Tribute

Daniel Norgaard, 86 sadly passed away in Abbotsford after a battle with cancer.  Dan is survived by his wife Patricia or Patsy, his brother James (Anne) and sister Alice (John).   Dan and Patsy and two children, Derrold (Ping) and Carleen (Keith).  Dale, their middle child, had predeceased him.   Dan and Patsy have four grandchildren, Brandon (Jordana), Tyler (Brianna), Sarah (Jonas) and Ryan (Hiromi) and two grand puppies (Harley and Dahlia). Dan was born in 1936 in Rosetown, Saskatchewan to Askel and Hattie Mae.   Sister Alice and brother James (Jim) came later.   The family moved to BC and lived outside of Prince George (Red Rock) where Dan left home at 18 to join the Canadian Navy in 1954.  While on leave in 1960, Dan met Patsy at a party in Prince George that Alice and her friends had organized. And “sparks” flew – lol.  Dan spent 25 proud years in the Navy, travelled to many places in the world, and helped develop and train 100’s of young Navy service men and women in many types of electronic communications, and electronic warfare capabilities.   In December of 1972, Dan was awarded the Member of Military Merit (MMM) for bravery and leadership during a horrific fire on a Forces ship.   He retired from the Navy at the rank of Chief Petty Officer 2^nd class in 1979 and worked with the Abbotsford School District until his retirement. As all Navy families do, Dan and Patsy and their children lived in Victoria, Halifax and back again, and ultimately settled in Abbotsford where Dan worked at CFB / NRS Aldergrove and Matsqui.  NRS Aldergrove is the Canadian Navy’s primary communications relay site for the Maritime Forces Pacific. Following his retirement, Dan and Patsy continued with travels around the world.  They shared a love of seeing new places through cruising and spending time with their friends in Birch Bay, or travelling by car or RV to Las Vegas, Reno or Arizona.  They travelled to Denmark many times where they strengthened ties to the Danish Norgaard family through his cousin Thomas (Kaja) Norgaard in Odense.   Dan was an avid softball player, an accomplished curler, and was always ready with a joke or two when ever the occasion arose. Dan will be sadly missed by his family, his friends and former work colleagues, and by many of the people whose lives he had touched.

A memorial for Daniel will be held August 19^th at the Cascades Community Church in Abbotsford (Delair Rd) at 1 pm, followed by a later celebration at the Abbotsford Legion on W. Railway Rd. between 6 & 8 p.m.