Glenn H. WAKEFIELD

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Glenn Wakefield. Glenn was adored by his wife of 38 years, MaryLou, and daughters Claire and Nicola who were his pride and joy. Glenn is predeceased by his father Roy, mother Maureen and younger brother Mark and survived by his sister Mary and nephew Alex. Glenn was born in Edmonton to parents who emigrated from Portsmouth, England. He grew up in Victoria attending Gordon Head elementary, Mount Doug High and Camosun College. He worked as a logger, fisherman, surveyor and a carpenter. Glenn travelled around the world in 1969-70 making life long-friends. He worked alongside his father building Wakefield Construction into an award winning company best known for their heritage restoration of Victoria's iconic buildings - Market Square, Congregation Emanu-El Synagogue, Munro's Books and many private residences. Glenn's passion for sailing was legendary. He skippered boats in Swiftsure, West Coast Race and Newport to Bermuda races. In 1997-98, he and his family sailed through the South Pacific to New Zealand in their Haida 26, then on to Australia and South Africa. Friends describe Glenn as a diamond in the rough, one in a million, a one-off, a hero, and a legend. He often defied rules and said he wouldn't want to belong to any club that would have him as a member but he cherished the camaraderie of friends at the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, Cruising Club of America, and Ocean Cruising Club (UK). For him, it was always about people. Over his lifetime, he logged close to 55,000 nautical miles of open ocean sailing, and made three attempts at completing a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation, the final leg of which was Victoria to Cape Horn and back. Tragically, fate had other plans and Glenn was taken too early and before he could fulfill his life-long dream. Up until the end, he was the master of his fate and the captain of his soul. Glenn's sailing adventures will be published and a celebration of his life will be held when Covid restrictions ease.