Peter Tassie is being remembered as someone who wanted to and did make a difference in the health of his community and of others.
The longtime Coldstream engineer, surveyor, author, outdoor enthusiast, skier, planner, farmer, historian and volunteer died at his home Dec. 17 at age 96.
Throughout his life in the North Okanagan, Tassie was an active supporter of various projects and organizations including Rotary International, Sovereign Lake Nordic Club, Ribbons of Green Society, Okanagan Historical Society, O’Keefe Ranch, Abbeyfield House and others.
With his exceptional memory, he was a reliable source of knowledge for many, particularly the early days of the North Okanagan and the many people and events that shaped the communities of the area. He wrote and co-authored many articles of local interest including his recent publication Water from the Hills.
“Like many in the North Okanagan, we were devastated to hear of the passing of Mr. Peter Tassie,” the Museum and Archives of Vernon (MAV) said. “Peter was not only an avid supporter of the MAV and a generous source of information on early surveying, but a true friend. His absence will be deeply felt. Our heartfelt thoughts and condolences go out to Peter’s friends and family.”
Tassie was born April 4, 1927, in Vernon, to Gilbert and Adolphina (Phina, née Pearce), a couple of years before Gilbert bought one of the first fruit orchards on Coldstream Creek Road, according to Margaret Ormsby’s 1990 book Coldstream Nulli Secundus - A history of the Corporation of the District of Coldstream.
“I grew up two doors down from where he grew up but he was 20 years older than me,” said longtime Tassie friend Bob Weatherill. “When we were little toddlers in the 1950s, Peter was away at university but his mom was a wonderful baker of breads, cookies, and she’d invite us in for some food. Peter also had a lot of cool toys and she’d let us play with his toys in his room.”
Weatherill, who also went to UBC and became an accountant upon returning to Vernon, helped found the Sovereign Lake Nordic Club with Tassie.
“It was a man named Doug Lockley who had the idea of a trip from the top of Silver Star to the BX. Peter heard about it and joined our group,” chuckled Weatherill. “It was scary because we could have got loss but we all made it down. Of course, Peter grumbled about the downhill skiers in the group.”
Peter and his older brother, Bill – who died in 2016 – spent their formative years in Coldstream and Vernon, working the family orchard.
Tassie attended Mrs. Heriot’s private school, Coldstream Elementary School, and graduated from Vernon High School in 1944. He then ventured to Vancouver to study engineering at UBC, graduating with a BA in 1949, and a BASc in civil engineering in 1950.
After meeting Elizabeth (Libby) Barclay on a blind date in 1953, the pair wed in 1955 and settled in Vernon with Tassie joining his father’s consulting engineering and land surveying practice.
By the late 1960s, Tassie wanted to get more involved in local land use decision-making. So he moved the family to Vancouver, where Tassie returned to UBC and graduated with a Masters of Science in town planning in 1970.
That took Tassie and his family to the Prairies, but after several years living in Lethbridge and Saskatoon, he returned to Vernon as planning director with the Regional District of North Okanagan in 1974, and stayed in the position until his retirement in 1992.
He continued working well into his 90s as a consultant, completing his last project shortly before his death.
“My father knew him well and I experienced Peter as a knowledgeable, thoughtful and considerate person,” said current District of Coldstream councillor Doug Dirk. “He was a good resource to go to if you wanted to know the background and history of any issue. He was very involved in preserving the history of the area.”
Tassie is survived by his four children, grandchildren, and one great granddaughter. He was predeceased by Bill, and by Libby in 2019 following 64 years of marriage.
A memorial service to honour Tassie will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 12, at All Saints Anglican Church in Vernon, followed by a reception at the Anglican Church Hall. Interment will take place at the Coldstream Cemetery at a later date.