December 10, 2024
Van Scoffield passed away in White Rock, BC on December 10, 2024 at the age of 80. His battle with serious illnesses in recent years came to a peaceful end in the loving company of his family.
Van is survived by his wife Janet Scoffield (nee Rand), his children Trevor Scoffield and Kimberley Connelly and their respective spouses (Michelle and Sean), his grandchildren (Ryland, Maryn and Abigail), and his siblings Brian and Margaret. He was predeceased by his sister Barbara.
Raised in Montreal, Van attended West Hill High School before heading east to study at the University of New Brunswick. While on a break from university in the late 60s, Van travelled west to British Columbia and met Janet who he would eventually marry in 1970.
Growing up, Van was happiest when adventuring outdoors, never more so than during his family's frequent visits to their cottage on Lake Memphremagog. Canoeing, fishing, swimming, water skiing and camping were what he and his siblings lived for in those summers.
Van would eventually parlay his passion for the outdoors into a career in forestry, though his career would not follow its expected path. After a few short but rewarding stints working in the wilds of BC, the emergence/initial struggle with arthritis would cause Van to turn his talents to less physically demanding aspects of forestry.
Van's career eventually spanned nearly four decades and would see him and his family based in Fort St. James, Prince George, Williams Lake and the Lower Mainland at different times. He earned a solid reputation within the forest sector for managing non-profit associations and making valuable contributions to strategy and policy development at regional, provincial and federal levels. For Van, the best years, both personally and professionally, were those spent in Williams Lake where he was General Manager of the Cariboo Lumber Manufacturers Association. His working life culminated in a long-standing and rewarding role as Executive Director of the Association of BC Forest Professionals.
Throughout his life, Van took a great deal of pleasure in pursuing his hobbies: gardening, cooking, sea kayaking, travelling and spending time in nature.
He also took an active interest in volunteer work, whether it be with the local swim club his children swam with or organizations he was a member of. His retirement years were no different and were marked by a dedication to his community through involvement with Rotary and as a community policing volunteer in White Rock. Through Rotary, Van had the privilege of organising White Rock's annual Terry Fox Run effort for several years. It was a commitment he was hugely proud of and a cause that remained dear to his heart to the end.
In his university graduation yearbook, Van's friends shared a reflection that is as true today as it was back then: "His ability and fondness of expounding upon any topic will be remembered by all of us." He was a consummate storyteller. If you were lucky enough to join Van for a meal, for example, you might be regaled with tales of his run-ins with wildlife while working in the bush, or his many adventures with a canoe and questionable common sense as a young man, or the story of that time he and a local police officer had to coax a large German Shepherd out of the backyard pool in the middle of the night one winter.
The arthritis that drove him out of the bush in the early 70s would be just the first in a long list of health issues that challenged Van, especially in his later years. His family would like to thank the many health care professionals who supported him over the years and helped him manage his ailments in a way that enabled Van to live his life to the fullest.
Those wishing to recognise Van's passing are asked to make a donation to the Terry Fox Foundation, The Arthritis Society (BC), or the Heart & Stroke Foundation.