Clarence “Sam” Tolmie passed away peacefully on November 20, 2012 at Kelowna General Hospital at the age of 75 years. Sam was born and raised at the “Ranch” on Chilliwack Lake Road and called the Fraser Valley his home. Sam was an avid logger and worked all his life in the industry as a Yarder Engineer and Faller. He worked for many companies; Canfor, Pretty Timber, Cattermole Timber, Tolsons etc. He worked up the BC Coast, Harrison Lake, Stave Lake, Nahatlatch Valley and the Fraser Valley areas.
One of his favorite pastimes was picking up a guitar and gathering a crowd of people to play and sing his songs. It was during one of these “jam sessions” that he met his wife Shirley, the love of his life and was married to her for 49 years. Sam was quite a handy man and his children could always count on him to fix or build anything, anytime, with a hammer in one hand and a coffee cup in the other and a plate of sweets waiting for him at the end. He enjoyed fixing his vehicles, playing his guitar, hunting & fishing with his sons, and a really good “B.S.” session. Another favorite pastime was to play Keno at the Chilliwack Mall. He always looked forward to this and enjoyed talking with friends and family.
Sam was predeceased by his wife Shirley in 2006, daughter Peggy in 1962 and son Daniel in 1958, and by his 6 brothers Jim, Jack, Bill, Joe, Marvin and Kenny, and his 4 sisters Eileen, Dorothy, Doreen and Helen. He will be sadly missed by his sons Lonny (Chantal), John (Joanne) and Gary; daughters Darlene (Carl) and Cheryl; grandchildren Alisha, Diane, Todd, Nathan, Kayla, Travis, Bailey, Schuyler, Abigayle, Justin and Cody; 8 great grandchildren; and sisters Marg, Norma and Lorraine.
A Celebration of Sam’s life will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, April 13, 2013 at Woodlawn Mt. Cheam Funeral Home, 45865 Hocking Ave, Chilliwack.
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