We Remember

BIFFORD, Donald “Don”
October 25, 1951 — January 3, 2025
Don Bifford (73), has gone to join his beloved Jane in eternity. He passed away on January 3, 2025, at the Central Okanagan Hospice House, in Kelowna, BC, where he was born and raised.
My father was born October 25th, 1951, in Kelowna, B.C., the fifth of eight children. His earliest memories were of the apple orchards and the wide bright corn fields in a Kelowna which no longer exists. His grew up listening to the classic rock his older brothers, Dave and Bob, played on their record player, and falling in love with the classic cars they drove. Near the very end of his life, on a drive around town, he pointed out the trees, now huge, that grew in the backyard of his childhood home. “When I was thirteen”, he said, “I used to climb those trees and smoke cigarettes.” Along with music and cars, cigarettes were one of his great loves. His father, Emile, was careful to teach his boys how to fish, and my father was always happy fishing, even if he spent most of that time untangling lines, hooking himself with the tackle, and generally getting skunked. His teenage years were wild and free. He told us stories of partying with Howie and Quintin in the corn fields and chasing girls in the summer. It was a good time to be young in Kelowna. He was barely twenty-one or twenty-two when he met his first wife, Penny, our mother. By that time there were regular parties with Dale, who married his sister, Joan, and Larry and Wendy, and many other friends. Friendship was one of my Dad’s natural talents. He was always content hanging out in Dale’s garage, drinking beer with their friends, and fixing up old cars. He was one of those guys who preferred sitting and smoking in garages than in their own houses.
Dad, according to his own father, was a “hothead”, quick to anger and quick to forgive, as anyone who knew him can testify. It was the small things that no one else noticed that pissed him off. He was also loved for his sense of humour. After a few drinks, he’d tell one well oiled joke after another. How many of those jokes he’s taken with him to the other side. He was passionate about Christmas decorations, and unusually intense about the state of his yard. He loved his Canucks and never tired of having his heart broken by that team. For all his travelling, he was happiest playing cards in his backyard— unless he was going to a car show with Larry or Dave.
By the time he was twenty-eight, my brother and I had been born. We all lived in a good house in Rutland with a big pool in the backyard. When the economy crashed in the early eighties, my father was forced to leave home to work up north on oil rigs. He suffered a good deal from this, but he never ceased to provide for us. He once said that he felt he was fated to “take the body blows” for his family. Dad would continue to work in the oil industry for the remainder of his career, which took him to Asia, Africa, The Middle East, The Arctic and Europe. He brought back any number of harrowing and hilarious stories of the characters he met along the way. After narrowly escaping death on the roads of Lagos —“Mister Don, mister Don, duck!—he decided enough was enough. Happily, around this time he reconnected with an old childhood girlfriend, Jane, whom he loved very deeply. They married on Boxing Day, 2014. They didn’t get enough time together, but what time they had was the happiest in my father’s life. Jane had a way of throwing cold water on my father’s hotheadedness, and they enjoyed long drives and plenty of good food and drink.
After Jane died in 2018, Dad was adrift. He took comfort in his grandchildren, all of whom he loved immensely. He was lucky enough to enjoy fishing trips with the boys, and he showered the girls with gifts. If anything worried him about his approaching death, it was that he didn’t want to cause them pain with his passing. His long last illness blessed him with time to say his goodbyes and to prepare himself to cross over. When the end came, he was in the presence of many of those whom he loved. He took his death with courage and love, and left this life already muttering something no one could understand to God. He died in the early evening on January 3rd in the city of his birth.
My father was predeceased by his parents, Paula and Emile, a younger brother who died at birth, his sister Anne, his wife, Jane, and his brother, Bob. He is survived by his sisters, Joan and Moe; brothers Dave and Alan; children, Darren and Eric; as well as his grandchildren, Carter, Louis, Bowen, Grace, and Isabel. He is also missed by many nephews and nieces, especially Leanne, one of Dad’s best friends, who cared for him selflessly throughout his last years, and Suzie, whom he loved like a daughter.
A Memorial Service will be held to honour Don on SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 2025, AT 1:00 PM (PST), at 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 call “Condolences”.
Service
Saturday, March 1, 2025, at 1:00 PM (PST)
Location
Springfield Funeral Home
Don swung by our house a year ago to take Diane and I for a lengthy ride in his beautiful 1934 Ford Tudor. A great memory of a long-time friend. Our condolences to Don’s family.
So sorry, to hear about your loss, we have had many parties, love you ❤️
Our condolences to a special family, the Biffords We have shared some delightful times with Don and will keep him in our thoughts on his next journey. Rest in peace Don. Hugs to all Anne and Ted
Our condolences to my extended family, the Bifford Clan and all friends and people lucky enough to have met Don. We met back in the 60’s and were friends for life. This is so sad! You will be missed by all. RIP Your Buds always, Fish & Francine
The legend
My deepest condolences. I did not know your father; however, I read your tribute and just have to say that this is the most beautiful tribute I have ever read. It read as very touching, real and expression of character to an individual you loved so much. God bless you.