Basil James Hunter

HUNTER, Basil James
September 27th, 1918 - November 28th, 2012
Basil James Hunter passed away on November 28th at Vancouver General Hospital. Basil was born in Swansea, Wales, in 1918. He came to Canada with his parents when he was a toddler. He grew up in Winnipeg, and moved to Vancouver in 1947. Basil was a very talented musician and entertainer. He was well known for playing the piano and the vibes. In 1958, in Vancouver, he met Frank Allison, another musician, who became his life partner for fifty-three years. Frank joined the group called "The Basil Hunter Trio", and played at many local venues including the Vancouver Press Club, the Town and Country and The Pillars Inn. Basil was also a composer of music and in 1958, he was commissioned to write the music for the Brideship Ballet for the B.C. Centennial. Basil was an avid stamp collector. During the 1970's, he became a Life Time member of the B.C. Philatelic Society. He received many awards for his stamp collections. Basil was an artist. He loved to draw and paint. He also loved gardening, and always saw the beauty in nature. Basil and Frank donated many rare alpine plants to Vandussen Gardens over the years. Basil loved to cook and entertain. His relatives, Freddy and Avril Hargreaves, and their family in England, provided Basil and Frank with many fabulous travel memories and opportunities. Basil was very interested in the history of Greece and ancient Egypt, religions of the world, and politics. He was a great conversationalist, and he could always keep you captivated with one of his stories.
Basil touched so many of our lives with his stories, his kindness, his generosity, and caring spirit. His mantra was "I have to keep moving forward." Basil always stayed in the present, and was always interested in new ideas and current issues. He was a unique and remarkable person, who will be missed by all of us. It was a privilege for Bill and Lana Lambert to care for such a special individual. Many thanks to family and friends. Please visit the memorial website at www.dignitymemorial.com for your comments.