The Harriers Memorial Bench

In 1994 the Harriers purchased a cedar bench to be donated to the Capital Regional District Parks Department and installed at Beaver Lake Park in memory of Harriers who have contributed so much to the club over the years, but have left us too soon. A memorial plaque with the following names was inscribed. The bench can be found at the south end of Beaver Lake, about 50 metres clockwise down the trail from the 0km/10km marker.

Gunner Shaw (1946 - 1984)

Bruce "Gunner" Shaw was a running legend. He died tragically on March 29, 1984 when he fell asleep while driving and his car, left the road and hit a large oak tree head on. He was one of the most popular running figures in the '60's, '70's and early '80's, long before running became fashionable. He was selected to the Canadian Marathon Team in 1974 where he finished third in 2:20:13 in the national championship race in St. John's, Newfoundland. He ran the last 10 kilometres of that race in under 30 minutes in freezing, windy conditions. He had guts. Anybody who knew Gun knew him as a competitor who thrived on the toughest courses like Basil Parker, Bazett Farm, Shawnigan Lake and the Seaside Marathon. It was only fitting that long time running and school friends, Bob Reid and Alex Marshall, established a challenging Thetis Lake race in his honour. The Gunner Shaw Cross Country Classic race has generated more than $10,000 which has been donated to a Gunner Shaw Athletic Bursary at the University of Victoria. A perpetual trophy was named in his memory for the club's "Most Valuable Runner". Gunner was one of the three founding members of the Prairie Inn Harriers and competed for only six years before his death; he would have been an outstanding master however his auto accident took him away two years shy of his 40th birthday. Gun introduced and encouraged countless runners to the simple joy of the sport. He was inspirational and influential in all aspects of many sports.

John Thipthorpe (1937 - 1986)

John was killed on July 5, 1986 when a jack collapsed and the car he was working on fell on him. He was an avid flyer and had his own private plane. On many occasions he offered to fly club members to remote parts of Vancouver Island to participate in wilderness runs. His very favourite adventure run was the West Coast Trail, which he ran three times. He kept meticulous records and pictures of the W.C.T. run and was the Iron Horse tide reader telling us when to run the beach or the trail. He was also instrumental in setting up the computerized timing system that is presently used for the New Balance Island Race Series and many other local races. The forerunner of that system was a manual tipper-tapper-timer recording system where he gave a hilarious briefing at one club meeting. A John Thipthorpe Computer Science Scholarship has been set up in his name at the University of Victoria. The Harriers' John Thipthorpe Durability Award goes to the club member who completes the most racing mileage each year. John was a club member for 6 years and he will be remembered for his keen sense of humour and calm disposition.

Wendy Farrant (1943 - 1993)

Wendy passed away from cancer on March 13, 1993. She particularly enjoyed group runs at Elk/Beaver Lake Park with her companion, Roger Hart. On arriving from England, she started running for fitness. Not the swiftest runner in a race, Wendy never turned away from a challenge. She participated in the 13 Mile Pilgrimage Run with very little training and proudly arrived at the Prairie Inn Neighborhood Pub with a smile from ear to ear. She liked to train and comment on the beautiful vegetation in Beaver Lake Park and, after she passed away, the club approached C.R.D. Parks in an effort to plant a rhododendron there in her memory. Unfortunately they refused as only native species can be planted in the park. Her name is inscribed on the memorial bench plaque. Wendy was a PIH member for 5 years.

Stu Fall (1934 - 1994)

Stu left us on February 26, 1994 as a result of a brain tumor. He was an avid hiker, cross country skier and mountaineer. As a runner, Stu was one of the top masters in Canada. He was named to the National Championship marathon team in 1976 at the age of 42 where he qualified with a time of 2:32 as a master and placed third overall in the Winnipeg Canadian Championship race. Stu excelled in the marathon where he ran about 30 of them and also was an age class winner in almost every Island Road Race Series or other event on Vancouver Island or British Columbia. He had a very efficient shuffling running style and you always knew when Stu was coming up behind you by his unique, gravelly throat clearing growl. He was a Lions Gate Road Runner for five years, as was Gunner Shaw, before the Harriers club was formed. He joined PIH in 1978 and ran for our club for 15 years. Stu worked at B.C.Telephone for 30 years and founded Sunflower Health Foods Ltd. in Brentwood Bay where he also worked evenings and weekends for about 12 years. A perpetual trophy is named in his honour for the " Stu Fall Junior of the Year" as he was always willing to run with new runners, old or young. His favourite training partner was Rintje Raap and every Sunday morning, rain or shine, Stu and Rintje could be seen doing their 20 miler over Bear Hill and on the roads of Central Saanich.

