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Alexander BINGHAM
Alexander BINGHAM
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Alexander BINGHAM Obituary
BINGHAM, Alexander Reid
December 29, 1919 – January 22, 2015
It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Alec. In 2013 he was predeceased by Janet, his wife of 61 years. He was also predeceased by his sisters, Peggy and Joan. He is survived by his children Michael, Mary Reynolds (Rick) and David (Sue) and grandchildren Daniel and James Reynolds, Megan and Bridget Bingham. Alec was born in Newark, New Jersey to George and Lillian while they were living and working abroad. At a young age the family moved back to England. He attended Marlborough College School for Boys and upon graduation he began a career with Lloyds of London. With the start of WWII he joined the British Army where, during six years of service, he rose to the rank of Captain. He went on to spend several years in the British Colonial Service as a magistrate in Ghana. After a brief return to England, he immigrated to Vancouver where he met Janet and married in 1952. Alec had a lifelong career in industrial sales and marketing beginning with BA Oil and subsequently Gulf Oil. In his retirement he became a Master Gardener, volunteered with Meals on Wheels, and was involved with the St. Mary's Church community. He will be remembered for always taking an interest in others, his enjoyment of any gathering with friends and family, and his teasing, always with a twinkle in his eye. Special thanks to the staff at Purdy Pavilion 3 for their devoted care. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, February 10, at 2:00 p.m. at St. Mary's (Kerrisdale) Anglican Church, 2490 West 37th Avenue, Vancouver.
Walkey & Company Funeral Directors
604 738-0006
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4 Entries
Julian Finn
February 17, 2015
Nick and I thought of Alec and Janet as family ever since we were next-door neighbours to Alec's parents in Chantry View Rd in Guildford, Surrey in England. In the late 50's, when I was a little boy, Alec's Dad would hand pieces of fruit to me through the fence while I watched him gardening. I and my brother, Nick and my now deceased sister, Liz, would visit Alec's Mum in the sitting-room where she was covered with rugs, and she would direct us to a drawer which contained chocolates and sugared almonds and she would request us to help ourselves.
Alec and Janet showed enormous love and kindness to my entire family including my parents, Andrew and Elise,
over the years.
Mary and Michael and David should all be proud of everything that they did to care for Janet and Alec, and to have provided Alec with such loving support and kindness since Janet died too soon.
Nick and I feel a huge sense of privilege for having known Alec and Janet since 1967 when Nick visited from England following a non-stop Greyhound trip from Ontario after visiting Expo '67 in Montreal.
My father, Andrew, my brother, Nick, and I all attended Marlborough College
in England but, Unlike Alec's caning at Marlborough, my caning happened several times at my Prep School, Lanesborough!
We were lucky to visit Hermit and, on my one visit ther, Alec fried oysters that we had gathered on the beach. Delicious memory, and of Janet being "mother" to a stranded baby seal that had lost its Mum.
Julia Tupper
February 10, 2015
I have fond memories of Alec at Hermit, almost always with either, a cup of tea, or an instrument of construction. In his quiet way, he was never quite still, yet never less than fully present and loving in all that he did. I knew he loved the place as we did, and worked to keep it whole.
Both he and Janet were endlessly kind to me. SO often we sat, swapping stories and jokes on the sun-speckled deck overlooking the bay with the blackberries waving in the gentle breeze and the bees continually a-buzz, or in the warm, cozy kitchen accompanied by the sound of the drizzle on a dark day as it plink-plinked its way off the roof and down the big flagstone steps just outside the heavy wooden door.
Sometimes, he'd be under the sink with a wrench, other times he'd sit across from me and we'd tell fish stories :)
Go softly, gentle Alec ~ Your loving-kindness shall not be forgotten.
Much Love and Peace to your treasured family and your many friends.
Julia Tupper
Vancouver Washington
Pam Dawson
February 1, 2015
My dad - Bill Dawson - worked with your dad for many years at BA and Gulf Oil. He and my mom, Bunty, always spoke so highly of "Alec" and appreciated keeping in touch with him after retirement. He sounded like a true gentleman in a business that could be pretty competitive. My thoughts are with your family at this time.
Charles H. Tupper
February 1, 2015
My first experience of Alec was at our summer paradise at Hermit Island, as a gangly, obstreperous teenager. Alec took me under his wing as did his loving wife, Janet. I remember his gentle and humorous teasing and definitely that 'twinkle' in his eye.
Alec saved my bacon a few times, rousting me out of my kip at some ungodly hour, near dawn, to advise that the boat I had used the night before had somehow become adrift, either still in sight in the bay or missing, and he'd help me get it back. I was always perplexed as to why a boat I tied up would become untied and go adrift. I developed the opinion that it was some kind of 'conspiracy' or joke. In any event, we always seemed to get the boat back to the dock and safely DOUBLE-tied up before my father would discover the (alleged) 'act of a careless teenager' thus putting me in the dog house. Now, every time I tie up a vessel, I use a bowline and two half-hitches to make the boat fast, and remember Alec with great fondness for his having been interested and caring about me, as was his endearing nature. Farewell Alec. You are now finally free of earthly encumbrances...and on a new journey.
My heartfelt condolences to his children Michael, Mary and David, and the grandchildren Daniel, James, Megan and Bridget.
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