Kenneth Robert Broadland

Ken was born on December 8, 1947, in Vancouver, BC. His family moved to Victoria briefly and then to Kamloops where they lived through Ken’s elementary school years. In 1962 they moved back to Victoria where Ken attended Lansdowne school before graduating from Mount Douglas Secondary in 1966. He played all-star hockey as a goaltender all through his school years. He went on to earn a B.Sc. in Geography (Resource Management) from U.Vic. in 1970. He met his future wife Jan in first-year Chem Lab at U.Vic. and the couple was wed in Duncan in February of 1971.

Ken spent most of his working life as a BC government employee, timber-cruising and doing park planning in the summers of 1968-72. He began his long career as a Conservation Officer in Port Alberni in 1973, where he worked for five years before transferring to Duncan. He was the District C.O. in the Cowichan area from 1978 until his retirement in 2002.

Ken’s main source of happiness, besides his family, was working with wood. He built two log homes for his family, the first at Sproat Lake near Port Alberni and the second, “Heartwood House”, near Duncan. He began his 30-year woodturning passion in 1992 and this grew to become his second career, evolving into a home-based business. He sold his wooden salad bowls, spoons and other wood products at craft fairs and retail outlets on Vancouver Island, then in 2008 he built “Heartwood Studio” on his home property and welcomed visitors from all over the world to share his love of wood. Ken was also a past member of both the Cowichan Artisans and Visions Art Studio Tour groups, where he met many outstanding local artists and artisans.

Ken leaves behind his cherished family: wife Jan of 53 years, son Dean (Holly) Broadland and grandchildren Ash and Eleanor, sister Cathie Lane, brothers David Broadland (Leslie Campbell) and Doug (Mary) Broadland, nieces Sarah (Andre) Sullivan, Katie Lane, Erin Broadland, Tara (Jeremy) Martin and Abbey Broadland. He also leaves his “second family”, sister-in-law Sharon Stubbs (Dennis Hykawy), nephews-in-law Brent (Kim) Stubbs and Greg Stubbs, niece-in-law Robyn (Michael) Orr, plus several great-nieces and great-nephews. He also leaves his best friends and former C.O. work-mates Jamie (Helen) Stephen and Gary (Sarah) Horncastle as well as several other close friends. He loved you all.

Ken goes to join his beloved daughter Lori Lynn (who died in 1987 at the age of 7), parents Bob and Pat Broadland and parents-in-law Ron and Irene Cates.

Our heartfelt thanks to Ken’s head oncologist, Dr. Sean Addison, to the dedicated Cowichan District Hospital Chemo Unit team and to the local Island Health Palliative Care team for their kind and professional care. Ken bore his illness with dignity, stoicism and a sincere appreciation for those who were helping him.

A memorial gathering for family and close friends will be held in November. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Ken’s memory to the BC Children’s Hospital to help children suffering from cancer.