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Lee William Kaslander
October 9, 1946 - December 6, 2023
Tribute
Lee William Kaslander
October 9, 1946 – December 6, 2023
Lee William Kaslander died Wednesday December 6, 2023, at Lady Minto Hospital on Salt Spring Island. His old lungs could not fight off the pneumonia that followed a bad bout of stomach flu. He is survived by his wife Bev Franks; sons Jon (Kelly McKay) and Evan (Katrina); 4 grandchildren; sister Kris Omness and her son and family; Chris Ast, the mother of his sons; several cousins; Bev’s sisters Val and Terri and her mother Theresa.
Lee was born on October 9, 1946, in Alma, Michigan to Leonard and Eunice (Converse) Kaslander. He attended Kalamazoo College, which included 6 months of foreign study in Erlangen, Germany. He and Chris then moved to Regina, Saskatchewan, where Lee earned an MSc in Chemistry. Instead of continuing in chemistry, he decided to join the new computer centre in the Saskatchewan government. He spent the next 25 or so years working in the IT industry in Saskatchewan, Yukon, British Columbia, Washington state, California and where-ever else he was sent.
But then Lee found his true calling when he took a motorcycle safety course and decided to become a certified motorcycle safety instructor in Washington state. Over the last 20 years, Lee taught about 9,000 students and worked with 171 other instructors. These were truly his people and this was his joy.
Lee loved motorcycles – riding and owning them; teaching others to ride them; watching them race; following the riders and teams; visiting bike shops; talking to “like minded fools” about them; taking solo motorcycle trips and trips with Bev and the “bike gang.”
Other fun facts about Lee: his favourite song was “The Weight” by the Band; his “backup plan” was Stevie Nicks; he kept stats on motorcycle racing, his motorcycle classes, baseball, books he’d read; he was a reader and read the New Yorker from cover to cover; he was a grammar and punctuation purist and believed in the Oxford comma. He loved a good “debate.”
He was a smart, funny, good man and he will be missed by so many people.
In lieu of flowers, please take a motorcycle safety course, give money or time to organizations who help the environment or animals, and best of all, raise a pint to Lee.
Condolences
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From: Haywards Funerals
Haywards Funerals staff send our condolences to family and friends.
From: Jack Stewart
Relation: Friend for 40+ years
Farewell, dear old friend.
From: Island Dental Centre
Relation: Dentist
On behalf of all the Staff at Island Dental we extend our very deepest condolences to you Bev and all the family at this difficult time off loss.
Lee was a wonderful guy and he will be greatly missed.
From: Joyce McCallum
Relation: Friend
Having you as my friend made such a difference in my life…I’ll miss you
From: James Steenson
Relation: Motorcycle Safety Program
I had the opportunity to teach motorcycle safety with Lee from time to time. He was a good an honorable man and a great mentor. My sincerest condolences and I will definitely be “raising a pint” in his honor.
From: Brett Wallick
Relation: Friend
I have great memories of knowing Lee (and Bev) from my years living in Seattle, and then years later I was thrilled to show them around my adopted hometown of Barcelona Spain when they visited in 2018. (This photo is from that visit, and a favourite brew pub.) Lee truly was a gem of a guy, so affable and always a good hang. Much love to Bev, his family, and loved ones.
From: Linda Horosko
Relation: Colleague / friend for 50+ years
Lee and I were colleagues and friends for over 50 years as we were in the same intake training program at the Saskatchewan Government Systems Centre in the summer of 1973. It has been many years since we’ve visited in person as work and family took both of us to many places in Canada and the US but we’ve always kept in touch. Lee was a special person who will be much missed. Bev, Andy and I send our deepest condolences.
From: Jacqueline Marie-Jose Kemp
Relation: Family connection, my Mother was a Kaslander from Belgium, my grandfather Albert Kaslander originally from Holland.m
Sending love, and may happy memories prevail soon. So nice that our family got to know another (lovely) Kaslander family, albeit a few miles away! You, Bev and your family are in our thoughts and we send our love. Jackie
From: Hunter Buskermolen
Relation: Cousin's husband
Bev and Family,
I am sorry to hear the loss of Lee. May God watch over you through this troubling time.
From: Rachel Barcellos
Relation: Motorcycle Safety Training and Friend!
Lee inspired so many and set an example of excellence. I shared his passion for teaching, becoming a motorcycle instructor with him was an experience I treasure. I always looked forward to his annual visits, working together and enjoying his company and conversation. He is missed and my heart goes out to Bev and his family.
Service Schedule
Private service arrangements have been made.
Memorial Gifts
The family has not designated a preferred charity at this time.
Thank You Notice
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Haywards Funerals
Telephone: (250) 537-1022
Website: https://www.haywardsfuneral.ca/
Email: contact@haywardsfuneral.com
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