Joseph Williamson

Joseph (Mike) Edward Williamson

March 6, 1935 - March 1, 2017

Mike (81) passed away after a long battle with Parkinson's on March 1, 2017. Born on March 6, 1935 in West Didsbury, Manchester, England, son of Joseph Edward and Margaret Elise (neé Russell) Williamson. Predeceased by his parents and his daughter Kim. Mike married Sandra and they had three children (Shawn, Kim and Ian). He was a loving father, grandfather, uncle and brother who is mourned by his sons Shawn (Betty) and Ian (Tamara), and grandchildren Ben, Daniel, Joey, Aidan, Jonah and Ella, sister Susan (Stevens), nieces Katy Key (Aidy) and Hilary (John) and their sons Edward, Thomas, and Rowan.

Mike grew up during WWII in northern England spending summers at the family bungalow at Newborough on Anglesey, Wales. He passed his time fishing, watching dogfights in the sky, swimming and shooting rabbits. Mike loved his formative years in Chesire and northern Wales and it was there he learned to play rugby and to sail a dinghy on the Menai Straits. He loved the water and his time fly fishing and sailing. He will be fondly remembered with the boat's rudder in one hand, a line in the other and a cry to "Come About".

He attended and graduated school in Cheshire at Sandbach CCF from 1948 to 1951 before entering the National Service as a Cadet in the Royal Navy Reserve on the HMS Conway from 1951 to 1953. Mike entered the Merchant Navy before he went on to serving as a 2nd lieutenant in the Royal Navy in Belfast, Suez, and Kenya. Mike enjoyed his continuing connection to the Alumni from Sandbach and Conway.

Mike immigrated to Canada landing in Quebec City in 1957. Moving west to Vancouver, He transferred his commission to the Canadian Armed Forces where he served in the reserves before being discharged as a Major in the Royal Westminster Regiment. He was a Marine Surveyor and a Master Mariner. He served as Chief Officer of various ships in the Beaufort Sea and for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. He was the Supervisor of Marine Events during EXPO 86. He finished his career as the Safety and Security Officer, Empire Stevedoring and Terminal Systems before retiring to Gibsons on the Sunshine Coast.

A Celebration of Life will take place on Sunday, April 2, 2017 between 11am - 2pm in Vancouver. Please contact swassist@brightlightpictures.com or call (604) 628-2996 for details.In lieu of flowers, donations to the Parkinson's Society of BC would be gratefully accepted.