Share a memory or a story.

Brian cared deeply about many important causes and founded or supported several organizations to advocate for the environment and a sustainable economy. He had a long and successful career as a civil engineer, working on projects all over the world. When most people are thinking about retirement, he decided to leave engineering and start a guest ranch in the interior of BC. And when he wasn't doing all of these, he loved traveling, adventuring in the great outdoors, and making friends with people from all over the world and all walks of life.

We'd love to hear any stories you have to share. Projects. Crusades. Adventures. Misadventures. Anything and everything.

1969 - A great man! A summer job with Brian Gunn

Submitted by Barry Walker

In 1969 a high school counselor asked if I was interested in finding a summer job. He had received requests from two possible employers. One was a new hamburger chain selling something called a Big Mac. This job was unappealing as I would have to wear a funny hat.

The other opportunity involved helping to build a large home extension on the side of a steep hill. I liked the sound of this one! I was handed a phone number (299 4007, I think it was. I recall the 007 James Bond part!).

This decision turned out to be a very good one.

Brian was a very hard worker. His way of being was inspiring! I learned a lot about life from Brian.

I ended up moving into a basement room as I attended SFU. I was always treated like a family member.

Brian and I went on a few runs together on the hilly streets of Capital Hill in Burnaby. At the time, I played soccer for the university team and thought myself to be in pretty good shape. Brian delighted in showing me that he could keep up and then some! Sheer will-power, I would say. Still, Brian had his weakness...cookies! I remember that he put them on the highest kitchen shelf so they would be out of reach...but, being Brian, he would find a way!

Brian was like a big brother/father figure to me. I will always have a big open wilderness in my heart for dear, dear Brian Gunn.

Oh, I must add that my mother respected Brian a lot too. My mother and a friend spent a few days at Brian's ranch and loved every minute. Mom was a horse gal and a very good reader of GOOD character so being at Brian's ranch was very wonderful for her.

RIP, Brian Gunn

(...or, for Brian...Work In Peace, good friend.)

Barry Walker

1970 - Touring UBC Civil Engineering students around Westshore Terminals

Submitted by Charlie Birt

I met Brian for the first time in the spring of 1970. My civil engineering class had a field trip to Roberts Bank to visit the new coal port under construction. Brian, as site manager, was the tour guide. He arrived unshaven, in high rubber boots (I’m sure they had steel toes!), jeans, a lumberjack shirt and a hard hat. He made such an impression on me that 50 years later I can still remember what he was wearing. At the time of our tour, the island was complete except for some bank protection being placed on the high intertidal zones, the conveyors and stacker/reclaimers were being erected and the piling on dock number one was nearing completion. I found Brian’s story about the development of the Roberts Bank terminal captivating and decided I wanted to work for Brian’s company.

The following week, I met with Swan Wooster’s personal manager and was offered a summer job. I left Swan Wooster 40 years later, having had a career that I hope Brian would be proud of.

Brian was a leader of the visionary team that conceived of, designed and managed the construction of the Roberts Bank coal terminal. That project and the team generated huge changes in southeastern BC. The jobs generated in coal mining and the railway made and continues to make a significant contribution to British Columbia.

Rest in peace Brian

Charlie Birt

1970s- A richer life

Submitted By Jeff Sember

Brian was my stepfather. Just a few of the things he made happen: a two week sailing vacation on the Cinzano; my first ski trip (I pulled a ligament in my knee though); three trips to South Africa; my first experiences driving a car (a right-hand drive Volkswagen Beetle).

The Africa trips were full of adventure. We arrived at the entrance to a game park in our 'Kombi' Volkswagen Van, and the park ranger wouldn't let us in because it wasn't a four wheel drive. Brian argued vigorously with the guy, pointing out the clearance on the van, and finally the ranger relented and let us in. Of course we got bogged down in the sand about three minutes later; but with everyone but the driver pushing the van through the rough patches we made things work for the rest of that trip.

Brian knew how to build things. He built me a wooden soapbox car. My friends and I would 'find' Safeway shopping cart wheels for these cars (they have ball bearings that really make them go fast) and race them in the back alleys on Capitol Hill. I remember Brian designed and built a working, motorized gondola cable car out of Lego that stretched across an entire room.

Brian was big into jogging back in the day. He would go for runs that in my cousin's words would "cost me a lung". He was also into swimming, and didn't let a little fact that a mountain lake is fed by glacier water stop him from taking a dip. It is sad how age and medical issues can rob a person like Brian of such physical activities.

My life has been much richer with Brian as one of my parents, and I'm just one of many people that will miss him now that he's gone.

1977 - An Expedition up the Franklin Glacier - "What's keeping you!"