Brian Henderson (1936 - 1994)

Brian passed away on December 29, 1994 as a result of a tragic motor accident on December 26, 1994 near Kamloops. A passing logging truck dropped its load of logs on his car; he was in a coma for four days before his death. He was active in the early '80s as a member of the organizing committee of the Royal Victoria Marathon and was a run leader at the YW/YMCA Marathon Training Clinic. Brian represented Canada at the 1954 Empire Games (now Commonwealth Games) as a member of the Canadian Cycling Team. He won many local bike races on Vancouver Island and in British Columbia. Brian was a member of the WNBR's relay team that has competed in the Island Road Relay every year since the race started in 1986. He was a member of the Harriers for 10 years.

Susan Reid (1948 - 1996)

Susan passed away on December 8, 1996 after a two year struggle with leukemia. She was very supportive of her husband Bob's running pursuits in the late '70's and '80's and frequently traveled with him to countless marathons and ultras. She started running herself in the mid' 80's and was active as a PIH runner until 1994 when she was diagnosed with cancer. Susan's favourite race was the Gunner Shaw Cross Country where she won the master's division in 1989. She coordinated race packet pick-up at the marathon for several years and assisted in all races which Bob directed including the Elk/Beaver Ultras, the Gunner Shaw Cross Country, the Island Farms Road Relay and the Harriers International 100K Championship in 1994. She was a Harrier for 12 years and captained many PIH "Mixed Nuts" teams in the Haney-Harrison and Vancouver Island Road Relays. A perpetual trophy has been named in her honour for the "Susan Reid Most Consistent Harrier". A Civil Engineering Bursary at Camosun College has also been established in her name. Her favourite training partner was Merell Harlow and throughout their trail training sessions they could be credited with solving many problems of the world. They had fun, laughed, and were inspirational to others joining the club for social functions.

Glenn Jaques (1942 - 1997)

Glenn died on September 22, 1997, from a heart attack compounded by side effects from rheumatic fever. He took up running in 1978 because he was concerned about his health and lifestyle. According to his specialist he added extra years to his life by doing so. He enjoyed all aspects of running and competed in races from 5K to 100K, as well as 24 hour track events. He started as a road and trail runner and, in the early days of the Harriers, contributed to many team events. In the mid '80's he started running ultramarathons and running long distances, primarily on trails. Glenn especially enjoyed introducing others to running and encouraged their training. He often ran with them through their first marathon or ultra. He was proud of his 124 mile/ 24 hour record and the challenge of completing the Angeles Crest 100 miles race. His favourite training partner was Marion Kirby and, between the two of them, they covered many, many miles in training and racing. In 1995 Glenn changed his focus to race-walking and was also quite successful in that sport, winning the Elk/Beaver 25 Miler and in the process setting a course record. He and his wife, Helen, encouraged many others to join the club as avid race-walkers. Glenn was a member of the Harriers for 15 years and succeeded in all three aspects: short distance racing, long distance racing and race walking. A perpetual trophy has been named in his honour for the "Glenn Jaques Most Valuable Race Walker".

Glenn and his wife, Helen, combined running and walking with their love of travel, and shared many good stories of adventure with their friends.

Glenn was co-founder of the Elk-Beaver Ultras, and along with Helen helped to establish the Prairie Inn Harriers Racewalkers in 1996.

