Graham Jeffery Wallace 1939-2024

After a full and active life spanning 85 years, Graham died peacefully on September 15, 2024, in Nanaimo, British Columbia, surrounded by his family.

Graham was born in England in 1939 to Emma and Earnest. After a period of evacuation to Wales with his family during the war, he grew up in Hounslow, Middlesex. His fondest childhood memories and love of the water were the result of messing about in boats on the River Thames with his parents and sister, Tina. After leaving school, Graham studied as a Marine Engineering Apprentice, worked aboard BP Tankers until his early 20s, and then earned Chartered Mechanical Engineer status ashore. After marrying Liz, they emigrated (by ship) to Canada in April 1967.

As the Wallace family grew, they settled in Oakville, Ontario. Graham was admitted to the Association of Professional Engineers, and worked at Bick’s Pickles, Pilkington Glass and Rowntree Mackintosh before retiring from Nestle in 1994. Summers were filled with hiking and camping with his three daughters and canoeing the rivers and lakes around Ontario.

Graham’s love of anything that floats continued when he moved to Kingston, Ontario, where he devoted many years to helping to maintain theAlexander Henry, a retired Coast Guard Ice Breaker at the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes. His knowledge of marine engines, and his ability to correctly label just about any piece of pipe and motor with post-it notes was invaluable.

Graham was also passionate about BP Tankers and spent many years connecting with and building a record of other former engineering apprentices and their families, which will now be stored in BP Tanker archives. He also researched and memorialized the crew who died in an explosion on board the tanker, The British Crown, and wrote about that and other issues in publications such asWestern Mariner and Ships Monthly.

In 2004 Graham moved to the West Coast in his trusty RV “Bronwen”, and settled in Nanaimo. Everyone who knew Graham also knew how much he loved golfing, and was on the golf course with dear friends and family. Graham also had a soft spot for his furry friend “the mog” Dusty, who vetted everyone who visited their home.

As well as his love of golf and driving around every region of Canada, Graham found great joy and pride from his role as a parent and grandparent. Graham treasured his time with his three daughters and his grandkids and loved being their Grandad, never failing to give a golf lesson, carve the turkey or enjoy a Dairy Queen Ice Cream together.

Graham will be dearly missed by his daughters Kimberley (partner Ken, children Griffin and Holden), Deborah (children Amelia & Donald), Vivienne (partner Connor). Graham will also be remembered by Liz, his sister Tina and extended family in the UK and worldwide, old friends in Ontario, and more recent friends in Nanaimo. Graham was pre-deceased by son Stuart.