Dan Charles Young

Dan was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia on September 25, 1943 to Bert & Rachel Young.  Dan’s father was a naval officer, they lived in Halifax and then moved to Esquimalt, BC. While living in Esquimalt Dan became a Journeyman Glazier and also obtained his Commercial Pilot’s license.  He met his first wife, Carole Gidley in the housing provided by the Royal Canadian Navy.

They were married in Abbottsford in 1964 and in pursuit of Dan’s dream to be a Commercial Pilot moved to several small towns in Northern Alberta and BC until finally settling in Prince George, BC, where Dan left the aviation business and began working as a Glazier.  He would travel Highway 16 installing commercial storefronts and saw the opportunity of opening his own glass shop.  In 1971, after having two children, Mike and Laura, Dan and Carole moved to Smithers and opened up Bulkley Valley Glass.  Dan and Carole, with the help of partners, grew the business across the North.  Carole retired in 1996 and Dan’s daughter, Laura joined in 1997.  Together Dan and Laura continued to expand the business and he passed his and Carole’s legacy onto Laura in 2015 and she continues to run it to this day.  Dan loved his business and the people that helped make it a success.  He always said, “I am the friendliest guy in the Company”.

In 1997 Dan began a relationship with his current wife, Karen McCrossan.  They married in 2009 and enjoyed a wonderful life in the Bulkley Valley up until his passing.

Dan’s love of aviation continued throughout his life and he owned several airplanes and flew many miles across the North and Canada.  He was always up to giving people rides and would fly endlessly on weekends for family and friends and anyone who just wanted to go.  Dan was an avid hunter in his early life and loved to go fishing any chance he got.  There are many memories of fly in fishing trips with Dan during the 80’s and 90’s.  During the early 2000’s, Dan and Karen had a cabin in Atlin, BC that they enjoyed for many years and took all the family up to for fishing trips.

Dan was generous and was a firm believer in giving back to the communities that supported him and his family.  Dan spent limitless hours volunteering in his community for various organizations, most notably, The Kinsmen Club, Hudson Bay Mountain Ski hill and the Bulkley Valley Pool Society.  Dan was also generous with donations to many community groups in the Bulkley Valley over the years.

Dan and Karen loved their family, especially their grandchildren and took them on countless vacations and spent lots of quality time with all of them.

Dan is predeceased by his first wife, Carole, his sister Peggy and his brothers in law Dennis and Billy.  Dan is survived by his wife Karen, brothers Paul (Dorothy), and Dave, son Michael (Terrie Lynne), daughter Laura Leonard (Craig), step son Kevin Silverson (Jennifer) and step daughter Tracy Rondeau (Allan) and grandchildren, Jordan, Nolan (Lindsy), Kole Higginbotham, Jordyn Higginbotham, Olivia Stanton, Jenelle Stanton, Cohen Rondeau, Cody Silverson and Carter Silverson, one great grandson, Alder and many nieces and nephews.

No service will be held by Dan’s request.  Anyone wishing to make a donation in Dan’s memory can do so in the name of The Bulkley Valley Community Foundation, Box 4584, Smithers, BC, V0J 2N0 info@bvcf.ca.

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