David Kirk (1958 - 1998)

Born July 7, 1958, David died suddenly while in his sleep on November 11, 1998 just 3 months past his 40th birthday. He was president of the Harriers in 1988 and was very active in the running community from 1986 to 1993 when he turned his interests to singing, the church, real estate and the arts. His favourite training partners were Laurie Upton, Rick Stanley and Andy Mehl and he particularly liked running at Elk/Beaver and UVic track. In his earlier days he was an avid sprinter. David ran on the very first Prairie Inn Horse Lips team in the Island Relay and progressed to the winning premaster team PIH Red Barons. He was a prominent member of his community and enjoyed his several years as a radio reporter at CFAX and seven years as a realtor, many of which with the Ron Neal team. He appeared for 10 years with the Acapella group "Cornerstone" taking part in many local musical productions. He was well known for his impressions and comedy routines; in fact he delivered his hilarious Prairie Inn Harriers President's Report as the voice of Ronald Reagan. He was a caring, single parent of 5 children whom he loved deeply. He was widely known in many circles, and his diverse background, keen mind and warm nature attracted many friends and colleagues over his short life span. David loved running, skiing, rugby and weight training. He announced at many major races including, the Royal Victoria Marathon, Garden City 10K and the Island Farms Road relay. He was a club member for 12 years and his humour and shrewdness will be missed.

John Harris (1926 - 2000)

John Alexander Harris passed away peacefully on June 13, 2000 surrounded by family and friends. He was born on November 2, 1926 in Kingston, Jamaica and moved to Toronto in 1947. There he married Ruth in 1951 and started a family, moving to Victoria in 1968 where he owned and operated Oak Bay Cleaners and was also the President of the PTA. John was a very active participant in politics with both W.A.C. Bennett's Social Credit Party and more recently with the Reform Party. He was a member of the Emmanuel Baptist Church, the YMCA and the Prairie Inn Harriers. John enjoyed running and participated in several marathons, triathlons and 10K's and the B.C. Senior's Games. He volunteered for the Heart and Stroke Foundation and at many local road races. John also enjoyed swimming, cycling, boating, golf and was a member of the Oak Bay and Esquimalt tennis clubs. He was often seen running along Dallas Road. He retired from the Harris House of Leather Care in 1996, joined the "Y" in 1974 and at that time he was not able to run around the block without stopping. He did persevere, first running marathons and road races then turning his interest to track and field events for seniors. He traveled extensively and changed his focus to sprinting where he was extremely proud to be able to beat 20 year olds at the 100 metre dash while he was in his 60's. He frequently challenged young people in Victoria to beat him in a race even while walking the streets of the city. He had a very sharp sense of humour and once said that he and Donovan Bailey, both from Jamaica, had to take special strength training exercises for their neck muscles so they could support all of the gold medals they were winning at track meets. He was affectionately nicknamed by some runners as the "Yellow Chicken" because he often wore bright yellow shorts and his running style resembled that of a hen even though he was effective and very fast with this chicken-like shuffle.

Josephine Hees (1940 - 2000)

Josephine Hees left us on October 14, 2000 after her second hard-fought battle with ovarian cancer. She was a woman of great determination who gave so much to the running community. Josephine enjoyed running, walking, bicycling and took pleasure in giving to others as evidenced by her countless hours of volunteering at community events. She inspired many runners in 1999 with her comeback from her first round of chemotherapy. While still undergoing treatment, Josephine racewalked the Lochside Trail 10K in August. Shortly after she resumed running and, on December 26, she ran every step of the way to complete the annual Harriers Boxing Day 10 Miler. She placed first overall of the 20 runners with a time of 1:44:01 using the handicapped staggered-start system. In 2000, she ran 7 races of the Thrifty Foods Island Race Series and finished a remarkable second overall in her age category. A celebration of life service was arranged by her daughter, Susan Martin, on October 28, 2000 at Lambrick Park Church. At the celebration Susan shared her mother’s early life in England, her early days in Canada, the eighties, caring for others, volunteering and the last two years of Josephine’s life. Josephine’s artistic talents were displayed and her love for music was enjoyed at the ceremony. She was a fabulous mother to her children who loved her greatly. They were enormously proud of their mother - athlete, handi-gal, volunteer, renovator, artist, nurse and determined fighter against her illness. She will be missed.

