Gerald Melvin Heigh

At the age of 85 while trimming a pear tree, Gerry was very suddenly taken from us. His family is grateful that he was healthy, fit and strong to the very end and died doing what he loved to do - working outside in nature. 

Gerry was born at home in Ardmore, Alberta. He was premature and could fit in a shoebox - he was kept in the oven because it was very cold in Ardmore in November. He spent most of his young life on the Blueridge Ranch in Pavilion, BC in a big, noisy ranching family. At eighteen years old, Gerry was the head cowboy at the Diamond S Ranch near Pavilion. There wasnt’a horse he couldn’t ride or a cow he couldn’t handle. He spent the majority of his career ranching, mining or operating heavy equipment in northern BC, northern Ontario and then on the Lower Mainland. 

Gerry is predeceased by his wife Colleen (2020) and his parents Art and Willie Heigh, brother Ronnie, sister Jeanne and her husband Steve, brothers-in-law William and Richard. 

He leaves behind his children Tracy (Al), Sheryl (Eric), and Jason, siblings Howard, Dennis (Sheila) and Linda, brother-in-law Barry (Linda), sister-in-law Dianne (Carl), grandchildren Kerra, Kaleisha, Lynden and Telsa, and great-grandchildren Rossin and Theo. 

Gerry was a character. He had a giggle and a wide smile that you couldn’t help but return. The children in his life adored him. He was everyone’s favourite Uncle Gerry - and he had personal stories for and about each one of those ‘scalliwags’, much to their eternal delight, even when they grew up. 

His storytelling extended to the adults, too. His exploits and absolutely 100% true interactions with the fabled mermaids in the Fraser River often contained details that were decidedly not PG-rated - and were treasured by his friends and family no matter how many times you heard them! 

Gerry’s energy was limitless for gardening, fixing anything and everything - and participating without complaint in any of the crazy schemes his wife Colleen came up with - whether keeping a craft shop, operating a ceramic kiln and cleaning truckloads of greenware, or lugging wares to countless craft shows and manning the booth when needed. Not everyone who stopped by the booth bought her wares, but they were all treated to smiles and stories, Gerry-style. 

The final resting place for Gerry’s cremated remains will be beside Colleen in Lillooet. The family will plan a Celebration of Life for later in the spring or summer when travel conditions for friends and family are less perilous. 

In lieu of flowers, if you wish to make a donation to a charity of your choice, that would have made Gerry smile.