We Remember

WILD, Ian

August 11, 1932 — February 14, 2017

Those we love don’t go away. They walk beside us every day. Unseen, unheard, but always near. Still loved, still missed and held so dear.

Ian Wild passed away peacefully on February 14, 2017 at the age of 84 with his family by his side. Ian is survived by his beloved wife, Thelma of 59 years; daughters Jane (Harry), Sally (Jamie) and Paula (Jack); grandchildren Trevor (Shauna), Janine (Sean), Kurt (Kelsy), Tomas, Claire (Matt), Liam; great granddaughter Alex and extended family. Ian was predeceased by his parents Ronald and Catherine (Cantrell), sister Cathy, brother Bill and sadly by his son Michael in 2010.

Born in Bournemouth, England in 1932, Ian served in the British Army for two years and then graduated from the University of Bristol in 1956. Ian had an adventurous spirit. He and Thelma moved from England with two young children in 1960 to Montreal, and then Belleville, Ontario. From there, they moved to North Vancouver and resided for 48 years before retiring to Kelowna in 2012.

Ian was a structural engineer who was well respected among his colleagues. He shared his enthusiasm and knowledge with others throughout his career. When he arrived in Montreal, Ian was the Assistant Site Engineer at the Place Ville Marie Project. Ian was later responsible for projects in BC and the prairie provinces with a specialization in structural steel and pre-stressed concrete.

Ian was involved with the BC Schizophrenic Society, North Shore branch for many years before moving to Kelowna. He was also an active volunteer with the British Pensioners group in BC. His advice, kind words and practical knowledge will be missed forever.

A kind man who loved his family, Ian enjoyed family gatherings. He kept his humour, was ever polite and a gentleman until the end.

The family wishes to thank the staff at the Central Okanagan Hospice House for their kindness and care during Ian’s last few weeks.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Ian’s name to the Canadian Cancer Society http://www.cancer.ca/en/, the Central Okanagan Hospice Association http://hospicecoha.org/ or the North Shore Schizophrenia Society www.northshoreschizophrenia.org.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 2:00 pm Springfield Funeral Home, 2020 Springfield Road, Kelowna, BC.

If you wish to send a condolence, post photos or share a memory, please scroll down the page to the area called “Share Your Condolences.”

Service
Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 2:00 pm

Location
Springfield Funeral Home

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Canadian Cancer Society, Central Okanagan Hospice Association or the BC Schizophrenic Society, North Shore Branch Link: http://www.cancer.ca/en/, http://hospicecoha.org/, www.northshoreschizophrenia.org

 


Service Information

Service Details


The service for WILD, Ian is scheduled for Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 2:00 pm. Below you will find the map for the service location and the contact information should you have any questions.

Address & Contact for Service Location:

Springfield Funeral Home

2020 Springfield Road, Kelowna, BC

Phone:


Special Requests:

None.


Funeral Pointers:

 


Condolences

  • Douglas Taylor says:

    We have the happiest memories of Ian as a loving, gentle and modest family man, and a gifted engineer who never boasted of his achievements, although he had much that he could have spoken of. He had endless time for others and was the epitome of the generous host.
    Love from us all in Portsmouth, England.

  • Ken and Mavis McDuff says:

    Regretfully we didn’t know Ian until he and Thelma came to Balmoral as our next door neighbors. We enjoyed their friendship and are very sorry for Ian’s suffering and Thelma and family’s loss.

  • Larry and Evie Babcock says:

    Our sincere condolences to the Wild family. As neighbours you could not find nicer people, To Thelma and family you are in our prayers.

  • Joyce & Doug Peters says:

    Ian & Thelma were great neighbours for 44 years. Our sympathy to all the family.

  • Paul Wheeler and family says:

    I have very fond memories of family time with Ian either during holidays in North Vancouver or when Ian and Thelma visited the UK. I would describe him as the perfect uncle. Kind and considerate, warm and generous – somewhat unassuming, never wanted to be centre of attention but possessed an excellent and at times a gigglish sense of humour. Great fun. I will miss our little chats about all the little inconsequential matters of life. There are not enough people in this World with your qualities Ian. We love you and miss you.
    I hope you like the attached photo of Ian with Sandy the Wild’s lovely dog taken in 1980

  • Debbie Platts Foster says:

    Thinking of you and your family and remembering the stories from many years of friendship.

  • John Hill says:

    I have very happy and vivid memories of Uncle Ian as a teenager when we visited Patchfield, Corfe Castle in Dorset. He was always making things, and later fixing his motorbike in the garage, all things of wonder to me being twelve years younger. It must have led on to his engineering career and also influenced me down the same route.
    Thanks Ian for lots of happy memories.

