Stella Jean Nokes Sunrise November 8, 1935 - Sunset October 30, 2022.
Stella was so many things to so many people, and at the risk of cliche, to know her was to love her and feel privileged just to be in her presence. She was undoubtedly one of the brightest stars and, as one close friend commented, one in 7 billion. Adored universally, she passed away peacefully in Canmore just shy of her 87th birthday and one day after her 64th wedding anniversary. Many condolences have resonated identical responses beginning with "Our Stella - a force of nature" and "larger than life". She was, in fact, life or rather what we all want life to be: magical, fearless, creative, intelligent, surprising, fun, heroic, full of spirited adventure, and excessive with love and kindness.
Born in Banff in 1935 to Walter and Marguerite Camp, who in the mid 1920s pioneered Johnston Canyon Bungalows and the now famous attraction and trail. Stella was one of four children. Bennett, Dolena and JJ were all raised and worked at the Creekside family establishment. However, Stella was the only one to have worked there every summer for most of her life - until her mid-70s. Summers were spent at the Canyon, while winters she lived and grew up in Kamloops at Riverside Park, then a motor camp, yet another family business operation. Ever popular in high school, Stella was a formidable and exceptional basketball player and took her team, the Kamloops Sport Shop K-Jets to the provincials. Kamloops Sentinel Headlines 1953 "Stella Camp Frequently Finds Distant Target Earned K-Jets Their Victory". She scored half of the points in the game for her team. "Easily the best girl on the floor, Stella Camp took to the air from far out, the Penticton Kencos could find no counter to the stream of points!"
At 21, in the early winter of 1956, her mom gifted her some "fun money," so she decided on a solo Caribbean adventure and escaped to Jamaica (a young girl's crush on Harry Belafonte was the inspiration). This awakened a deep love of the West Indies that endured for the rest of her life. In the summer of 56, working as a waitress at Johnston Canyon, her charisma and beauty were already legendary amongst the many Brewster drivers that would frequent the teahouse en route to Lake Louise on the 1A. As one driver recalled "I would crawl on my hands and knees for over a mile of broken glass and horse manure just to watch her breathe."
One certain charming Brewster driver recently hailed from England was Bill Nokes, and Stella lovingly recalled, "he was the only one that could keep up with my me in intellect and humour." They were married in the fall of 1958 and thus began one of the most envied and admired romances possible. The repertoire between the two was rapid-fire comedic gold and was always razor-sharp.
In 1969, for $15,900, they bought the smallest cottage on Otter Street in Banff, an old Bankhead house and raised their two boys, Tim and Geordie. One of these boys was staggeringly good-looking and very talented. As a mother, Stella ensured Christmas, birthdays, and pretty much every day was a sensational collision of the best of Disney and Warner Bros. Saturday morning cartoons. The Shrine Circus never needed to come to Banff - it was alive and thriving at 408 Otter Street.
Bill worked for Brewsters for 40 years by day, and in the evenings, in the summer, he would drive from Banff back to the Canyon to be the "operational maintenance man" to help Stella with the ongoing management of the lodge and 35 cabins. Bill’s dry humour and wit would often get him into trouble with the odd unreasonable guest who would insist on lodging a complaint to the owner. Staff retorted" "Won’t do you any good as he’s sleeping with the boss."
Wearing spectacular and audacious fashion, complete with glowing earrings and outrageous wigs that would make most drag queens blush and retreat, Stella was iconic at the Famous Brewster Balls and Banff Springs Little Xmas Gala; The event was not complete until Stella made her entrance. At these celebrity functions, many A-list actors and celebrities would marvel, "Who or what in the world is that??" Locals would reply "Thats our Stella!"
In the late 1980s Stella and Bill bought a small house and country acreage in the then most obscure island nation of St Kitts and Nevis, where she quickly became the most famous person on the tiny tropical isle. People in passing used to say to Bill "Hello Mr. Stella !" much to his chagrin.
The warm winters and gentle island nature of the locals served them very well, and the love and kindness they poured out into the island made them coveted and most endeared. Her house parties became legendary on the island, and Stella's culinary expertise was immeasurable. How she could cook for 30 people, set up and entertain, and repeat three days later makes one exhausted even to consider and recollect.
Summers spent running Johnston Canyon while wintering in Nevis was the pattern. Regarding the Canyon operations over many decades, Stella's business acumen was spot on while navigating through a myriad of Parks Canada superintendents, changing policy ideologies and shifting hospitality demographics. Bill retired from Brewster Transport in 1995 and, once fully back in Nevis, acquired five dogs, one cat, one rooster and a fairly domesticated local monkey named Herman as their Caribbean pet family.
Bill transitioned from dispatching a depot of full of buses and drivers to dispatching a buffet of food bowls to their personal Nevis zoo. He fondly would comment the monkey reminded him of certain Brewster drivers.
In the spring of 2022, Stella and Bill's health started to wane, and they decided to come back to the Rockies with their Nevis cat Sticky to reside in Canmore's Spring Creek's Origin, a Seniors Active Living Residence. There will be a notification for Celebration of Life sometime in the future. a "Stellarama" as she loved a good party. In her honour, Stella Falls was officially registered in the World Waterfall Registry and located in Johnston Canyon between the lower and upper falls.
Stella’s Life Guidelines:
Be shockingly generous in all aspects of your life.
Don’t give a damn about people's perception of you.
The customer is NOT always right.
Be forgiving but not forgetful, and do not suffer fools.
The world can be dull; never be afraid of wearing colour - It won’t hurt you and will add exuberance to your life.
If you have a strong voice - harness it to protect and elevate the more vulnerable around you.
Make someone smile or laugh every day - especially strangers. The joy is contagious.
Bob Chalmers
#105 421 Columbia Street
Kamloops, BC
V2C 6R9
Arla Chamberlain
Arla Hewlett
Arla Diane Mildred Hewlett, 83, of Kamloops, BC, died in hospital on the afternoon of October 26, 2018.
Born April 6, 1936 in Winnipeg, Man, she was the daughter of the late Marianne Chamberlain and Vern Newell.
She is survived by her son, Jason, daughter-in-law, Jessica, and grandson, Griffon.
Arla was predeceased by her husband, Frank, who passed away in 1991. He remained the love of her life until her final day.
A highly respected teacher for more than 30 years, Arla retired in 1996. Her love of teaching was recently reignited, when she helped Griffon develop a passion for reading and writing. An avid traveller, she enjoyed trips through the United States, Egypt and Italy during her retirement.
