Ambleside's 'Dog Father' passes away

Tyler Hopson

writer@nsnews.com

GERRY West, dog lover, friend to many and longtime fixture at Ambleside Park's doggie beach, died in hospital April 29 following a heart attack nine days earlier.

Born in Regina, Sask. on May 31, 1930, West spent most of his life in the Vancouver area and was part of a tight-knit group of dog owners that meets in the off-leash section of the park.

"We used to meet every day, winter or summer, rain or shine, right up until the last," says West Vancouver artist Daniel Izzard, who met West five years ago.

"He was quite gregarious. He loved people. But more than that he had a love for dogs."

And dogs loved him.

Friends say West made his own doggie biscuits to hand out at the beach.

"He was, in a sense, like the Pied Piper of Hamelin," Izzard says.

Friend John Beaubier says West's interest in dogs went back more than half a century and bull dogs were always his favourite.

Beaubier met West when the two served in the army in the 1950s. Their mothers were friends.

"He was generous to a fault," says Beaubier. "He'd have given you the shirt off his back, to the extent that even people he hardly knew he'd be friendly with.

"People have been coming up to me wondering where on earth Gerry is. Scores of them, I'd say dozens," says Beaubier. "He was a man of many parts, to say the least."

Beaubier describes West as a history buff with a special interest in military history and a "very competent mechanic" who rebuilt cars, and formerly owned a trucking business. West also flew airplanes at one time.

Cathrine Chartier, a close friend who was at West's side as he died, says she continues to make West's famous dog biscuits in his absence and is looking after one of his dogs.

"He was the 'Dog Father' down there (at Ambleside). The bench is empty now and everybody (knew) him. He was a good friend to me."

Izzard says West rescued dogs all his life and found homes for them.

"He had an empathy and a compassion for dogs which was extraordinary. And he kept it very quiet."

West was unmarried and did not have children.

A memorial service will be held at St. Christopher's Anglican Church in West Vancouver.

The date is to be announced.