Ed died peacefully at age 70 with loved ones by his side at the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital Palliative Care Unit. He struggled with pulmonary fibrosis in his last years and was grateful for his many kind caregivers.
He is survived by: his beloved wife of 44 years, Susan; his cherished daughters Deborah Brouwer (James) of Victoria, BC and Margaret Wilson (Jeffrey Bell) of Ottawa, ON; his adored grandchildren Silas, Ada, Miranda and Fiona. Ed also leaves his dear sisters Patricia Tooze of Belleville, ON and Jennifer Walker of Miramichi, NB and his loved brother Peter Wilson of Medicine Hat, AB. His close and loving family will miss him every day.
Ed was born to William Edward "Ted" Wilson and Charlotte Louise "Pat" Wilson in Louth, Lincolnshire, England on June 2, 1947. He came to Canada at age three and spent his early years in Brampton, ON. Later the family moved to a farm near Marmora, ON. Known in his youth as Ned, he worked on the family dairy farm until his early twenties.
Moving to Ottawa, Ed completed his high school equivalency diploma at Algonquin College. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in botany from the University of Ottawa. For 26 years Ed worked at John Deere in Welland, ON. During this time he was able to finish a degree in Computer Science at Brock University, St. Catharines, ON.
In 2005 Ed retired to Vancouver Island, where he continued his lifelong study of plants. He greatly valued the many friendships he made while pursuing his other passions: cycling, kayaking, birding, photographing nature, and volunteering for the Green Party of Canada. Ed loved the Parksville area and the friendly, helpful people who live here.
There will be an informal social gathering to remember Ed on Saturday, February 24, 2018, 2-3 pm at the Parksville Community and Conference Centre, Garry Oaks Room, 132 Jensen Avenue East, Parksville, BC.
Ed has been laid to rest in the Woodlands Natural Burial section of the Royal Oak Burial Park near Victoria, BC. He wished that any donations in lieu of flowers be directed to The Ecoforestry Institute Society, stewards of Wildwood, a managed forest near Yellow Point, BC where Ed volunteered for several years.
Donations may be made by mail to: Ecoforestry Institute Society, P.O. Box 5070 Station B, Victoria, BC, V8R 6N3, or by visiting www.ecoforestry.ca.