March 21, 1926 - December 26, 2021
Gerald Max Hutchinson, 95, of Parksville, BC, peacefully passed away on December 26th, 2021. Born March 21st, 1926 in Ponteix, Saskatchewan to Clarence Percy and Lola Marjorie Hutchinson, Gerry was an active and hard-working boy, starting his career at the age of 8, working in the local butcher shop.
Gerry served in the Navy during WWII, as a Stoker 1st Class on a mine sweeper on the East Coast of Canada from May 1943 through March 1946. It was during this time Gerry met his lifelong love, and he and Marguerite Isobel Fowler were married on May 18th, 1945 in Fort William, ON.
After completing his military service, Gerry and Marg travelled west with their new born daughter, Donna Lynne and settled in Nanaimo in 1946, finding work as a delivery driver for a bakery and subsequently beginning his career in pulp and paper at the Harmac mill in Cedar, BC.
During these days in BC, Gerry and Marg also added a daughter in 1950, Linda Lee, and a son, Gerald Laine, in 1957. In the early 60's, Gerry began to further his career and he took his family far and wide as he took on higher levels of responsibility, moving to northern BC, Vancouver, back to the Island, a year in Mexico (where a fourth daughter, Laurel Ann, was born), and then off to Oregon, Ontario, New Brunswick, Arkansas, Washington, and many other places, then ultimately back to Nanaimo where he retired in 1988, and he had more recently moved to Parksville.
Gerry had many interests, but he was most passionate about salmon and fly fishing, horses, and leather craft, have made some absolutely amazing custom saddles, not only life-size, but also half-size and miniature saddles and accessories.
In this area he was an extremely talented artist. During his retirement he was able to spend much time enjoying these endeavours, as well as his grandchildren and great grandchildren, as he absolutely loved to spend time with them.
Gerry is survived by his sister, Shirley Turner, his daughters, Lynne, Lee, and Laurel, his son, Laine, 9 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren, and will be missed by all.
No services will be held at this time and the family requests no donations or flowers be sent.