Submitted by Desmond Williams

In 1977, Brian, Don Mckinnon and I attempted to walk up the Franklin Glacier toward Mt. Waddington. I don’t recall who first proposed this insane idea, but it was quickly accepted without quibbles; three men with young families and no knowledge of the dangers or skills required to safely pull it off!

Brian did the organizing, Don and I not being quite inept. Food, ferry ride, charter plane from Powell River up to a logging camp on the road, and also a ride part of the way. “Fortunately” Brian had just completed a climbing course at Capilano College! So as dusk set in during the ferry ride, and much to the amusement of fellow passengers, he began showing us the ropes, literally. How to rig up a sling so the falling body is stopped in a more or less upright position, how to snap onto the rope, etc. And above all, how to not trample over his newly purchased ropes with our crampons, done with much noise and protests!

Arriving at the point where truck traffic came to a halt, we began our march alongside the roaring river. Arrived at the snout of the glacier by evening in the rain. Next day saw us struggling up more than 100 vertical ft. of very loose, sliding lateral moraine and finally onto solid ice. The lower ice sheet made for easy travel, due care being taken while passing “Moullins”, 5 or 10 ft diameter round holes from which emanated horrific sounds of rushing water. There were nice spots for picnics while sitting on conveniently placed boulders.

As we climbed higher, the easy travelling deteriorated and rather frightening crevasses made their appearance. These angled off to the left, forcing us off our intended route. Depth seemed huge, but was probably less than 50 ft. Crampons gave us lots of false confidence, so it wasn’t hard to walk along their edges, but occasionally the edges of adjacent crevasses met, so crampons had to be used with great caution. This was all too reckless for novices. Finally, new flat ice was eventually reached and camp set up.

Next day we (Don and I) learned that it was now time to turn back! Brian had a commitment to haul a large gear in his suitcase over to Yemen, required to repair equipment at a salt mine. Importation requirements in Yemen were somewhat convoluted. Apart from an initial shouting match about route, Don and I soon adapted to Brian’s choice!

Safely off the ice and moraine, we had a longer road walk without chances to hitchhike. Plane arrived on time, caught ferries and met by families at Horse Shoe Bay terminal. Relief at safe return, in no small part due to good planning.

Over the years, several hikes followed this one. Out of the car, into the boots, kicking steps up through frozen snow, until out of the timber and into the warmer part of the day. Away Brian would go, up the ridge and heading for the peak. Brian liked to push on; “What’s keeping you!” Meanwhile we are huffing and puffing to catch up. I can see him now: has now paused on this his final peak, shouting back: “What’s keeping you!”

1982- Visiting Brian and family in South Africa

Submitted by Don McKinnon

Early summer 1982, my family and I arrived at Mafeking, South Africa and were denied entry as we lacked visas and proof of transportation out of the country. I was allowed a phone call to Brian at his office in Johannesburg and he was able to arrange a 5000 Rand bond and by that afternoon we were on the train.

Brian was project manager on a massive coal loading terminal being constructed at Richards Bay on the Indian ocean. We stayed with them: he, Kathy and the two boys Danny and Dylan, for a week or so at their rented house outside the city.

Brian loaned us his VW camper and we travelled south to the cape, then up the Garden route until Brian arranged time off for a trip to Botswana and the Okavango swamp. He arranged a vehicle and camping gear for us and we camped together in peoples yards along the way. Brain clearly wanted to meet local people and would spend time talking with them. After a memorable time camping on a small island in the swamp, seeing crocodiles and a lion eating something on a nearby island, Brian decided we should explore the Kalahari desert. We proceeded some distance in his camper along a sandy track obviously requiring a four wheel drive vehicle. We came up to a border station where we were required to be fumigated to kill any germs or insects we may have been carrying. At that point we decided to return to Johannesburg.

Brian was clearly working extremely hard, preferring to be on the jobsite on the coast rather than in his stuffy office. He was frustrated that black draftsmen in the Johannesburg office were not allowed to work at Richards Bay-not company policy but local custom.

After the job finished he and his family made a long camping trip through several countries to the north before proceeding back to England, then home. I'm not sure they made it to Kenya but for some time thereafter Brian wanted to return to South Africa to visit friends and people he had worked with. He also thought that he and I should go back to Tanzania to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro while it was free to do so. We never made it.

1990s- Memories of Brian from Anne Fiddick

Submitted by Anne Fiddick

I worked at Strathcona Park Lodge for a few years on and off before 2000. I met your dad one New Year's eve when I invited Myrna and Brian for a dinner and visit at our home in Gold River. This is when he and Myrna asked me to apply for the office manager's job at the lodge.

