December 7, 1916 - January 6, 2010

Harold is survived by his two sons Donald Garrish and Gregory Garrish of Kamloops, daughters Rebecca Dell of Kamloops and Julie-Ann (Grant) Laird of Fernie, three grandchildren Kendra Dell, Kirt Dell and Peter Laird, one great granddaughter Bailey Jo Nelson, nephews Harold Hoodless and David Hoodless and their families.

Harold was predeceased by his infant daughter Barbara in 1950, wife of 35 years Johanna Sigurbjorg (Johannson) in 1984, sister Rebecca Hoodless in 2002 and his oldest grandson Gordon Julian Laird in 2003.

Harold arrived in Kamloops in 1924 with this parents and sister at age 7 after a short stay in England. His father Julian and mother Lilian established Garrish Furniture where he worked helping his father while growing up. Many old time Kamloops families still have prized antique furniture purchased at the store. He had a keen interest in sailing and the outdoors becoming a ski instructor at the old Kamloops Ski Hill and a lifetime member of the Kamloops Outdoor Club where he helped establish cabins on Rose Hill and then later at Heffley Lake. The highlights of many summers were the alpine hikes to many mountaintops. As a teenager he would stoke the boilers in the paddle wheelers going up the Thompson River to the Shuswap to load wood for the winter.

During WWII he served in the Royal Canadian Air Force across Canada and then returned to Kamloops to settle down thinking he would pursue his woodworking skills and become a carpenter. Shortly after returning he met his wife Johanna and they ended up building the family home overlooking Peterson Creek where he lived for more than 50 years. He worked for the Provincial Government Land Title Office as the Deputy Registrar and retired after 35 years. In 1986 he returned to the Shuswap to help his twin sons build the "cabin" while taking the summers off to sail his Swiftsure and Laser sailboats with friends and family.

Harold sang in the Kamloops United Church Choir for more than 70 years and had a special voice for all those tenor pieces he sang. From 1925 through to the early 1960's he was heavily involved in Scouting & Cubs. He became the Scout Master of the 3rd Kamloops Scout Troop, which led him to meet Lord Baden Powell on his world tour.

Skiing was his wintertime sport and in the earlier days he was easily recognizable by his knickers ski pants and yodeling. In his later years he would ski with the group of guys know as the Italian Ski Team. He retired from the skiing after his 85th birthday. At 88 he stopped riding his mountain bike but would still venture out to Copper Island hoping to see the deer or take a walk into Peterson Creek Park beside his Kamloops home.

Thank you must go out to many people including Veteran Affairs for all their support and guidance, Ridgeview Lodge staff for the care received the past 8 months, his many Shuswap Lake friends who would greet him on his walks, the Ladyman family who would come and sing to him at Christmas, make snow angles in his yard and walk him home down the lane with his dog Skipper, Jeannette and Dale Cassell who always had their door open for him, his KUC choir friends who provided fellowship, Roy Simmonds who would make sure he got to church, the many High Country home care workers, his ski season student nurses including Mark Biagioni who would keep him company and provide a young person's perspective on world events, his many KOC friends particularly Jack & Iris Robinson and Barbara and the late Jack Gregson, Barb Hollingshead, Kay Gienow and the very special LeSueur, Kals and Joyce families to name a few.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Thompson Rivers University Foundation in Harold's name to help support a nursing student.

A Celebration of Harold's life will be held at the Kamloops United Church, 421 St. Paul Street, Kamloops, B.C. at 2:00 P.M. on Thursday, January 14, 2010.

Arrangements entrusted to Schoening Funeral Service Ltd., Telephone 250-374-1454.

Condolences can be expressed at
www.schoenings.com