Paul Raymond Clark

With heavy hearts we announce the passing of Paul Clark on the evening of April 23. He was pre-deceased by his loving wife Karen and his bother Bob. He leaves behind his sister-in-law, nieces, nephew and many, many friends.

Paul was born in Oakville Ontario to Florence and Jim Clark as a little brother to Bob. He often told stories of his childhood and attending the Haileybury School of Mines where he began his career in mining. On graduation Paul moved to a tiny town in northern BC named Cassiar to work and in a true example of fate met the light of his life, Karen.

Paul and Karen shared many adventures; harrowing canoe trips to abandoned villages, snowshoeing and overland ski tours, multi-day back packing trips in the wilderness and living in a 1 room log cabin in Alaska while furthering their educations at the University of Alaska. Paul obtained a Masters of Engineering and Karen achieving a Masters of Education. Returning to Cassiar upon completing their formal education Paul and Karen married. He worked many positions during his tenure at the mine and Karen shaped young minds in the elementary school. Both felt a deep connection to their community and could be found contributing in profound ways and in many roles.

Leaving the north and bound for the Big Horn area of Alberta, Paul and Karen settled in a log home in the community of Benchlands where they lived with Elsa the gentle Pyrenees, and Shooter the Arabian horse until the late 90’s when they began construction of their dream home. 

Cairngorm, so named for Paul’s Scottish heritage, constructed using logs from their land hand peeled by Paul and built with care by local craftsmen with considerable contributions made by friends and neighbours was completed in the early 2000’s. Paul recently reminisced on the building process of the home, saying the community effort it took to build was a foundation for many of the strong friendships Paul enjoyed for the rest of his life. The home provided a place to cultivate many more deep connections and friendships in the happy years Paul and Karen lived there.

Through his life with Karen, Paul was never without the company of animals, he worked for and believed in conservation and protecting the environment, he loved music and cowboy poetry, art and reading. He was a lifelong learner and leader in his community. He valued deep human connection, conversation, friendship and contribution. In his later years he remained true to his values, spoke lovingly of Karen often, was quick with a smile and a laugh. His optimism, resiliency and ability to overcome loss and hardship were truly inspiring.

Paul loved his wife, his family, his friends, his community and his home. He was loved by many, he will be missed and remembered by too many to list.

Happy trails Paul, ‘til will meet again.

There will a private celebration of held at a later date. 

Reincarnation

By Wallace McCrae

What is reincarnation, a cowboy asked his friend.

Why its something that happens when your life has reached its end.

They comb your hair and wash your neck and clean your fingernails,

And lay you in a padded box away from life's travails.

Now this box and you goes in a hole that's been dug into the ground.

And this here reincarnation starts once your planted 'neath the mound.'

Now pretty soon the clods melt down along with the box and you who are inside,

and then your just beginning on your transformation ride.

And then one day some grass will grow upon rendered mound.

Until one day, on your moldered grave a little flower is found.

Then say by chance a horse should wander by and graze upon that flower,

That once was you and now has become your vegetative bower.

Now the posy that that horse done ate along with all the rest of his feed,

becomes fat and bone and muscle, essential to the steed.

But some is consumed that he can't use

and so it finally passes on through,

And just lays there on the ground.

This thing that once was you.

And then I see's this on the ground,

and I wonder and I ponder at this object that I found.

And I begin to think about reincarnation and life and death and such.

And I come away concluding old pal, You ain't changed that much!