(Jan. 28, 1916 - Aug. 10, 2004)
ONE LAST DANCE FOR OLD “SILVER TIP”
Hans Matt Eric Wuori, a Royal Canadian Navy veteran of both Pacific and Atlantic engagements, slipped away in his sleep at the age of 88, at Valley Haven Guest Home in Chilliwack, BC.
Predeceased by his first wife Bernice (McEwen) to cancer in 1951 and by his wife Margaret (Smith) to renal failure in 1991, his sisters-Hilja (Staudinger), Jean (Rich), Vi (Lund) & Thelma (Fertich), his brother Roland, his daughter Lorraine & his son Jim
He is survived by his twin sister, Margaret (Downs) and sister, Alma (Strachan), his daughters, Georgi Wuori (Bruce Minty) of Chilliwack & Mary Ellen Grant of Kamloops, his grandchildren, Mary Ann Grant (“Mag” of Maple Ridge), John Grant (of Winnipeg) & Darcy Ellen Grant (of Calgary) & many nieces, nephews & in-laws. Throughout Hans’ journey through life, he embraced his family & related tragedies with great strength, his career & charitable work with pride and dedication.
Born in Evarts, Alberta, he hand-built, at the age of 14, a homestead (complete with a two-story dove-cornered log home and sauna) and worked a farm in Benalto, Alberta, before settling in Rossland, BC in his twenties.
Tri-lingual, Hans spoke Finnish and Swedish. In his younger days, in addition to working in the Sintering Plant at Cominco in Trail for 38 years, he prospected & owned/operated a sawmill and had claims on a few mines, including the Midnight Gold Mine.
In Rossland, he had his First Aid Certificate & served his community in numerous volunteer and Board capacities as fire fighter & ambulance driver (bringing the 1st ambulance van to Rossland), Boy Scouts, Co-op bus driver, was a member of the Eagles, Royal Canadian Legion, & Rossland Seniors Citizens Society.
His many interests & skills, which he shared with family & friends, included dancing, playing crib and pool, curling, hunting, fishing, cross-country skiing, camping, traveling, shopping, gardening, renovating and baking bread. Annual family outings with his grandchildren and Shearer nephews included memorable fishing and gold panning trips to Manning Park and skiing the “Moose Trail” off the Blueberry Paulson where a special hill bears the marker “Hans’ Hump”.
The summer adventures usually included huckleberry picking, resulting in many pie eating and plate licking evenings. In his 70’s, along with old timers like “Booty” Griffiths and his nephew George Staudinger in the Rossland area, he built ski trails and ski shelters for others to enjoy.
The family will always treasure the Wuori Reunion memories created at Nancy Green Lake’s picnic shelter. Known fondly as “Old Silvertip” for his shiny silver hair, which shone out from many a dance floor where he was “Lord of the Dance”!
He also enjoyed a “wee drink-or-twooo”, tipping up his right pinky, giving everyone a dashing smile while casting a sparkling wink with his beautiful blue eyes & having a good laugh.
Sharing memories with others, he was very proud of his naval service for our Country, primarily on the Armed Merchant Cruiser HMCS Prince Robert supporting the allied landings in the Aleutians and home patrol including the St. Lawrence River.
The Wuori Family are particularly proud with Hans, his brother Roland, sisters Alma, Violet and Thelma and his nephews George and Ron serving in all three of Canada’s armed forces, all voluntarily enlisting. He marched in the parades & attended the Remembrance Day services with honour & pride.
When he moved to live with Georgi & Bruce in Chilliwack, over five years ago, he attended Seniors’ Time-Out, followed by the Parkholm Lodge Adult Care activities, before residing in Valleyhaven Guest Home since late February of this year, where he received excellent care & had many dances with the friendly, caring staff.
Memorial services to celebrate Hans Wuori’s vibrant life will take place on Tuesday, August 17, 2004 at 11:00 am at Woodlawn Mt. Cheam Funeral Home, 45865 Hocking Ave, Chilliwack BC.
His preference was to be cremated and he has requested that in lieu of flowers, in honour of his family lost to cancer that donations be sent to the Cancer Research Society. Envelopes are available at Woodlawn Mt. Cheam Funeral Homes, 45865 Hocking Ave, Chilliwack, BC V2P 1B5 or you may send directly to the Society at # 305-200 Isabella Street Ottawa ON K1S 9Z9.
The family is grateful for the support, care and compassionate guidance of volunteers, staff, nurses and doctors of Valley Haven Guest Home and the Chilliwack Hospital Emergency Ward.
The family requests that the next time you’re out enjoying yourself, have a “wee drink or twooo” and/or one more dance to toast Hans in fond remembrance. Thank You.