April 13, 1951 – July 08, 2011
Bob died peacefully after a two year diagnosis of metastatic melanoma. Bob was an extremely loving husband and father. He cherished life long friendships, was a sports enthusiast, an avid cyclist, great story teller, music lover, outstanding leader, instructor and mentor, an astute judge of character and had an insatiable mind for information. Bob was a proud ambassador of his birth place, Trail, BC and the West Kootenays and loved hiking in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. He enjoyed his UBC days, graduating in 1974 in Commerce, specializing in Accounting and Information Management Systems and successfully passing exams to become a Chartered Accountant which he practiced for several years. Bob had a distinguished 32 year career with the BC Public Service. He was the Senior Financial Officer in several ministries as well as Chief Information Officer in his most recent position with the Ministry of Transportation. Predeceased by his mother and father, Estelle and James Buckingham and brother, Dick; Bob is survived by his wife, Angela; children, Andrew, Diana and Julia; step-mother, Pam; siblings, Peggy (Mike), Colin (Alana) and Sally (Crispin); several nieces and nephews; and former wife, Jill Howard.
A Celebration of Life will be held at MCCALL BROS. FLORAL CHAPEL, Johnson & Vancouver Streets on Monday, July 18, 2011 at 2 pm. A reception will follow in McCall’s Family Centre. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Victoria Hospice. Condolences to the family may be offered at www.mccallbros.com.
54 Responses
Andrew,
We are so sad to hear of your Dad’s passing. He sounds like a remarkable man, and one who lived life to the fullest. You will miss him so much. Paddle by this summer – we’d love to see you, raise a glass in his honour, and hear some stories.
Our thoughts are with you and your family.
Dear Angela and Julia,
My profound sympathy to you and your family.
Dear Angela and Family,
Deepest condolences from Marlena and I. Bob will very much be missed.
Bob and I first met on the ball field back during our respective playing days. We shared many a beer and a laugh together. Bob later became Marlena’s boss at LP&H and, later still, my boss at MoTH.
Though Bob valued the hiring of staff with appropriate academic qualifications, he also appreciated the “grinders”, those of us who had worked our way up the ranks and hopefully maintained a feel for what it was like to work in the trenches. Bob was a supportive boss and a progressive leader. I’ll always be grateful for his personal backing and counsel.
Bob and I enjoyed a common love of sports, music and family. We spent countless hours at Victoria ball parks, arenas and gyms and it was always a pleasure to reconnect and swap stories at events following my retirement.
I look back fondly too on our road trips, both those for work and those to sports events. Bob could be counted on to bring along his Rolling Stones, Patsy Cline and Stevie Ray Vaughan tapes/Cds and a well-stocked cooler.
Farewell Bob. A glass will be raised in your honor.
Mike Buckley
Dear Angela:
My heart-felt sympathies to you and your family at this time of great loss.
It is difficult to accurately describe the full extent of Bob’s positive influence over so many of us and on the BC Public Service in general. Bob was a great friend and mentor to many of us. He was also a powerful force for change throughout his long and distinguished career in Government. Never one to shy away from expressing his firmly-held ideas or to be overly concerned about “going against the flow”, his ideas were often the underlying catalyst as we moved forward.
I had the privilege of working for Bob twice during my career (first at the Office of the Auditor General and years later at the Ministry of Transportation) and working with him as a Director colleague. As members of the Senior Financial Officers’ Council, we could always count on Bob’s observations to be both insightful and full of wit. I remember fondly our many out-of-town trips together. For a number of years, Bob was also the ever-patient coach of our Office of the Auditor General fastball team and led us to the Provincial Government Championship.
Bob was both a deeply caring man and a shrewd judge of character. We are all the better for having known him. He will forever be in our hearts.
John Dowler
Bob will forever be the ‘sunny boy’ we knew well as his cousin or aunt until 1958 and again in 1964. When we re-connected after roughly 40 years, he remained so; he had become a thoughtful, caring, generous man with a terrific sense of humour about life’s many quirks, who spoke so warmly about his family.
Bob fully enjoyed his life, in all ways: as a truly genuine public servant, as a friend to so many, and most especially as a husband, brother and Dad. His family brought him *great* joy. The last journey you have been forced to take with him was no doubt made easier for him through your steady, unfailing, focussed support and love. May the memories of all you created, and shared with, him in so many ways bring you comfort.
Angela, this part of Bob’s Saskatchewan family will be thinking of you, and Andrew, Diana and Julia on Monday, along with his sister Peggy, as we have been. We are profoundly sorry for your immeasurable loss.
Pamela Smith (Bob Stirling) & for his Auntie Pat in Regina (the last of the five ‘Slaughter girls’, including Bob’s mom, Estelle) and Pam’s daughter Caitlin, her husband Jay, and Julian (who you welcomed so readily to Victoria) along with the more recent Declan.
Angela and family. I wish you all the best during these difficult times. Bob hired me when I was 25 yrs old and immediately provided opportunities that allowed me to progress in my career. He was a mentor, both on a personal and professional level and helped so many people and their families over the years. It is truly amazing how many senior executives in the public service were either hired by Bob or worked closely with him. He will be missed but always remembered as an honorable man who did what he believed was right and fair. Take care.
Hello Angela. My deepest sympathies to you and your family for your loss.
Angela:
My heart-felt sympathy to you and your daughter at this difficult time.
We are so sorry to hear of your loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Hello Angela. Very sad to hear the new of of Bob’s passing. My thoughts are certainly with you during this difficult time.