Richard John Reeves

Born in Powell River in 1957, Richard (Rick, Rocky, Rich) Reeves passed away unexpectedly in the late hours of December 19th, 2018 in Chilliwack, BC.

A Gemini through and through, Richard was sensitive, complex and brilliantly intelligent. Always ready for an intellectual challenge and adventure, he was kind hearted and generous to his friends and the causes he supported, but he did not suffer fools gladly, as those who were on the receiving end of his quick witted, acerbic tongue can attest.

A very proud member of the Boy Scouts, he attended numerous International Jamborees, including when, at 19 years old, he rode his 10 speed 3,800 miles from Chilliwack to Cabot, Prince Edward Island.

Richard often credited his love of travelling and history to his passion for collecting world coins, which he started as a child. His travels took him throughout most European countries, Australia, New Zealand, Greece, Iceland, Iran, across Canada and the U.S., where he had a home in Arizona for a number of years. Road trips in fast cars were a passion, frequently birding, golfing, gambling and viewing the world through the lens of a camera along the way. Scrabble player and crossword solver extraordinaire, he was a loyal Canucks fan, loved Glenfiddich Scotch, Joni Mitchell, Nanaimo Bars, reading obituaries, researching his Norwegian ancestry, and cooking for his mother while they yelled at the TV watching hockey together.

Accompanying his father to logging sites and antique sales, Richard developed a love for log homes and considerable knowledge of antiques. He lovingly restored the family cottage at Cultus Lake, sanding and staining the logs into the night, spending hours on a ladder cutting ivy out of the trees, and hand picking and laying coloured river rocks into the creek passing by the house, with Magoo, his Umbrella Cockatoo, singing "Oh Canada" and supervising from the trees above.

In between his many adventures Richard attended and graduated from the BCIT Marketing Management program, where he fondly reminisced about his marketing plan for Vancouver's legendary Penthouse Nightclub. He went into Real Estate at 21, selling many of the original properties at Lindell Beach, and was amongst the Top Ten Canadian realtors within his firm in 1992. Following a move to Toronto and working in real estate for a time, he purchased a number of printing businesses and worked in the industry for 18 years. He continued to know the Pantone colours by heart and could identify hundreds of papers by touch.

Moving back to B.C. following the theft of his two beloved parrots Hayley and Phoenix, Richard struggled with PTSD and depression, but continued to strive for, and find resilience. Always an extraordinary cook and well known for his dinner parties, he enrolled in the Red Seal Culinary Arts Program at the University of the Fraser Valley, and enjoyed cooking at a number of Fraser Valley restaurants. His Danish influenced open faced sandwiches were works of art!

Richard was a colourful personality - charming, passionate, and yes, naughty! He was both adored and despised by many women, leaving countless weak in the knees. He had exquisite taste, and his many suits were the colours of the rainbow - he insisted on doing his own laundry so that his cloths were folded just so.

Prior to his passing, Richard was finalizing plans to move to Jasper, where he was going to work in the hospitality industry. Unfortunately, with a history of heart problems and the recent death of his best friend, Bernese Mountain Dog, Axel, his heart was literally broken.

Predeceased by his treasured parents Jack and Ella, and his beloved best friends Axel and Magoo, Richard is survived by his sister Kathryn Bruce (Calgary), and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. Heartbroken is his former partner and friend, Brenda Fredrick (Ashley, Jason, Aianna, Chay). Richard is also survived by his estranged sister Barb Candow, and sadly three nieces whom he absolutely adored: Natalie, Hayley, and Sydney.

Respecting Richard's wishes, there will not be a service.
Arrangements and Condolences: Woodlawn Mt. Cheam Funeral Home, Chilliwack

In lieu of flowers, gifts in his memory to Greyhaven Exotic Bird Sanctuary, directed toward Medical Care, would be most appreciated.

Richard would also implore his friends and those he loved, who continue to smoke, to please STOP - he had, but unfortunately too late in life, and he had developed COPD.

I looked at the morning,
After being up all night,
I looked at my haggard face in the bathroom light,
I looked out the window,
And I saw that ragged soul take flight,
I saw a black crow flying,
In a blue sky,
Oh I'm like a black crow flying,
In a blue sky
~Black Crow, Joni Mitchell

Oh, I wish I had a river so long,
I would teach my feet to fly,
I wish I had a river,
I could skate away on ....
~River, Joni Mitchell