Alfred Cecil Carder Obituary

CARDER, Alfred Cecil 1910 – 2014 We celebrate the life of our beloved father & grandfather who died peacefully on Winter Solstice, December 21, 2014 shortly before his 105th Christmas. Al was born to John & Harriet Carder in Calgary, AB on April 20, 1910 – the fourth of five children. Al was predeceased by his wife Mary (2008) and is deeply loved and missed by children: Judith, Mary-Clare, and Andrew (Jill); grandsons: Jeremy and Noah; sister-in-law, Torla and many nieces and nephews in England. Al grew up in Cloverdale, BC, earned his BSc at UBC (1935) and began his career in Beaverlodge, AB. After decorated World War II service in England and Europe, he returned to earn his MSc (McGill) and PhD (Wisconsin) continuing his research on plant responses to climatic effects – laying groundwork for climate change studies – with Canada's Dept. of Agriculture for which he received Canada's Centennial Medal. While working in Beaverlodge, Al met Mary and they wed in Mary's hometown of Petersfield, England in 1954. Together they raised a family in Beaverlodge and in 1970, after 35 years of civil service, Al retired and they moved to Cordova Bay, BC. Al was very active in his retirement – hiking daily, building the family cottage near Point-no-Point and beginning his research on giant trees resulting in two publications: Forest Giants of the World, Past and Present (1995) and Giant Trees of North America and the World (2005) with his “to scale” drawings. Al continued researching, writing and self-publishing information into his 101st year with The Blooming of the Earth: A Brief History of the Advent of Plants and Man and finally, Reflections of a Big Tree Enthusiast about his beloved giant Douglas-firs. Recently, Al received the Ancient Forest Alliance's Forest Sustainability Award honoring his decades of service to document, research, and promote the conservation of BC's old-growth trees which included proving the Red Creek Tree to be Canada's largest tree. In 2005, Al and Mary moved to The Camelot in James Bay where they enjoyed the company of good friends. After Mary's passing, it was here that Al continued living a healthy, happy, vibrant life. The family is grateful to the incredible staff at The Camelot, Saint Elizabeth, Royal Jubilee Hospital, Beacon Services & St. Charles Manor. With faith, curiosity and wonder, Al lived his life leaving a legacy of love, humour, appreciation, knowledge and philosophy. A celebration of life and thanksgiving will be held on Friday, January 23 at 2:00 p.m. in the Chapel of the New Jerusalem, Christ Church Cathedral, Quadra St., Victoria, with reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations in Al's name to the Ancient Forest Alliance, the Nature Conservancy of Canada, or a charity of your choice would honour his memory.

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