1940 – 2019

“We say goodbye to Dalbert (Dal) Duane Varney, who passed peacefully after a year-long battle with cancer. He is survived by his faithful and loving wife of 49 years Patricia, his three children Sheila (Dave), Darren (Kirsten) and Conrad, his grandchildren Brittany, Jonathan (Britt), Elaina and Lindsey, his great grandchild Alaric, sister Verna, brother Carmen, brother-in-law Ken and sister-in-law Vivian and their families. He is pre-deceased by his parents Amos and Viola Varney, Patricia’s parents Harry and Alma Patrick, his brother-in-law Garnet (Vivian), and his first wife Shirley (nee Martens).

Dal lived a full life, filled with an appreciation for hard work, common sense and love of family. Dal started his career as an electrician working in the potash mine at Rocanville SK. It is there that he met and married a farm girl named Pat.

Soon after marriage, Dal moved his family north, where he worked as a Journeyman Electrician and Journeyman Millwright in the mining industry in Northern Canada. Places that Dal and family called home include Clinton Creek YT, Stewart BC, and Faro YT. Finally, in 1985, he moved his family’s home base to Kamloops BC, where he resided until his passing.

Dal’s career spanned several industries including:

Mining (Potash, Asbestos, Copper, Lead/Zinc, Diamond, Gold)
Volunteer Firefighter
Manufacturing (Clay products)
Construction/Maintenance (Thompson Rivers University, School Board of Lillooet)
Paper Delivery (Kamloops This Week)
Dal was a Legion member. He worked many elections at all levels of government. Dal also volunteered many hours of his time to successfully petition against the introduction of the HST in BC.

Dal had a strong love for family. He loved his wife Pat, his children, his grandchildren and his great grandson. Family fun always seemed to center around the backyard pool, where many practical jokes were played and fond memories were made.

Dal also made ample room in his family for his pets. Sparky the dog, several Siamese cats, Peachy the cockatiel, and more recently Bunker and Hector the cats.

Dal was a stock car driver in his younger years, and absolutely LOVED snowmobiling. So it is no coincidence that he chose to spend many years of his life in northern locations where it was so easy to get out and ride.

Dal and Pat loved spending time on the road, in their RV, visiting with family and friends across both Canada and the US. Country music was also a big part of Dal’s life, and he spent weekends a number of years volunteering for the local country music festivals. He also made the pilgrimage that many country music fans envy, down to Nashville TN.

Dal survived some significant health setbacks in his years. He recovered from a case of West Nile Virus. He ran into some heart health issues, requiring an ICD and eventually a quintuple-bypass heart operation. During one of his DIY projects, Dal slipped and fell off the garage roof, landing on cement surfaces below. He spent the rest of that summer recovering from a shattered hip, broken arm, wrist and heel. But his strength of will brought him back from all these situations to a near full recovery.

Dal’s final “job” was as a paper carrier in his local Kamloops neighborhood. He had a three-wheeled bike with a large basket on the back, and looked at his job as a source of exercise more than a source of income. As a testament to his commitment and work ethic, Dal carried on with his delivery job even as his cancer took painful hold of his body. He finally gave up the job when it became evident that he couldn’t carry on without intense pain.

He is dearly missed, and will always be remembered.’

A Silent Tear
Just close your eyes and you will see
All the memories that you have of me
Just sit and relax and you will find
I’m really still there inside your mind

Don’t cry for me now I’m gone
For I am in the land of song
There is no pain, there is no fear
So dry away that silent tear

Don’t think of me in the dark and cold
For here I am, no longer old
I’m in that place that’s filled with love
Known to you all, as “up above”

Author Unknown”

Condolences may be expressed at www.drakecremation.com

• Date : 2019-09-19
• Location : Kamloops, B.C.