  • JIM AND MARY WHITESIDE says:

    MARY AND I ARE SORRY TO HEAR OF YOUR LOSS. OUR SYMPATHY TO YOU AND YOURS. IAN WAS A GOOD NEIGHBOR
    JIM AND MARY WHITESIDE,WEST VANCOUVER

  • Willi & Ira Kuznia says:

    We sure will miss our friendly layed back neighbor Ian. He and Thelma always had a kind word for us when passing each other on our walks or just seeing each other in the club house. It’s people like you that make us feel at home in our community. Thank you.

  • Svend and Stella Arntorp says:

    We were very sorry to hear of Ian’s passing. We have lost a very good friend whom we have known for many years. I have known Ian since July 1966 when he was Chief Engineer at Concrete Technology and he hired me as Plant Engineer. We kept up our friendship and in the 1970’s we partnered in an engineering firm. Ian and Thelma came to visit us on Mayne Island where the attached photos were taken. We will miss Ian.
    Svend and Stella Arntorp.

  • Barbara and Griff M says:

    Jane and Family, We are sorry to hear about the passing of your Dad. Thinking of you , your mom and family. Peace and hugs.

  • John & Joan Lyte says:

    Ian was a lovely gentle man, in the true sense of the word. He loved his family dearly, Thelma and his children were his world, and he was much loved by us as a brother-in-law and as a friend. Over the last 20 years we got to know each other better through lots of great visits and holidays including touring Southern Ireland and Scotland. Ian and Thelma introduced us to cruising, first around Mexico and the Caribbean, then a grand European river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest and we have had many lovely holidays since. Including the last one together which was a very jolly family time in Cyprus at our nephew Stephen’s wedding. We will especially miss Ian’s impish sense of humour which we shared whenever we met. He was a man of few words but the ones he spoke were worth waiting for and we loved him for it.
    I hope we can support Thelma and her family, if only from a distance. We will be here for her and there if she needs us.

  • Sandra White says:

    I have many fond memories of times shared with Thelma and Ian. Ian took me on incredible sightseeing tours of Vancouver and Kelowna. We had many laughs together on visits to Qualicum Beach. Ian was always eager to make the trip to Vancouver Island just so that he could visit with myself or my siblings when we flew in from Toronto. I was talking to Ian recently on the phone and he shared with me that one of his favourite memories of our time together was when we went to the weekly market in Parksville. It certainly was a beautiful evening. You will be very missed by everyone whose lives you touched.

    I am also grateful that I got to see Ian and Thelma’s son Michael on one of my visits out west. I hadn’t seen Michael since he was little and it was great that I got to spend time with him. Michael, I still remember our early morning walk together. You were the only one who was willing to get up at 7 a.m. and walk with me. I will always remember that. God bless.

  • Jillian Bennett says:

    Eulogy to Ian Wild- Feb. 2017

    Ian, a well educated, well travelled man who, with his devoted wife Thelma, raised a beautiful family of four.

    Thelma and I became acquainted in the Drs. Office in Bristol, England, and these two pregnant ladies, who met in 1959, have remained steadfast friends for fifty-eight years.
    Our two families grew together in many ways.
    We both left England in 1960 for Montreal and struggled to make new lives in a predominantly French City.
    We both moved west to Ontario, towing extra children, then further West to BC.
    We both mourned the loss of our youngest children.
    The Wilds were my supportive friends when I lost my husband.
    And I in turn, was happy to be able to visit Ian in his last days.
    Ian has travelled to his final, unknown destination, carrying a heavy load of love from all who were lucky enough to have rubbed shoulders with him.
    I thank the Wilds for all those precious years of friendship.
    Jillian Bennett

  • Leslie and Maureen Keats says:

    Ian and my husband, Leslie, were at Swanage Grammar School together and became firm friends with Ian being our Best Man when we married in 1957. We were delighted when ten years ago, Ian and Thelma came to help us celebrate our “Golden Wedding Anniversary”. Leslie also had the privilege of being Jane’s Godfather. Although so many miles separate us, we have always regarded Ian and Thelma as our close friends. Our love and sympathy are with Thelma and the family at this time.

  • Louise Mayled says:

    Bless your heart Ian. Always a gentleman, supportive, fun to be around, kind and generous. I have known you since my childhood. Though distance separated our families at different times in our lives, we were always close and I enjoyed my visits to North Vancouver and Vancouver Island with you. I am so grateful we got to see one another this past summer in August. I can not be at your celebration of life on February 25, so I include the following photo which celebrates a moment in 2011.

  • Richard and Christine Prior says:

    A little unknown poem
    Not how did he die? But how did he live?
    Not what did he gain,but what did he Give?
    These are the units to measure the worth
    Of a man as a man,regardless of birth
    Nor what was his church,nor what was his creed?
    But had he befriended those really in Need?
    Was he ever ready,with words of good cheer,
    To bring back a smile,to banish a Tear?
    Not what did the sketch in a newspaper say,
    But how many were sorry when he passed away.

    Love from Christine and Richard,Kate and John ,and all his old school friends from Swanage Grammar School

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