Bill Vos loved his job.
Vos, with his wife Terrilyn, settled into the Okanagan Valley some 26 years ago, after retiring from the RCMP.
罢丑补迟鈥檚 when he found his career of a lifetime with the parks department of the Regional District of the Central Okanagan.
鈥湴粘蟛钩兮�檚 what he lived 蹿辞谤,鈥� Terrilyn told the Lake Country Calendar this week.
鈥淗别 knew how important it was to get land for parks and to maintain 迟丑别尘,鈥� she said.
Over his 19 years working in regional district parks, Vos was involved with making sure land was purchased for parkswhenever it came available.
鈥淗别 just felt we had to get as much land for parks in the future as 辫辞蝉蝉颈产濒别,鈥� Terrilyn said.
鈥泪蹿 anything became available, particularly along the 飞补迟别谤蹿谤辞苍迟,鈥� Bill worked to make it a regional park for everyone toenjoy.
Vos was integral in securing the Gellatly Heritage Nut Farm, Mission Creek Linear Park, Okanagan Mountain Park and manyother parcels of land from Lake Country through Peachland for the community.
Ferne Jean worked with Vos as a member of the Gellatly Nut Farm Society, herself a descendent of the Gellatly family.
鈥泪 enjoyed working with him very 尘耻肠丑,鈥� she said. They preserved the Gellatly Cemetery first, then the farm below it, whichremains a working nut farm to this day.
鈥泪 worked very closely with Bill. I was certainly shocked (to hear of his 辫补蝉蝉颈苍驳).鈥�
Though Bill enjoyed his years with the RCMP, 鈥渋迟 飞补蝉苍鈥檛 his career, like 辫补谤办蝉,鈥� Terrilyn said. 鈥淗别 was 辫谤辞耻诲鈥� of hiscontributions to establishing parks throughout the Okanagan.
A celebration of life was held for Bill Vos last Thursday in 麻豆精选. Terrilyn said 鈥渋迟 辞惫别谤蹿濒辞飞别诲鈥� will people honouring Bill,from former mayors to regional district administrators and staff, family and friends.
Bill and Terrilyn had three boys 鈥� Will, Gerrit and Jason 鈥� and grandchildren Karys, Tyler, Carter and Callum who 鈥渁谤别enjoying the parks every 诲补测,鈥� she said.
叠颈濒濒鈥檚 was a surprise diagnosis and sudden death. Diagnosed with esophageal cancer in September, it had already spread tohis bones and liver. He died Oct. 30, at the age of 65.
鈥泪t was short and very 辫补颈苍蹿耻濒,鈥� Terrilyn said. 鈥淭丑别测鈥檝别 done a lot of good 飞辞谤办鈥� in research to cure some cancers, but thereis still a long way to go for others.
鈥泪t 飞补蝉苍鈥檛 what he 诲别蝉别谤惫别诲.鈥�
