Brian Robert Gartshore – pilot, mariner, lifelong class clown, and dedicated connoisseur of wildly inappropriate jokes – died on August 18, 2026.
Brian was born in Vancouver at a very early age, to be with his mother (who was there at the time). The second son of the late Bob and Joy, his arrival was presumably a grenade to older brother Ian’s previously tranquil existence. David (Mary Jane), the late Brenda, and Jennifer (Lorne) completed the family.
The antics of Brian’s wild youth would later become bedtime story fodder for his own children, who served as a captive and gullible audience — perfect for a man who was a consummate storyteller with an occasionally tenuous relationship with fact. Greatest hits include graduating high school late after he and a friend ditched the classroom to hitch-hike around England, driving a Mustang that started with a screwdriver, and one story involving a very sternly worded letter from Transport Canada about an improperly procured airplane seen performing barrel rolls.
Brian came by his lifelong obsession with aviation honestly. The son of a commercial pilot, Brian lived and breathed airplanes from day one, spending his school days practicing for his future by staring out the classroom window. To the absolute shock of his teachers, Brian graduated from Mt. Doug High School in 1977, got his pilot’s license, grew an absolutely legendary mustache, and began a 42-year career as a commercial pilot. He amassed an impressive 24,170.8 flight hours before retiring from Air Canada in 2022 as Captain on the 787. He was very proud to have retired without screwing up badly enough to have a checklist named after him. As he would say, a great landing is one where the airplane flies again.
In 1985, on a blind date that he didn’t even want to go on, Brian met Heather – the love of his life. They raised their two kids in North Saanich, where he was famously a Very Fun Dad. A lifelong mariner, Brian was a proud member of Capital City Yacht Club. His boating adventures and misadventures were the basis of some of his best (though possibly exaggerated) material.
Brian was a cheap bastard (when it suited) but had never heard of a budget in the face of a home, boat, or garden project. He left his family with a beautiful garden, a home that he largely built out from the studs, a very cleverly renovated boat, and a garage so full of tools that it can only be described as “10 pounds of shit in a 5-pound bag”.
He was humble (said he worked part-time at the airport), determined (was on the roof days after surgery), and refused to hire anyone for a project he thought he could do himself (once lit his vest on fire doing electrical work). His favorite things were Heather’s cooking, painfully dry apple cider, matcha, and copious amounts of chocolate. He hated Brussels sprouts, country music, and panhandle driveways (all of which he blamed on the Liberals).
Brian got as much juice out of the squeeze as possible. He was determined to live until he died, and his zest for life and love of people was infectious. He cherished his friendships and felt immensely blessed to have shared many decades and seasons of life with so many. He loved young people (he famously maintained friendships with his kids’ friends and the occasional ex-boyfriend) and always had time for anyone interested in faith or a career in aviation. His many relationships particularly sustained him in recent years as he lived with soft tissue sarcoma.
Above all, Brian loved being home (or on the boat) with his family. He devotedly loved his wife, children, and grandchildren in a way that was tangible and visceral and left absolutely no room for doubt.
Brian is survived by his wife Heather, their children Meghan (Chien), James (Rhéa), grandchildren Carter and Ollie, their mother Ashley, and Xiu Xiu and Hunter. He is also survived by his mother-in-law Louise Hunter, brother-in-law Jim Hunter (Marty), and a large extended family. He was predeceased by Toba-T-Wonder dog, the fur-bearing shit cannon.
Our family extends sincere thanks to the many medical professionals who cared for Brian during the last years of his life. Your kindness and compassion won’t be forgotten.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Saanich Peninsula Hospital Foundation – Palliative Care Unit, the BC Cancer Agency, Young Life of Canada, or Our Place Society.
A celebration of Brian’s full and adventurous life will take place at 11:00 AM on Saturday, September 26th at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church (680 Courtney Street, Victoria), with a reception to follow. Please contact the family at brianscelebrationoflife2026@
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
This obituary is the property of the “Gartshore” family and may not be reproduced, distributed, or altered in any way without prior written consent.
26 Responses
Dear Heather. We are so very sorry for your loss and extend our most heartfelt condolences to you and your family. Chris and I have just returned from being away and we’re sad to have missed Brian’s celebration of life. We always enjoyed our conversations and time with Brian at CCYC functions. He was always fun, knowledgeable on so many topics, positive and happy to help. We hope to get to see you sometime soon and share a few words and a hug. Please know you are in our thoughts.
I first met Brian in 1991, in Medicine Hat, Alberta. We worked together at Time Air. Brian and I often discussed airplanes, as I was quite an enthusiast in those years.
I remember Brian as a respectful, kind, thoughtful human with a zest for life. He loved to learn, he loved to read, he loved to discover and he loved adventure. From time to time I would enjoy meeting up with him, in transit at YVR. I could always spot him from a distance as his walk was so distinct. In 2018, Brian and Heather visited us in Pender Harbour while on their boat. Our friends from Kenya were visiting, same time. Brian enjoyed asking my Kenyan friend if he could touch her hair (as it was very different from his). We had a lovely visit and evening. I had hoped we could do this again…I am grateful for the time I knew Brian he truly touched my life.
Dear Ian, My response to your letter..
Yes, much has been said about Dear Brian!! Most of it true.
As you may know, our relationship began with a snowball during a moderately warm winter day (1964) in Edmonton, when we were 6 years old. (Otherwise the snow would not have stuck together to make the snowball). I picked up the snow ball and threatened to throw it at him if he did not become my friend. Well we did become friends, therefore, I never threw the snowball. Meeting Brian put my life on another trajectory. Starting to know Christ, and becoming a closer to him. Also, becoming a Flight Instructor for 10 years. We always kept in touch.
Ian, I am sorry for hitting your head with the stick (or hammer, I can’t remember which now), and drawing blood. I think that happened in our basement. Anyways, I always appreciated the challenging games of chess we had together. I am not sure if I can agree that Brian was the favorite, Joy and Bob, loved all their kids equally from what I could see. They did want to add girls to the mix, so adopted Brenda and Jennifer. I didn’t quite live there, but was visiting a lot, almost everyday. I hope that all is well with you, I am sorry for your loss. Maybe we can meet again. Take Care Ian, God Bless, how to see you soon one day.Gary Gary Cox
I’m so sorry to hear about Brian’s passing. He was a truly wonderful, funny man. I have many great memories from my childhood with you two. Lasagna and Monopoly in your apartment. Losing Benji when you were babysitting the three of us. Brian trying to teach me about exponents in grade four. And then later visiting during my MSc in Victoria. And we’ve always looked forward to your family letters, and the resilience, humour and humanity you brought to Brian’s journey.
Sending all my love, hugs, and our heart-felt condolences to you, Meghan, James and family. And gratitude for the time we spent together.
Diane and Paul
I don’t think I could say I have ever laughed while reading an obituary. We moved onto Moxon Terrace 25 years ago and were warmly welcomed by both Heather and Brian. I just can’t imagine Moxon without him. When my children were very small and my husband was working out of town, our hot water tank blew. I called Brian asking what I should do and he immediately came over with James and they helped me drain it. The process took some time and it was getting late and I had to put my little ones to bed. I took my daughter upstairs and got her ready and my little boy, who must have been only 2, stayed with Brian and James. When I came back downstairs the 3 of them were sitting on the couch and Brian was reading a bedtime story to my son. I instantly thought, who does this? Who shows this level of kindness? When we ordered a new tank, it got delivered with a promise to hook it up but the guy never returned, leaving me with no hot water for the weekend.……so Brian returned and hooked it up for me.
His enthusiasm for life was infectious, always explaining how something worked or what he was learning about. I used to tease him about his ‘old yankee’ workshop being my dream workshop. He came to look at our sailboat one time and told us how we could hook up hot water. One year we were sailing and tied up next to Heather and Brian’s boat and they laughed as they watched 2 adults, 2 kids and big dog all crawl out of this tiny boat and onto theirs. We played cards, ate icecream! (what?!) and laughed so hard my daughter choked on her drink.
I will never forget the selflessness, humour and the genuine love he had for people. We were truly lucky to have known and laughed with him. He was so proud of his Meghan, James, Heather and grandkids! I have no doubt he was the best Father, Husband and Poppers ever!
Please know we are here for you all, grieving alongside you, willing to help with anything you may need.
With so much love,
Lisa, Mike, Claire and Hugh
I first met Brian in Terrace about 1981 while I fueled up the plane that he and his old dear friend Jim were flying. I thought then, that this guy really looks how a pilot should look. The following year I was doing a cross country trip building up flight time and got socked in by weather in Lethbridge. Brian invited me to stay and sleep on his couch and in fact, made me stay a day longer than I planned to as he wasn’t happy that the weather had cleared up enough. He showed me around the Dash 7 he was flying and how cool it was. We remained in touch on and off over the years. His enthusiasm for life was a great inspiration to me and his sense of humour was amazing. Brian was a dedicated Christian and family man who had many talents. He will be missed by many. Rest easy old friend. My sincerest condolences to his family for your loss.