Hundreds of people paid their respects to the late Chuck Strahl on Friday, a reputable and much-loved former Chilliwack MP.
Strahl died on Aug. 13 after a , a type of cancer. He was 67.
Current and former federal, provincial, and municipal politicians, along with family, friends and the public gathered at Chilliwack Alliance Church for his memorial on Aug. 23.
Strahl was born on Feb. 25, 1957 in New Westminster, and grew up in a logging family. He first became a public official in 1993, and served Chilliwack and the surrounding area for 18 years.
Rev. Matthew Mordaunt said he was a man who was "filled with fantastic stories, humour, integrity and wisdom."
Others spoke just as highly of the late politician, including leader of the former Reform Party of Canada, Preston Manning who delivered Strahl's eulogy.
What has been remarked on many times following Strahl's passing was the "positive and cheerful attitude that he invariably brought to every situation and every conversation," Manning said.
"Chuck was a funny guy. He had an irrepressible and contagious sense of humour which he expressed in many different ways on many different occasions."
Manning recalled a time in Quebec when he and Strahl were given a tour of the area. The host took particular pride in showing them a small grove of large trees behind a wrought iron fence.
"She proudly explained that these were some of the oldest trees in Canada," Manning said. "But when Chuck saw those trees his eyes lit up, his arms and hands began to twitch and he imitated the sound of a chainsaw. He explained to the lady that he was a logger from Chilliwack and that whenever he saw big trees, he felt like searching for and activating his chainsaw, which he implied was in our luggage. Our hostess turned deathly pale and hurried us away from the trees."
Manning added Strahl was the kind of political person that gave politics a good name because of the principles he stood for and the trust he engendered in others.
Flags were in Chilliwack and on the Peace Tower in Ottawa days after he died.
"There couldn't be a better person to receive that honour," Manning said.
Strahl married Debra Bateman when they were both just 18 years old. He was head over heels for her. They were married for nearly 50 years, had four children 鈥� Karina, Mark, Loni and Kyla 鈥� and later 13 grandchildren.
Chilliwack-Hope MP Mark Strahl called his father a "caring and engaged parent who wasn't afraid to show and say that he was proud of us."
The younger Strahl said his father was "so cool." He looked up to him and always wanted to be around him.
"Dad was always my hero."
In past years, Strahl wrote messages to his wife on milestone anniversaries, some of which were shared at the memorial.
"I want to tell you, Deb, that I have never, never, not once, doubted that I made the right choice of a life partner. I have loved you, admired you, gazed at your beauty, and been constantly struck at my good fortune that you agreed to be my wife," he wrote to her on their 40th anniversary.
Former Chilliwack-Kent MLA Laurie Throness said Strahl was a "faithful and exemplary husband" to Deb.
Throness knew Strahl well as he worked for him in Ottawa.
"In all the years I knew him, we never raised our voices at each other," Throness said. "He was consistent and genuine. He was sincere, he was polite and respectful. Always ready for serious or fun talk and always the same in private as he was in public. There was no artifice with Chuck.
"He cried genuine tears with First Nations people during the truth and reconciliation process with which he was so intimately involved."
Strahl was known to have strong Christian faith, which was mentioned in his , along with his long commitment to the Chilliwack Alliance Church.
"I owe so much to him as an employer, and a friend, and as a brother in the Lord and I will really miss him," Throness added. "He was one of those anchors in your life. What a gift and a privilege to have been so closely associated with the best of men."
