Richard Brookes Bird

BIRD, Richard Brookes
February 12, 1929 - August 22, 2023

Richard Brookes Bird, KC, a lawyer, labour arbitrator, teacher, army officer and kayaker, passed away in Duncan, B.C., on August 22, 2023, at the age of 94. Born in Vancouver, he was the son of the late Henry J. and Bobbs (Brookes) Bird.

He was predeceased by his wife Gloria Juline (Fyfe) Bird after 69 years of marriage and is survived by his brother John Bird (Mary Belle) of Toronto, daughter Julia Huffman (Ken) of Ottawa; sons Michael Bird (Shay) of Oakville, Ont., and John Bird of Grand Cayman; grandsons Geoff Bird (Jocelyn) of Halifax, Thomas Huffman (Katie) of Ottawa, Alastair Bird (Letty) of Vancouver and Jack Huffman (Nicole) of Toronto; granddaughters Emily Bird (Ian) of Toronto and Holly Bird of Grand Cayman; and five great-grandchildren.

Richard grew up in Vancouver's west side, attended Prince of Wales high school and summered at the family cottage at Point Roberts, Wash. He financed his university education by working on Canadian merchant cargo ships during the summer, which took him to ports around the world and gave him his first involvement with labour unions as a shop steward.

He was inspired to pursue a career in law by his grandfather J. Edward Bird, who represented Komagata Maru passengers in 1914 and was a trailblazer for human rights in Canada. Richard, however, joined the Canadian Army after second year at UBC law school and was posted at Aldershot, N.S., and Wainwright, Alta., before serving in Korea with the UN peacekeeping force.

On his return he completed his law studies and began a four-decade long legal career in Vancouver and on Vancouver Island, with first half focused on commercial law, and the latter on labour arbitration. He also headed the B.C. government's legal services branch as assistant-deputy attorney general for three years and taught part-time at UBC law school and the University of Victoria's public administration school.

Richard and Gloria raised their family in Vancouver's Kerrisdale neighbourhood and the family cabin in Howe Sound, and later in the Cowichan Valley.

A master storyteller with an encyclopedic memory, he was a man of deep curiosity and many passions. Family topped the list followed by the law, of course, but he also was intensely interested in West Coast First Nations art, politics of all types, boating, farming, fishing, education, genealogy, travel and military history.

He partnered with famed B.C. First Nations artist Doug Cranmer and his law schoolmate Alfred Scow in founding West Coast Carvers Ltd. and then operating the groundbreaking Talking Stick gallery in Vancouver in the 1960s. It was one of Canada's first galleries to focus on contemporary native art and give artists control of production and a greater share of profits.

Sea kayaking became a major focus of his life beginning in the 1980s, which led him to almost every nook and cranny along Vancouver Island's coast, east and west, over several decades, as well as winter paddling trips to Sea of Cortez and the Caribbean. The highlight of every summer was the annual expedition kayak trip with a group of friends, which, in time, transitioned to being more of a family trip with his sons and grandsons. He made his last expedition trip at age 86.

Richard served on several boards and belonged to a number of clubs over the years, notably the Vancouver Club, the Arbutus Club and the Union Club of B.C. The Cowichan Kayak and Canoe Club, which he founded, was closest to his heart and where he had a large circle of friends and was a mentor to generations of paddlers.

A celebration of Richard's life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to Cowichan Hospice House at cowichanhospice.org/donate or BC Marine Trails at bcmarinetrails.org/support-us would be greatly appreciated.
To express condolences, share memories and photos, please visit: www.sandsduncan.ca