Saturday, December 30, 2023
I am saddened to hear of Dreas' passing. Dreas was a neighbour, friend, and mentor to me. We have had the pleasure of living next to Dreas and Wendy for the last 12 years, and always looked forward to a hello, short visit, or a smile from afar. I was lucky enough to enjoy some of these visits (with a beer on occasion) on that incredible porch he built, and knew there was not an inch of their property and home that he did not have a hand in building or improving. I also served on the BYC board with Dreas for over a decade and always admired his leadership, opinion, calmness, wisdom, and sense of humor. He became not only a friend, but a mentor to me both during and after his time on the board.
Even though he was not able to communicate effectively verbally in the last couple years, he still loved to get out for walks either with Wendy or on his own. Last summer he and I walked a good section of the local neighborhood and trail system with my dog, which he walked as well and always enjoyed interacting with. Even though few words were exchanged between us during this walk or even over the last couple years, we still managed to share lots of smiles and laughs.
While I am saddened by his loss, I take some comfort in knowing that he and Wendy built a blessed, wonderful, successful, and happy life together with their family and friends. He worked hard, enjoyed every day, and left this world and our community a better place for being a member of it. Thanks Dreas!
