George Ivor John Killy

1946 - 2021

GEORGE IVOR JOHN KILLY April 3, 1946 - November 26, 2021 Prominent British Columbia lumberman and art aficionado George Ivor John Killy died in his Vancouver home on November 26th after a prolonged illness. George is survived by his wife, Karen; their children, Julia (Mike) Serrano and Geoffrey (Aki Kodama) Killy and grandchildren, Ethan and Stella Serrano and Olen, Luca and Ivor Killy. George was the middle child and only son of pioneer Prince George lumberman Ivor and Marie Killy's seven children, Patricia Tarling (Frank), Kay (predeceased), Sue (predeceased), Sair, Karai (Paul Stewart) and Tannis Killy, and uncle to many nieces and nephews. George grew up in Prince George and graduated from Brentwood College School on Vancouver Island and Simon Fraser University in Vancouver before returning to Prince George to work with his father. His dad sold the business in 1973. George then secured a one-third interest in Lakeland Mills and led the design and construction of a new mill with state-of-the-art technology to more precisely cut harvested timber. The company's cooperative work with the unions in retraining employees and the use of computer lasers increased the product yield per tree by a factor of 60% above the industry standard at the time. This collaborative management-union effort was recognized by the Government of Canada when Lakeland Mills and the IWA of Canada were awarded the Gold Medal for Labor Management Cooperation in Implementing Technological Change. George worked with the city on land use issues and served as Vice Chair on the Three Rivers Committee that created Prince George's riverfront trail system. He was also active in the northern lumber industry, serving as a director of Fibreco Export Inc. and Fibreco Pulps Inc., director of the Northern Interior Lumber Sector of the BC Council of Forest Industries and director of The Pas Lumber Company Ltd. George sold his interest in Lakeland Mills to Canadian Forest Products at a then height in the lumber industry in 1994 and moved with his family to Vancouver where George developed other business interests including Harley Street Holdings. In Vancouver, he and Karen pursued their shared love of collecting historical Canadian as well as Contemporary Art and Photography. George served for 28 years as a Governor of Brentwood College and was recognized by the current headmaster for his "profound influence" on the evolution of Brentwood into one of the top private schools in Canada. The Killy Theater in the T. Gil Bunch Centre at Brentwood College is named after George in recognition of his vision, leadership and lead gift in making the centre a reality and his long and dedicated involvement with the school. George was also a chair of the Vancouver Art Gallery board of directors and director of the Vancouver Art Gallery Foundation, a director of the Vancouver 2010 Bid Corporation and an ambassador for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Committee, a Trustee of the Keg Royalties Income Fund, a director of The Keg GP Ltd. and a general partner of The Keg Rights Limited Partnership. He also served as chairman of Grid International Inc. of Austin, Texas, a director and corporate secretary of the Nature Trust of British Columbia, a director of the BC Children's Hospital Foundation Board and president of the Council of the Northern Interior Forest Employees Relations (Conifer). George's sporting passion in life was golf which he enjoyed playing with his father Ivor and with friends at Vancouver's Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club and at favourite courses around the world, particularly in Scotland and in Ireland. He was a key participant in an annual gathering of gentlemen golfers called Springtide. It began with 11 other friends from university days, many of whom were fellow brothers in the Zeta Psi fraternity, and evolved into an annual get together of roughly 32 golfers who played every year for 45 years. For the last 25 years George chaired and was responsible for organizing the tournament which was held in various locations, the last 23 in Palm Springs every November, usually at The Golf Club at Morningside, until COVID ended it. George considered this annual gathering, and his three wins of the coveted Springtide Championship trophy, among the highlights of his golfing career. As one of George's longtime Springtide companions reflected: "George was a truly fascinating character - smart, generous, funny and always marching to his own drum! I will miss him." And, from one of those closest to him: "He lost his battle with addiction. I have no words. I will love him and miss him forever. I hope he is at peace." A memorial celebration of George's life will be held at the Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club at a time in the New Year to be determined.