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February 19, 1928 - November 26, 2021
Harry Leonard Kimmel passed away in Grand Forks, BC on Nov. 26, 2021 at the age of 93. He is survived by his wife, Lois, two daughters, Sherryl and Juanita (Douglas) and son Clifford (Sandra). Harry left 9 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.
Harry was born Feb. 19, 1928 to Harry and Sylvia Kimmel . While his birth certificate states that he was born in Albreda, BC, he was actually born in Danville, Illinois when his mother returned to visit her family in the States.
Harry had 7 brothers: Dorris, Richard, Gordon, Clifford, Virgil and David and 5 sisters: Leila, Ruby, Dorothy, Sylvie and Millie. Now the Kimmel family consists of only Millie and David, all other siblings have predeceased Harry.
Harry lived in Albreda and Fort Langley as a child. After he left home he worked as a shipbuilder in Vancouver, a CNR foreman of Japanese detainees while he was still a teen, as a cowboy in Princton, a sawyer in Williams Lake, an air driller on highway construction and he worked for various sawmills in the Tete Jaune and Valemount area. He was sometimes foreman, millwright and oiler, all at the same time. He ended his sawmill career as foreman of Canyon Creek Sawmill in Valemount,BC.
After Harry and Lois were married in Dec of 1958, they lived in Tete Jaune, North Croydon, Shere and in 1970 they moved to the Kimmel Homestead in Albreda where they raised their family.
Harry had little education, but he had a wide range of knowledge. He built the houses at Tet Jaune and Albreda and did all the plumbing and the wiring as well. He was a good mechanic and could fix most of the machines he owned. He took a course in auto-body work and helped Juanita restore her 67 Chrysler New Yorker. Harry was a great hunter and in the early years he usually got two moose each year.
When Harry was 24, lost parts of his fingers on his right hand during a sawmill accident. That put an end to his guitar playing, but little else. After a back and leg injury he retired from the sawmill sometime in the 1980s. He and Lois moved to Grand Forks, BC where he continued to garden and grow flowers. Dahlias were his favorites and at one time he had about 200 different kinds.He continued to grow a garden every year until he was past 90.
He enjoyed making beautiful quilts. and over the years he has created more than one hundred colourful western shirts. Harry's vegetables, flowers, quilts and shirts have taken many prizes in the local fairs.
As a senior he learned to understand and use the computer. He did much of his shopping online and spent hours surfing the net and checking out his facebook and email accounts.
They loved to travel and after their retirement, Harry and Lois visited Florida, Hawaii, Europe, the Yukon and Alaska. They also visited Nashville and attended the Grand Ole Opry where they were happy to see and hear many of their favorite western artists.
Harry was a man who loved life, enjoyed visiting with family and friends and being the unique individual that we all have come to know and love. His passing has left a huge hole in the fabric of his family: he will be sorely missed and fondly remembered.


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