Franklin Gilbert Kneebone
Jan 3, 1924 – Nov. 28, 2014
Franklin Gilbert (Gil) Kneebone of Salt Spring Island, BC, died peacefully on November 28th 2014, in his 90th year at Lady Minto Hospital.
Gil was born on January 3rd 1924 in Franklin New Jersey, a few minutes after his twin brother Wilber, son of the late Susie and John Kneebone, and older brother to John and Calvin. When Gil was a toddler his family moved back to his parent’s homeland, Cornwall England.
Gil moved to Canada in 1964, joined the Teamsters Union of Vancouver and enjoyed a long career with Bekin’s Moving and Storage which took him all over BC. He met and married the love of his life, June Rose and together they began their life of adventures and travelled the globe with groups of friends. Gil’s love of scuba diving was extreme, loved warm or cold water diving as long as he could throw on a tank and jump in the water he was happy.
Gil leaves behind his daughter Melanie and son in law Simon Morris of Salt Spring Island, Grandson Tyler and wife Janine Morris of Victoria BC, Granddaughter Robin and husband Aaron Little, and his four Great grandchildren by Robin – Kamryn, Mikayla, Levi and Lauren who all live in Perth Australia, step daughter Louise Hoy and husband John Rupp of Renton Washington, his two brothers John Kneebone of Richmond BC and Calvin Kneebone of Cornwall England, cousin Paul Kneebone and wife Karen of Whitby, Ontario, and of course many friends and family far and wide.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife June Rose and twin brother Wilber
Gil was moved from Victoria BC into Greenwoods Elder Care in 2007 as he was in the early stages of dementia and his family wanted him close by. They took such great care of him and he in turn looked to them like family and loved being there, always had a smile and a hello for anyone who stopped by whether he remembered them or not.
He was a jolly little Cornish man, who lived life as it came with no fuss or muss, pasty in hand and a song in his heart!!
I dearly love a pasty, a ‘ot leaky one;
With mayt, turmit and taty, h’onyon and parsley in ‘un
The crus’ be made weth suet, shaped like ‘alf a moon;
Crinkly h’edges, freshly baked ‘e es alway gone too soon!
A celebration of life will be held for family and close friends at Noon on Saturday January 3rd 2015 at Ruckle Park, Salt Spring Island. Donations in his name to the Dementia and Alzheimer’s Association are always appreciated