Obituary of Archibald Kenneth Beare

Passed from this life to the next on 30 December 2011 from cancer - Lieutenant-Colonel (retired) Archibald Kenneth Beare, Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery at a grand age of 78 years. Loving husband of over 54 years to Marcia Roberta (nee Murray - and lovingly named Bobbie by Archie). Son of Graeme Beare and Myrtle (nee Fequet - who turned 100 this year) and loving brother to John, Bernie, Graeme and Linda. Much loved father, mentor, giver and provider to Son Murray, wife Leslie and grandsons Graeme and Craig; son Stuart, wife France and grandchildren Richard, Sarah and Cameron; daughter Deborah and grandchildren Kristin, Cameron and Steven; daughter Valerie, husband Curits Bunz and grandchildren Michael and Margot; and daughter Jennifer. Born and raised by his Hudson’s Bay fur trader father Graeme and mother Myrtle on the north shore of the St.Lawrence, Archie grew up in Quebec, Winnipeg and Edmonton, joining the Canadian Forces at Royal Roads Military College in 1952. After two years in the Navy he transferred to the Army and was commissioned as a Gunner officer - serving first in Winnipeg in 1956. He caught the love bug with Marcia, who he first met in Edmonton in grade 4, and they married in Winnipeg at Fort Osborne Barracks in April 1957. Over their years of service life they journeyed to Hemer Germany, Shilo, Hildesheim Germany, Kingston, Calgary, Shilo, Hemer, Oromocto, Shilo, Halifax and then to Wainwright where Archie served as Commander Camp Wainwright from 1981 to 1985. He and Marcia moved to Vermilion until 1994 where he worked with Lakeland Community College. They chose to return to Wainwright where they moved into their new dream home in 1995. From here they have been on scene parents and grandparents to Deb and kids and active members in the community including the Masons, Saint Thomas Church, Town Council, Men’s choir, Buffalo Park Foundation, the Camp Officers’ Mess and numerous volunter efforts. From Wainwright Archie has maintained his connection to our military through working with Calian on computer assisted exercises, and in the last 5 years with the Cubic team at the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Center at Camp Wainwright. Archie considered his time as Camp Commander Wainwright from 1981 to 85 as the highlight of his career, and he and Marcia are proud to declare that the smartest thing they ever did was to chose Wainwright as their home to stay after 3 decades of journeying from Base to Base. Archie lived life to the fullest. He was an active contributor and leader at his beloved adopted town of Wainwright. He doted on his children and in particular his grandchildren - traveling with Marcia thousands of miles to be with them in all corners of the globe - Germany, England, Australia, and all across Canada. Their home in Wainwright was a centre for scores of family gatherings and a place much loved and visited by their treasured friends here and from afar. He loved his life in retirement - and treasured his ongoing association with today’s serving soldiers, his old command at the Camp, and the Family of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery with whom he was an active contributor and participant. Archie was a great wine home brewer - just ask his friends.