Dwayne Gough (1964 - 2000)

Dwayne Gough was one of the few disabled Prairie Inn Harriers members. He was found dead in his home in September, 2000 by his sister, Wendy Sutherland. At the age of 36, he died of dehydration and had difficulty in preparing his own meals. Dwayne was an avid wheelchair racer. In 1990 the PIH Foundation donated $5,000 and undertook two projects to purchase light weight wheelchairs and wind-trainers for disabled athletes Dwayne Gough, Bernice Wong and Lewis Orr to participate in many local road races such as the Royal Victoria Marathon, Harriers Pioneer 8K and the Times Colonist 10K. Dwayne raced successfully in this new chair for 10 years. He was particularly proud to put on his red PIH singlet and mingle with the high performance runners at the start line of many road races. He could always be seen at the end with a big smile and extra ounce of determination in racing his chair to the finish line amongst the other runners.

Rosamund Dashwood (1924 - 2007)

Rosamund Dashwood was perhaps the very best female master runner ever to wear a Prairie Inn Harriers uniform. She died peacefully in Squamish on April 3, 2007 at the age of 83 in the presence of her four sons, Paul, Simon, Patrick and Michael. Rosamund set numerous age class Canadian Records at a variety of distances and she set two World Records (One Mile and 10K) in 1989 at the age of 65. This was her peak year for she established Canadian F65 records for 1 Mile, 5K, 8K, 10K, 15K, 20K, and Half Marathon. These 7 National Records are still standing 18 years later. At the World Masters Games in Eugene, Oregon, she won gold medals in the 10K Road Race (World Record of 46:17), 10K Cross Country (Canadian Record of 49:53), 10,000 Metres on the track (World Record of 46:54) and 5,000 Metres on the track (Canadian Record of 22:41), all within a span of 4 days. She ran the Royal Victoria Marathon 3 times with a personal best of 3:58:56 and completed triathlons in Bellingham and Victoria with great success. She was born in a village in Devonshire, England where she enjoyed her childhood of riding, fox hunting and adventures with her brother Lionel. She attended Somerville College in Oxford where she met her husband, Leslie Truelove. They lived in England, Scotland, New Zealand and moved to Victoria in 1982 from Winnipeg. Rosamund lost her husband in 1976 and looked to running to centre herself and deal with her grief. One of her proudest moments came in 1983 when she ran the Royal Victoria Marathon with her oldest son and daughter-in-law in their first marathon. She ran her final RVM in 1995 at the age of 71. Her running career highlight was breaking the world 10K road race record by 1 minute, 10 seconds in a stunning 46:17 in the World Masters’ Games in Oregon in 1989. Rosamund had a passion for the arts and was a gifted writer and actress. The Prairie Inn Harriers have initiated a new Rosamund Dashwood Fine Arts Scholarship at the University of Victoria. They have also dedicated a perpetual Rosamund Dashwood Veteran of the Year perpetual trophy in her honour to the top over-60 female athlete in the running club.

Jytte Haagensen (1936 – 2007)

It is with great sadness, the family announces the passing of Jytte on June 10, 2007, after a courageous battle with cancer. Jytte was born on August 7, 1936 in Fjerrisler, Denmark. She married Borge Haagensen in 1956, immigrated to Canada settling in Victoria in 1966. Jytte was an avid runner, hiker, enjoyed dancing ballet and sewing. Leaving behind her husband of 50 years, Borge Haagensen, her daughter Tina Andruschak (Kevin) of Brooks, AB., son Peter Haagensen (Cindy Ellwood) of Penatan Lake, B.C. Granddaughter Cassandra Socchia of Brooks, AB., father Actur Nielsen of Comox, B.C., brother Bent Nielsen of Vancouver, B.C., her sister-in-law Kirsten Jensen of Kelowna, B.C. Nephew Lars Jensen (Sonja). Jytte will be fondly remembered by her many friends who became part of her extended family. She was an avid competitor in the Island Race Series as a Harrier where she completed over 160 races between 1982 and 2006 and frequently won her age category. Her final Series race was May 7, 2006 where she won the F70 age division at the Oceanside 10K in Parksville.

Dave Reed (1954 – 2008)

Many people from Toronto, Vancouver and Victoria attended Dave Reed’s memorial service in Vancouver. Dave passed away on November 20, 2008 after suffering from a streptococcal infection caused by a series of strokes. The Prairie Inn Harriers Foundation donated $10,000.00 to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of BC and the Yukon in Dave’s memory.

