William "Dallas" Vaux

March 27, 1928 - April 2, 2022
In Loving Memory ~
Dallas Vaux, our family patriarch and mentor has passed away, changing our lives forever.
After a 4-year battle with dementia Dallas succumbed to the effects of COVID, just 6 days after his 94th birthday. He left us April 2nd at SunRidge Place in Duncan, with son Gord by his side, following a week-long bedside vigil shared by his children.
Dallas was born March 27, 1928 in the King's Daughters' Hospital, only son of W.H. (Billy) & Edith M. Vaux (Colvin), and brother to Geraldine Wilson. Both his parents' families were among the earliest pioneering families of the Cowichan Valley, arriving in the 1880's.
Dallas spent his early school years attending the one room school at Koksilah, before going on to Duncan High School & Cowichan Sr. Secondary. In 1951 Dallas married his soul mate and love of his life, Fern Marguerite Riome. They built their life together in Duncan where all three of their children were born and raised.
Following in his pioneering family footsteps he began his working career as a logger, driving logging truck at Meade Creek, then driving a highway chip truck, a bulk cement truck and finally finishing his working years as a heavy duty crane operator.
Dallas was a devoted father and husband spending many hours with his family taking them camping, boating and exploring and teaching them to fish, hunt, swim, water ski and drive cars, trucks and boats. He was involved with the Boy Scouts, chaperoning excursions and camping trips, and instructing in outdoor survival skills.
Dallas was a "Jack of all Trades". No matter if it was woodwork or mechanical there wasn't anything he couldn't fix, repair or improve upon while on the road or in his home workshop. Whether this ability was taught or inherited, his children acquired it at a young age and applied it throughout adulthood learning confidence and independence.
Dallas was a member of the Koksilah School Historical Society, serving as vice-president for twenty-seven years. He was among the group of adult past students responsible for fund raising and rebuilding the old one room school to its original state as built in 1911. For many years, Dallas was also a very active member of the CVF&G Club on Vaux Rd in Glenora. He spent countless volunteer hours, working on community enhancement projects. In 1990 he was very proud to be presented with an Honorary Lifetime Membership.
After retiring in 1988, Dallas with wife Fern, spent happy years travelling in their motorhome across Canada and the USA including Alaska. They had numerous friends they travelled with or visited while on their adventures and had such humorous stories to tell when they returned home. They also vacationed in Mexico, Hawaii & the Caribbean and took a number of cruises, including their favourite through the Panama Canal. They continued their travels until Ferns' unexpected passing in 2005. He was heartbroken but bravely carried on, building a home, on the Cowichan Station Colvin family homestead., and sharing it with his daughter, Elaine, for the next 15 years before moving into SunRidge Place.
Dallas was predeceased by his wife, Fern Vaux; Sister, Geraldine Wilson; son-in-law Floyd Kitchen; brothers-in-law Gordon Hewitt & Joe Kernachan; and, nephew Wayne Kernachan.
He is survived by daughter Elaine Kitchen (grandson, Steven Kitchen); sons Doug Vaux (wife Shirley) & Gord Vaux (partner Sheri) and grandchildren, Brydon and Aleks Vaux); sister-in law-Hazel Kernachan and brother-in-law Robert Riome, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Special thank you to the staff and caregivers at SunRidge Place. Everyone provided such caring support to Dallas and his family, allowing him to pass in comfort and with dignity.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Dallas' memory may be made to The Alzheimer Society.
Condolences may be emailed to H.W. Wallace Funeral Home: hwburial@shawbiz.ca
Celebration of Life: Wallace Cremation & Burial Centre Saturday, April 16, 2022 @ 2:00 pm, 5385 Polkey Road, Duncan B.C. V9L 6W3 Tel: 250-701-0001