Brian and I crossed swords a few times because at the lodge it was hard to know who exactly was the authority to listen to! I admired his dedication to the environment. He seemed to think my past experience as mayor of Gold River gave me an advantage of knowing the politics, topography and nature of the west coast forests and trails. Brian asked me to make a presentation to staff regarding the beach trail on the west coast of Nootka Island. My husband Jim and I had hiked it a couple of times when it was not easy to access and wonderfully isolated. This was before cell phones etc. so we had only ourselves to rely on, although Air Nootka, who were picking us up and the north end flew over us every day to check if we were still alive. We had a Pentax camera and took slides of the trip and that was what sold Brian and Myrna to include this wilderness hike into the programs offered by the Lodge. The lodge ideals appealed to me and Brian was a great supporter of the education programs offered there. He was influential and dynamic in all things he involved himself in innovation and defending the wilderness.

1995 - Wrangling at Big Bar Guest Ranch

Submitted by Emma Hay

My first introduction to Brian will have been in 1995, or thereabouts, when Myrna brought me to stay at the ranch for a week while my parents drove back to BC. I was homesick the first night, and have a vivid memory of Brian knocking on the door of the wine storage area where my cot was, gruffly giving me a bundle of papers and saying he'd test me on the horse's names the next day when we went out riding. He'd brought me a copy of the wrangler's list of the herd at Big Bar, with each horse's name and breed, colouring and markings, the level of rider required (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced). The quirks - benign and not-so-benign - of each mount's character were also listed: 'pigeon-toed', 'bucks', 'will walk under low branches with riders and try to scrape them off'. Distracted, I fell asleep within the hour. I had a wonderful time riding every day - Brian put me on Root Beer (Gelding, Intermediate, Red Roan) - and I was drafted into the general bustle of the ranch with the familiarity of family.

I've attached a couple of photos from when Brian came to visit Echo Valley in 2008 while I was working there that summer. We went on a trail ride and Brian chatted about his memories of owning and running a ranch, and then drove down the road to Big Bar that evening to see its present shape and...lo and behold...we found a 34 year old Root Beer grazing in the yard.

1999 - Overcoming Dad's grumpy side in South Africa

Submitted by Dylan Gunn

In the summer of 1999 dad organized a trip for us (Dad, Myrna, his brother Ron, his sons Michael, Dan, and Dylan (me), his daughter Jackie and her partner Gilad, and his friend Doug Johnson) to Southern Africa. From Johannesburg, we did a DIY safari through the Okavango, the Kalahari, to Victoria Falls, Cape Town, Durban, the Drakensberg...

Anyway, the 8 of us had been traveling around for a few weeks in rather close quarters: we were all crammed into either two Toyota Hiluxes or one minivan, and, after about 12 hours of straight driving one day, everyone's nerves were a little frayed when we finally pulled over to camp for the night. The campsite was on a beautiful windswept plateau overlooking (I think) Jeffrey's Bay, a famous surf spot in South Africa. Most of us recovered as we set up camp and made dinner, but Dad was stuck in a grumpy mood. Perhaps we hadn't made our quota of miles that day...

After our initial attempts to cheer him up were rebuffed, we hatched a plan to snap him out of his funk. Without him noticing, I quietly went around to everyone else and told them to watch for my signal. We had a couple of pretty flimsy camp chairs with us and I pretended to struggle with unfolding one of them, a safe distance away from the fire. I called out, "Dad, I think I broke one of the chairs..." "What?! $%$&! Just wait a minute and let me..." When he got close I threw the chair away from me, spun around, and soft-tackled him to the ground. Michael, Jackie, Dan and everyone else piled in and we all tickled Dad until he was shrieking out loud. Without stopping, we made him promise to cheer up and relax, and he agreed... not that he had much choice, he was probably about to pass out or pee his pants, or both. Either way, it worked, and Dad was smiling again right after.

It was an amazing trip all around and it taught me the value of only planning things so far if you want to have an adventure. Without this experience, and all the ups and downs that came with it, I never would have traveled across West Africa or Central Asia several years later.

2003 - Walking in Scotland with Brian and Myrna

Submitted by Don McKinnon

In the summer of 2003, having lost my partner earlier in the spring, I decided to do some walking in Scotland.

Brian and Myrna were interested and we agreed to meet at Rowardennan on Loch Lomond to walk the West Highland Way.

The next day, after arranging to have our packs taken to the next village, we climbed Ben Lomond, then proceeded up the trail.

Everything went well, the walking was easy and the countryside was spectacular. Our evening meals in the small inns and cafes were at first a little stressful. Even then Brian, who had been with Myrna for several years, had become a fussy eater. He wanted olive oil on just about everything that was served. Myrna always asked if the Scampies were deep fried before she ordered them and was surprised that they always came that way. Anyway they managed with candy bars which are always available in Scotland.

