Aldergrove’s Brian Thomasson was remembered as a ‘huge community contributor’ on Saturday, May 7, at the dedication of a memorial bench at Raptors Knoll Park.
Located next to the Otter Co-op Pavilion, the bench bears a plaque that describes Thomasson, who passed away in 2020, as a “faithful friend and inspiration to many.”
Otter Co-op CEO Jack Nicholson reported the fundraising for the bench was so successful, the excess donations will help finance a scholarship in Thomasson’s memory.
Nicholson said the bench to honour Thomasson and his memory would serve as a restful place where visitors can “heal mentally and spiritually, and reflect on those people who have passed before us.”
He recalled meeting Thomasson through Rotary, and later when he joined the Co-op board of directors.
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“Brian was a huge community supporter through his career, his volunteer work, through Rotary, through the Aldergrove Credit Union and the Otter Co-op boards. He certainly contributed to the betterment of our community and to the people who got to know him,” said Nicholson.
“It was evident how much he was loved, and how much of an impact he had in the community. When we set up the fund, to start collecting funds for this bench, it was reached right away, and we had enough to donate to a Brian Thomasson memorial scholarship, as well,” Nicholson told the gathering.
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Thomasson’s obituary described him as a long-time resident of Aldergrove who was born and raised in the Cloverdale area and moved to Aldergrove, where he lived with his wife and family for 48 years.
It said he was someone who “genuinely cared about people and loved meeting and getting to know new people.”
Thomasson worked for the Bank of Montreal for six years, and then worked as a teacher and administrator in the Langley School District until he retired.
He is also remembered as the founding Aldergrove Rotary Club president, who, among other things, spearheaded the sale of the Patricia Hall to secure an integral piece of funding for the Rotary Fieldhouse at Aldergrove Athletic Park – providing the community with a multi-purpose facility with washrooms, a meeting room, and storage space for sports teams.
In addition, Thomasson served four years on the Otter board after he was elected in 2016.
Is there more to the story? Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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