A Tribute to Dave Reed by Nancy Tinari

George Gluppe and I knew Dave for thirty years. We all know of Dave's infectious enthusiasm for running--something that was the leading passion of his life, and something that never flagged as he got older. Dave did countless 5:30/mile tempo runs and track workouts with me when I was running at my best. He never quite made it to the top as a young runner, himself, but instead achieved many of his running dreams as a master’s runner. Not everyone knows that Dave was a superb athlete in many sports, some of his other favourites being hockey, baseball, and golf. He was truly a big kid who never entirely grew up, and this was both a strength and a weakness in him. He had a child's ability to get lost completely in the joy and excitement of a moment of play, and he relived the high moments of races with the single-mindedness of a child. Dave also knew how to fully enjoy very simple things such as a good meal, a single can of beer, the company of his running pals, rock music, lying on the beach or in our backyard on a sunny day. He lived with us for about six years in Coquitlam. He was a great companion and sports mentor to my son Abebe when Abebe was between four and ten years old. Dave loved playing games and sports with kids, and always gave his time generously that way. He was also a hard worker and a great handyman, who helped my family in many ways He tamed our backyard wilderness as best he could with the lawn mower and other tools, kept my ancient cars running, built me a bicycle rack for my car, and did numerous repairs around the house.

A Tribute to Dave Reed by Bob Reid

I went to Mount Douglas Park today and did the TNW "Rocks in Box" workout as a tribute to Dave. It is one that he really enjoyed and it consisted of 5 kilometres which was his favourite distance to race. At the junction of Glendenning and Mercer Trails I drew a box on the ground and placed 5 rocks in it. I then started five 1K loops of the circuit. After each lap I removed one rock from the box. After two laps, Molly and Bebe looked at me kind of funny, wondering why we were running in circles using the same trails and not doing our regular route at Mt. Doug. I held them both by the collar, knelt down, and said, "This one's for Dave." They almost smiled back at me knowing that something was different today. For the final three laps I dedicated the rocks to Dave's past (Joy), his present (Courage) and his future (Hope). When I removed the Joy rock, I remembered the simple joy of running that Dave taught us all to cherish over the years. When I removed the Courage rock, I thought of the difficult battle Dave fought clinging to his life during the last three months while in hospital. When I removed the final Hope rock, I thought to the future and promised Dave that I would make the time for running and not let other less significant things interfere with one’s health and well being. Too often we are saddled with meetings, trivial obligations, work, chores and other tasks in life that take away from our chance to run. Pure and simple running are so important in life. There is Hope for all of us and we have Dave to thank for that.

Jim Sargent (1923 – 2011)

Survived by his three children, Solveig Brickenden (Dal), Stig Sargent (Irene) and Kristina Bird (Greg) and grandchildren, Stefan, Christopher, Dominique, Devon, Alia, Gene and James; Jim died on August 1, 2011. Jim was predeceased by his loving wife, Ann Marie in 2001. His illustrious career began with the Kings Own Scottish Borders in 1941. In 1948 he married Ann Marie and the following year served in Korea and Palestine. In 1954 Jim brought his family to Ontario, Canada and served in the Canadian Armed Forces as a master bassoonist and band librarian. In 1964, he moved the family to Victoria to work in the Armed Forces School of Music. Further careers included teaching in Victoria/Sooke School Districts, accounting in Dockyard until retirement. His greatest joy though, came from his running career spanning from his early 60's to mid 80's. His list of achievements include twice completing the England Coast to Coast Walk, several Victoria Marathons until age 75, an inspirational member of the Harriers, at age 80, won 2 gold and 2 silvers at the 2003 Chilliwack Senior Games. The following year Jim set the Canadian National running record in the 8K. His abbreviated life story was included in the book “Super Seniors”.

