Long-time Salt Spring Island resident Don Baxter passed away on January 16, 2025 after a long illness.
Don was born December 27, 1940, to Herbert and Stephanie Baxter in Calgary, Alberta. The family moved to Vancouver in 1945. Don joined the Navy at age 17 and became a diver until his honourable discharge in 1963.
Don met his future bride, Alicia Helen Clarke in 1953 when he was 13 and she was 12. They lived next door to each other in Burnaby, BC.
The young couple married in Vancouver, BC on September 29, 1962. They were blessed with a daughter, Theresa. Don and Alicia Baxter were married for 62 years. Alicia passed away suddenly last Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024.
Following Don’s time in the Navy, he worked for the BC Ferries. He began on Prince Rupert run and then out of Vancouver before he and Alicia relocated permanently to Salt Spring Island in 1971.
Don retired from BC Ferries in 1981 as a Captain on the Long Harbor run. He next earned his Masters certification and became a Master Mariner. This qualification allowed him to captain ships of any size or type anywhere in the world. From 1981 until his second retirement in 1995, he captained large drilling vessels for Canadian Marine Drilling (Canmar), which was later taken over by Amoco. Don sailed in waters off Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, and in the Beaufort Sea in the Arctic.
After retiring from those adventures, Don captained the smaller boats of the Gulf Islands Water Taxi from 1995-2012. Alicia was “first mate” on many runs. In addition to the school run, he would often conduct medevacs, and also shuttled Canadian and American Navy personnel between their ships and shore during “fleet week” at Esquimalt Harbour. In later years, he reminisced about the time the U.S. aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln visited Esquimalt.
In 1973, Don and Alicia played an instrumental role in the creation of the Salt Spring Island Sailing Club. The couple had many sailing adventures through the years and raced often in the islands. Don and his nephews, Chris Bohnen, Mike Bohnen, and Scott Clarke sailed the “Round Saltspring” race many times. Uncle Donald called his three nephews Hugie, Louie and Dewey.
Although Don was often at sea from 1958-2012, he always felt that he and Alicia “were never apart.” He felt her loss deeply over this past year.
Don was preceded in death by his parents, Herb and Steffie Baxter (nee Beck) and wife Alicia Baxter (nee Clarke).
Don and Alicia are survived by their daughter Theresa Stevenson Welsh (Dan Welsh), grandson Daniel Stevenson, great grandson Ryan Stevenson all of Salt Spring Island, Don’s sister Joyce Bohnen (nee Baxter) of Monroe, WA, Alicia’s sister Phyllis Clarke of Salt Spring Island, nephews Chris Bohnen of Puyallup, WA, Mike Bohnen of Monroe, WA, Scott Clarke of Tsawwassen, BC and Darren Clarke of Port Coquitlam, BC, and all their families, many friends on Salt Spring Island and extended family throughout Canada & the USA.
A celebration of life for both Don and Alicia will be held at the Canadian Legion – Salt Spring Island on March 22, 2025.
You will both be greatly missed, and NEVER forgotten as each day goes by.
I’m sincerely sorry & offer my deepest condolences to Don & Alicia’s family. I sailed with Don for many years as a member of the Canmar ExIII, in Australia & SE Asia. We shared a tonne of laughs in “Big Buck Bay”, as Don named it, waiting for orders to sail back to Singapore. RIP Skipper.
Donny Bax best guy in the world luv ya miss ya .Alex
The family of Donald’s first cousin Steve Thomas and his wife Pam, extend heartfelt sympathy to the Bohnens, Welshes, Stevensons, and Clarkes. We know the last few years have been very challenging for you and hope that you find comfort in the caring support of family and friends and in your loving memories of Donald and Alicia.
I recall Capt Baxter from my years with the “firm”, BC Ferries, long time passing now. Sorry for your tremendous loss.