Edward Steven Petty
August 17, 1949 – December 5, 2015
Steve Petty, passed peacefully in his sleep on December 5, 2015 in his adopted Salt Spring home, Kunzang Dechen Osel Ling (KDOL) Buddhist retreat facility on Mt. Tuam at the age of 66 after a year long struggle with cancer. Steve is pre-deceased by his father, Edward William and his mother Audrey, nee Gazzard, Petty. He is survived by his two elder sisters, Denise Collings of Fredericton, NB and Lee McCarter of Sarnia, Ont.
Steve was born in Kitchener, Ontario on August 17, 1949. He graduated from high school in London, Ontario and attended two years of college. Having been born into a military family he was used to moving around and so after leaving college he continued in his parapatetic ways. His travels finally brought him to Salt Spring where in 1981 he settled on Mt. Tuam so that he could build the first 3 year retreat facility at KDOL. Afterwards he moved to Fulford Harbour where he built a home for he and his partner. Again the wandering spirit took hold of him and he travelled to Colorado, New York, Cape Breton, Vancouver, Thailand where he continued to use the skills he learned as a finishing carpenter to help building projects at Buddhist centres.
Steve loved the outdoors and spent a lot of his life camping, canoeing and hiking. He was an avid amateur photographer and took photos of all the places he visited.
Steve was cremated at Royal Oak Cemetary in Victoria, BC on December 8, 2015 and his ashes will be dispersed at a designated site of his choosing as per his wishes at a later time to be determined.
His family and friends will miss his kind and gentle soul, his great sense of humour. We wish to thank all those who helped him in his final days particularly Dr. Sadowski, Ron Puhky, Chuck Alsberg, Salt Spring Home Care Services and many others.
Steve’s final wish was for those wanting to make a contribution in memory of him could do so by making a donation to KDOL in support of three designated projects.
Steve will be lovingly remembered and missed by many close friends from his youth in hometown London, Ontario, especially lifelong buddies who wandered across the continent and beyond with him starting in the 1970s on a search for peace, love and beauty in this world.