July 22, 1932 - September 7, 2022
Steveston born and Cariboo raised, Ernie passed away quietly of Covid complications on Wednesday Sept. 07, 2022. He was born in Dr. Graves home/office on Gary Street in Steveston. One of the few that has Steveston as his place of birth on his Birth Certificate.
His parents Hugh and Annie (nee Blair) Olafson moved him & his 5 siblings to Horse Lake, B.C. a few year's later. He is predeceased by both his parents and brothers, Bill and Orval, sisters, Kay, May and Irene. He is survived by his loving wife Lois (Kennedy), his 3 children Eileen, Glen (Genie), Lyle (Cindy), grandchildren Kris (Emily) and Nicole. Sister-in-law Nadia. Nieces & nephews and grand-nieces and grand-nephews through B.C., Alberta & beyond to England.
He returned to Steveston as a young man. First working for The Gulf of Georgia Cannery, where his picture hangs on the museum's wall. He was eventually co-owner of the Blue Pacific (Seiner) and owned The Star Venture. The Star Venture was the first aluminum Troller/Gillnetter Alcan built in 1968 for the West Coast fishing industry.
For over 60 years he fished the coast of B.C from Alaska to Washington State. Lois & Ernie were married 69 years. When they retired to Abbotsford he enjoyed walking his beloved dog Buddy there & spending summers at their cabin on Drewry Lake in the Cariboo, fishing.
He was proud of the pioneering families he came from ( Icelandic & Irish ). And of the town he was born in. Ernie was a simple country boy at heart. He was much loved and will be truly missed by his family and the friends he made through his 90 years of adventures.