Robert Bostrom (1933 – 2011)

Robert Bostrom, one of the founding members of the Thursday Morning Gang, died on August 8, 2011 at the age of 78. Robert was born June 17, 1933 and was instrumental in choosing the name for the TMG and was the designer of the first mug that is presented to members as they reach a decade. Robert was a member of the Prairie Inn Harriers for 15 years and competed for the club in 47 Island Series Races, ran on the Mellow Fellows Road Relay teams and participated in several B.C. Senior Games. Robert was also a valuable volunteer with the Harriers as he helped at the three Thetis Lake races and with the Pioneer 8K.

Jim Meadows (1950 – 2011)

With heavy hearts our family sadly announces the sudden passing of James H. Meadows on Sunday September 25, 2011, at the age of 61. Jim's wife Nancy was at his side at the time of his passing, and he is survived by a large, loving family and many friends. Jim was a caring and devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend, and will be missed dearly. Jim's love of life was infectious. He was actively enjoying his retirement as a firefighter for the city of Victoria by doing all the things he loved: camping, fishing, cooking, and telling stories. Jim will be remembered for his sense of humour, his love of life, his connection to all of his friends and family, and for being a deeply generous and caring man. Jim touched the lives of many people, and is leaving a big space in this world. We miss you, J-bone.

Jim was a valuable volunteer at the Thetis Lake races for 26 years with his best friend, Doug Gregory. Both Doug and Jim are retired Victoria Firefighters and were good friends with Gunner Shaw before we lost Gunner in a car accident in 1984. They have helped at the race almost every year and often visited with life-time Harrier, Ken Smythe. Big Jimmy and Doug can vividly be remembered for showing up at Thetis Lake under horrendous conditions in the pounding rain the day before the Gunner Shaw race to help flag the course. Freezing cold and soaking wet, both retired firefighters stopped by the Six Mile House for a cold beer to “warm up”. Jim and Doug also manned the only water station for the Stewart Mountain race. Jim was a reliable and dedicated Harriers volunteer with a great sense of humour, he loved life, and he had many friends - he will be missed.

Ken Smythe (1933 – 2011)

Kenneth Murdoch "Opa" Smythe, born October 22, 1933, left us on December 19, 2011 due to a heart attack. Ken was born near Melbourne, Australia and was a top-ranked amateur cyclist and came to Canada in 1958 enroute to Europe and the "Tour de France ". Ken arrived in Vancouver and headed east but never made it past the Rockies, where he met the love of his life Gerta. Ken and Gerta settled down and started a family in Jasper, Alberta. In 1971 Ken moved his young family to the warmer climate of Victoria, BC. Gerta predeceased Ken in June 2008, but he leaves his children Edward William, Anthony Colin (Angela), Vincent James (Fern) and Maria Theresa. Ken's grandchildren Andrew, Jaimie, Jasper, Nicole, Emily, Victoria, Kairo, Paris and Dallas will miss their funny, loving "Opa" dearly. He is also survived by his extended family in Australia. Ken was well known in the Victoria running community. He was one of the early founders of the Prairie Inn Harriers Running Club, and a lifetime member. Ken was a fierce competitor and was still running sub-3:30 marathons in his mid-sixties. When his knees no longer permitted him to run, he led the club's walking contingent all over the trails at Thetis Lake Park every Saturday morning. Current club members will know him best as the hot chocolate man doling out welcome post-race hot chocolates from his trademark VW camper at many of the local races.

A Tribute to Ken Smythe by Bob Reid

It is with extreme sadness that I report that we lost one of our most important, Lifetime club members, Ken Smythe, at the age of 78. A service will be forthcoming with details to follow once the family has had a chance to grieve the loss of a tremendous gentleman, husband, father, grandfather, friend and long-time Harrier. Ken continued to be the ultimate dedicated Prairie Inn Harriers performer right up to the Stewart Mountain race just a week ago. He never missed volunteering at Gunner Shaw, Thetis Relay, Stewart Mountain, Pioneer 8K and our New Year's Day Run for the last 30 years which is unparalleled by anyone else in the club. The Harriers honoured him by creating a "Ken Smythe Dedicated Performance Award" to be presented annually to the hardest worker. We have lost a mountain of a man; he gave so much and brought such happiness and dedication to the Harriers Team. Ken, I thank you for being such a great friend and such a cherished and valuable club member. You touched so many people in so many ways. I will never forget you.