Alexander McCaughan, a long time Chilliwack resident and businessman, passed away September 5, 2008. Alex was born in New Westminster, B.C. on April 9, 1921.
The family moved to a farm in Islay, Alberta which they called home until after the depression when Alex returned to B.C. and found work as a farmhand on the Maynard farm in Chilliwack.
Alex joined the army during World War II and served with the military engineers overseas in Europe. At the end of the war he returned to Chilliwack to find employment at CFB Chilliwack. In 1946 he married Gladys Maynard and they had three children.
Following their entrepreneurial spirit they opened a small grocery store on Yale Road West which evolved into Chilliwack’s first drive-in restaurant, named the Dew Drop Inn. After many happy and successful years, and looking for a new challenge, in 1960 they opened a furniture store which they proudly named Fairway Furniture & Appliances. This venture was typical of Alex. Of independent spirit, with an instinct for following his own beliefs, Alex did this his way and created, in partnership with Gladys, a highly successful family business in which customer relations was a key part, with the children doing their bit as well. After 16 successful years they retired to spend time travelling, including many trips to Australia. They also enjoyed the times they spent in their motorhome travelling across Canada and their years as snowbirds to Arizona. He took great delight in teaching his grandchildren to play crib and skipbo - a game he also enjoyed with friends.
Alex is predeceased by his wife Gladys (2003) and his brother Walter. He is survived by three children: Jim (Karen) McCaughan, Jane (Campbell) Vincent and Mark McCaughan, eleven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. As well he leaves his cousin Matt Heslop of Calgary, Gladys’s six sisters, four brothers, and many nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to thank Dr. Markey and the staff at the Waverly for their care and compassion over the last five years. A graveside service, officiated by Pastor Mitchell Belobaba, will be held at 11 a.m., on Wednesday September 10th, at the Chilliwack (Legion) Cemetery followed by a celebration of his life at the home of Jim and Karen McCaughan. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Chilliwack Alzheimer Resource Centre.