August 22, 1936 – August 27, 2017
at the age of 81 years
We announce the passing of Ken McHarg on August 27, 2017, at Gemstones Care Facility in Kamloops, B.C., where he resided since July, 2013. He was predeceased by parents, Henry and Gina McHarg, sister, Violet Ashdown, brother-in-law, Ken Ashdown, and nephew Neil Ashdown, all of Melfort, Saskatchewan. He is survived by sons, Jason (Mira), of Maryland, USA, and Ian McHarg of Coldstream, B.C., and their mother, Valerie McHarg, of Kamloops, B.C. He is further survived by: grandson, Mason McHarg of Maryland, USA; nephew, Mark Ashdown of Vancouver; and several cousins in Melfort, Saskatchewan.
Ken attended the University of Saskatchewan (B.A, B.Ed.) and Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, USA.(M.Ed.), and was a teacher for over 40 years. He taught in Melfort, Saskatchewan, Victoria, B.C., and at Clarence Fulton in Vernon, B C. He was a skilled and dedicated teacher of Mathematics who delighted in seeing students succeed.
He married Valerie Colter in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, in 1963, and in 1969 they moved to Victoria, B.C. for one year before moving to Coldstream, B.C. Sons, Jason and Ian, were both born in Vernon, B.C. Ken was an excellent father who dearly loved his sons. In recreation he enjoyed backyard gardening with a special interest in growing peaches and tomatoes. He golfed, skied, was a keen bridge player, and, for the first ten years of retirement, was a marshall at Predator Ridge Golf Course in Vernon. Over his lifetime he volunteered for many years with various charities, and never lost his desire to help others. He had a good sense of humour, was kind, generous, loving, and forgiving. He was loved dearly by his family and he will be missed greatly.
We extend a heartfelt gratitude to the wonderful nurses and caregivers at Gemstones in Kamloops who cared for Ken in his declining years. There will be no funeral service. Arrangements have been entrusted to Fischer’s Funeral Services in Salmon Arm, B.C. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ken’s memory may be made to the Vernon Jubilee Hospital at 2101 32nd Street, Vernon, B.C. V1T 5L2
Dear Val, Jason and Ian and Grandchildrens;
We’re so sorry for the loss of Ken. I will always remember Ken as an excellent math teacher and the best math department head I’ve ever had. Ken and I not only taught math at Fulton Secondary School but we did a lot of skiing and golfing together. When skiing I would always try to keep up with him but I never could and in golf it was the same. Ken was a very good friend of mine and we had a lot of good times together. I was planning to take him some Golden Aurora apple again this Fall. I hope he enjoyed the ones I took him last Fall. He shall be sorely missed.
With Deepest Sympathy
Mas and Fumi Sakakibara