When we arrived in Fort William, the final destination on the trail, Brian and I climbed Ben Nevis. The photo of Brian is at the summit.

We then took the train to Scrabster and the ferry to Stromness in Orkney where Myrna has a relative.

The old hotel we stayed in had the longest bar we had ever seen and Brian spent over an hour talking to the ancient bartender about whisky. However Myrna was not able to get any kind of a mixed drink. Only whisky the bartender said.

We visited Skara Bare, the Neolithic village on the Atlantic coast occupied from about 3180 to 2500 BC. Took a tour of the Highland Park distillery, reportedly the peateast whisky in Scotland. We then took the ferry to HOY and walked out to the Old Man of HOY. The wind was gusting above 50 knots so we had to crawl the last 100 feet to look over the edge at the old man,

Back on the mainland we parted. Brian had been asked by a local Big Bar rancher to bring back a very rare single malt so he travelled to the Springbank distillery in Cambletown to arrange their purchase. He later told me that the tour of the distillery was one of the highlights of Scotland for him.

In August 2006 Brian and Myrna came to Heather's and my wedding and we met with other friends and family at Monacle Mohr on Loch Voil. After two days we left for a honeymoon in the highlands, accompanied for the first week by Brian and Myrna!

2013 - Concerned Professional Engineers, Margaret Atwood, and Dad's first and last tweet

Submitted by Dylan Gunn

In late 2013, Dad wanted to publicize the Concerned Professional Engineers' findings on the Northern Gateway pipeline project. Their detailed review of the "quantitative" risk analysis found many holes and convenient assumptions, and Dad wanted to spread the message. So, he asked me to help CPE run a social media and crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for, ironically, hiring a "social media expert"...

We put together a website, launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign, and setup a Twitter account to start promoting the campaign. Neither of us had done any of this before, so we were really excited when the campaign took off and funds started coming in. But I got really excited when I received an email one night from CPE member Peter Hatfield, whose grandson spotted that Margaret Atwood had tweeted support for our campaign to her 500,000 Twitter followers!

Of course, Dad also got excited, and wanted to understand how this "Twitter thing" worked. I forgot I'd given him the password to the account... Undeterred (of course) by my warnings to "Be careful", he logged into the account to check things out and ended up posting his very first Twitter message:

While it wasn't totally in line with CPE's previous fact-focused tweets on the NEB's and Enbridge's shortcomings, it did fit perfectly with the objective of a group of retired professional engineers trying to raise funds to hire an actual social media expert. The fundraising campaign was successful, we recruited a web and social media helper, and CPE got its message out. But I don't think Dad ever sent another tweet.

Remembering Brian

Submitted by Joanne Campbell

Brian was a brother-in-law to me and my late husband David. We met in the late 80’s through his new friend Myrna Boulding, who is my sister. We were always astounded by the latest tales of his travels, by his strong desire to take on the many challenges he tackled, and by the way he could worm into an ongoing conversation and before too long capture the floor. He was a welcomed asset in our family and a good friend. We miss him. Joanne

Just another... 10 more minutes

Submitted by Michael Gunn

I think with Dad, you can add any word or phrase after “another” but my strongest memory is - 10 more minutes.

Dad was always the person that wanted to squeeze the most out of every day. Most of which evolved around work or his “hobbies”. One of my first and most vivid memories happened when I was around 9 or 10 with one of my neighborhood friends and back country skiing.

Our ski adventure was supposed to start early so we could reach our destination in daylight, but Dad being dad, had to do some last minute work, lobbying or…that could not wait. We eventually headed off to Garibaldi Park in a Volkswagen Beatle (which had no heater) for the planned overnight trip up to Diamond Head with our old faithful German Sheppard, Skippy. I cant recall what time we arrived at the parking but it must have been mid afternoon by the time we headed off to Elfin Shelter (located around 10km from the parking lot). As you can imagine, being 10 years of age we were so “excited” to slug it up hills on these skinny wooden planks for skis with Dad reassessing what wax we needed to apply every mile. Being the winter season, light was quickly running out and so was our energy. We kept asking dad every ½ hour or so, how much longer? His reply? Another 10 minutes or just another hill. Well about the 10th time, we made him stop and get out the stove to heat up some water for instant soup. No idea how much further we had to go but we found some new energy and started out again. Again we asked dad how much longer, and again the response was the same, just another 10 minutes.

We finally did arrive and much to the surprise of the other adventurers in the cabin who must've thought dad was a little insane dragging up these kids in the dark. Luckily they had some spare food and a hot fire to warm us up. Don’t remember falling asleep nor the trip back but I think that was the last back country adventure I went on but also one of the fondest