Alan William Daniels

28 October 1941 – 11 June 2022

Alan Daniels, an exquisite wordsmith, quiet keen observer of the human condition, poet, journalist, author and global explorer was a dignified gentleman with an enormous appetite for humour, social respect and love of family.

Born in Bedford, U.K. he worked at several British newspapers honing his writing skills before departing for New Brunswick December 9, 1965 where he found newspaper employment at the Saint John Telegraph-Journal. But his thirst for travel with an inquiring mind saw him arrive in Vancouver which became his permanent home.

He found employment at The Province where his word skills became quickly acknowledged, as did his ability to take sometimes unpopular decisions regarding news and stick to them. He was right on most occasions.

The travel bug struck constantly during his life, which was egged on by a vivacious Vancouver girl Viire, with a lust for learning and adventure and eventually became a lasting and happy union and saw him take on the Amazon from the headwaters to the sea in a rather rickety boat and then to more newspapering in Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong, Australia and Vancouver.

He worked at The Vancouver Sun from 1974 and become bureau chief for the paper’s Expo 86 coverage before becoming the waterfront reporter and business writer scooping up several journalism awards along the way. He had an uncanny ability to spot where the story was and crafted many a fine lead from something that was nothing in the beginning. In 2003 he left the Vancouver Sun and focussed on his love to freelance, creating the Daniels Communications Group to offer communications and journalism services to the local transportation and tourism industry.

Sometimes a quiet man he never stopped observing and ended many a “squabble” amongst fractious journalists with one word or short statement, a chastening experience for many.

In his youth he was a very promising junior tennis player scooping up several titles at the English county level. His love of tennis was profound and a walking encyclopedia on the game and great analyst. He was seen of occasion in summer at the hallowed green fields of Wimbledon sporting his battered Panama hat and later discussing the day’s play at the Pimlico Tandoori restaurant in London with friends and a couple of Indian beers.

When family arrived the exploring never stopped and a trusty VW van provided comfortable, if a mite tight, accommodation for all. From Cross-Canada to southern California to the Dempster Highway in Canada’s far North and the Alaskan Highway held no fears for the Daniels’ family. Born in wartime he also had immense respect for those who paid the ultimate sacrifice and took his children to the Canadian Memorial at Vimy Ridge in France when they were young to reinforce that respect.

His love of close friends and respect for everyone became history in the often bombastic, argumentative field of journalism and he was highly respected for it. He had similar respect for the noble grape and often ended the working day by quipping “time for a redders.,” a glass of red. He never had to take a tincture alone! His was a life well lived.

He is survived by wife Viire, son Simon (Donna and Grandchilden Brayden Matthew and Taylor Christina), daughter Jessie (Brian and Grandchildren Ethan William and Abigayle Leigh), Sister-in Law Sam (Gord), niece Stephanie (Jay and sons Thomas and Nicholas) and nephew Cameron (Bryan), Brother-in-Law Harvey, Sister-in-Law Aino (Karl), and Best Friend Ashley Ford.

In lieu of flowers, please direct donations to The David Suzuki Foundation at davidsuzuki.org .