Charles Gerald Hegney

August 9, 1940 - November 21, 2019
1940 - 2019 ~ Charles Gerald Hegney (born Glasgow, Scotland, August 9, 1940) passed away peacefully at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital on November 21, 2019 with his devoted wife of 52 years, Patricia by his side. As well as Pat he is survived by his daughters Tara (Robin) Hargreaves of Scotland and Seana (Matthew) Hegney/Schultz of Australia and 3 lovely grandchildren Jack, Constance and Finnley. He also leaves behind his twin brother Edward Hegney of Ontario, Canada, Anne McCurry, Brenda Reid and Arthur Hegney, all of Glasgow Scotland.
Charles left Glasgow in 1962 to work as Rubber Planter in Malaya. Upon completion of this contract, he travelled to Canada (via Australia where he met and married Pat) and started a successful career in the oil industry. His job took him (and the family) all over the world and he spent the next 20 years on foreign assignments primarily throughout Europe and Africa. He returned to Calgary, Alberta in 1994, retired in 1996 and moved to Qualicum, BC in 2009. Sadly the last ten years of his life were plagued with many health issues that limited his mobility and put paid to his dreams of any further travel plans and adventures. One of the first things he did when he came to Qualicum was join the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 76. This became his second home and he was deeply indebted to this special group of people for the kindness and consideration they showed him throughout the past 10 years.
Charles will be remembered by friends of old as a gifted, quick witted, and humorous story teller who was always up for a joke or prank. He spent his early years on an epic journey of discovery and with a thirst for experience, knowledge and adventure he embraced the world and the cultures he encountered on his travels. He had a successful career but was best described by a friend and former boss as a "maverick" who marched to his own drum.
We would like to extend many thanks to Dr. Jacques Simenhoff for the care he gave Charles over the years and to Dr. Van der Waite and her team at the Palliative Care Unit of Nanaimo Hospital for the compassion and kindness they showed him in his last days.
A Funeral Mass will be held at The Church of the Ascension, 877 Wembley Road, Parksville at 1 pm on December 21, followed by a Celebration of Life at the Royal Canadian Legion, Qualicum Beach at 2:30 pm.