after a long illness and is now free of pain. He was born 9 Sept 1947 in Victoria, BC, son of Wilfred and Kitsie (Metcalfe) Harper. He grew up with his two sisters experiencing the outdoors to the fullest: beachcombing, hiking, camping, swimming, & rockhounding on Vancouver Island, the interior of BC and the Olympic Mountains of Washington state.

Music was a big part of Allan’s life and he learned to play piano as a child then taught himself the guitar. He went back to the piano and had an electric one on which he composed his own music sometimes playing at pubs. Allan was a lighthouse keeper 1968 - 1972 on Race Rocks, Ivory Island and Pine Island with his young family. He was good with his hands and, with a partner, ran a small business in Royston (The Gingerbread Factory) where he made rough cedar products, 1973-74. Later he had work renovating a small restaurant to a cedar motif. Later in his life, he worked at marinas, repairing and refinishing boats for marina clients. Allan bought a boat big enough to live on and did so from about 2011 at Cowichan Bay, Port MacNeil and finally Quadra Island on his second boat the Escalante II. Allan was an avid reader of books about coastal history, geology, crop circles and UFOs. Those who knew him will remember him as a great storyteller.

His life changed for the worse in November 2022 when he suffered a health crisis and spent his last months in hospital care. Allan is predeceased by his parents and sister Judy and survived by his sons Tony (Penticton) and Neil (Elisa)(Nanaimo), daughter Lina (Ottawa), sister Susan (Laureen) (Victoria), 5 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild. Allan was also close to his cousin, Vivian who lived many years in Oroville, Washington. The family wishes to thank Emergency Services, Royal Jubilee Hospital, Campbell River Hospital and Home Support staff for his care. Donations can be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation in his name.