Read Edmund English passed on Saturday, April 25, 2020, at the age of 82.
Read was predeceased by his parents Dr. Lloyd and Leta English and his first wife Jen. He is survived by his wife Hanna, children Lisanne (Dwayne), Tod (Lisa), Dean (Toni), David and Steven DeVries, his brothers Bill (Bev) and Joe (Bonnie), and his grandchildren Christopher, Kyle, Grace, Lauren, Olivia, Hillary, Elise, Justin and Jordan.
Read was born on October 10, 1937, in Williams Lake. Prior to grade school, the family relocated to Kamloops. Read spent his childhood in Kamloops and enjoyed the family time at their cabin at Celista on Shuswap Lake.
Read made many lifelong friends through his various interests in hunting, skiing, hiking, biking, camping, fishing, hockey, music and automobiles. He graduated from Kamloops High School and continued his education at Gonzaga University in Spokane, where he achieved his mechanical engineering degree. He and Jen married and moved to Powell River in 1960, where he began his engineering career with MacMillan Bloedel. In 1971, Read left M&B to pursue his dream and established Taw's Gun & Cycle on Marine Avenue, where it remains to this day.
After a few years as a bachelor, Read met Hanna Verkerk and they blended their families. From this point, Read and Hanna enjoyed their mutual interests of outdoor activities, boating, motorcycle trips, ATVing, gardening, biking, hunting, camping and time spent with treasured friends. They moved from the waterfront and developed their dream home on an acreage in Paradise Valley, which they treasured.
Read was an active member of the community. He was part of the original crew that built Mt. Diadem ski hut; he was a leader in the Junior Forest Wardens; he was active in the Powell River ATV Club; he played the trumpet in the Powell River Community Band and with Hanna's family music group. In the early 1970s he sponsored one of the commercial league hockey teams (Taws), which is still on the ice. Along with this, throughout his career he donated to many local sports and charities in their own pursuit to help Powell River.
Read died peacefully in his beloved home surrounded by family.
