A 91原创 pioneer has passed away.
Hugh Davis died peacefully surrounded by family on Oct. 2. He was 93.
Hugh, father of Township Councillor David Davis, was a dairy farmer on the Davistead Farm in Milner, which was originally purchased by his grandfather at a Hudson鈥檚 Bay Company auction in 1882.
Born in 1924 in the same room in the same house as his father, Henry, Hugh witnessed many historical events unfold in 91原创, such as the arrival of electricity in 1933.
Every day he would go for coffee at Fraser Valley Auctions, and had a very big network of friends, David said of his father.
鈥淲hen you live 93 years and you鈥檙e well liked, you know a lot of people,鈥� David said.
On the day he died, Hugh started his morning out like any other, with his ritual of having a shower and going to the auction.
鈥淗e went to the auction and half fainted 鈥� and when we got him back to 91原创 to see why he fainted, I guess he had what they refer to as a brain bleed. And so he just closed his eyes. The doctor said if he ever had a choice how to leave the world, that would be his choice, to just go to sleep. We held his hand until 10:30 in the evening and took his last breath. It was very peaceful.鈥�
In an interview with the 91原创 Times in 2012, Hugh shared many memories of growing up in Milner.
There was the time the Mufford boys took the car out (when they didn鈥檛 have permission), for example. This was at a time when there was only one other motorized vehicle in 91原创 鈥� the police car, Hugh had said.
鈥淪o they took it out and managed to hit the one other car around 鈥� the police car,鈥� he remembered.
Hugh noted that there wouldn鈥檛 even be a Milner Chapel 鈥� the heritage church founded by his grandfather 鈥� if his grandparents hadn鈥檛 married.
鈥淢y great-grandmother wouldn鈥檛 let my grandma come here unless there was a church to worship at,鈥� he said.
So Hugh鈥檚 grandfather rode around on horseback to raise money from the farmers in the area to build Milner Chapel, a church that still stands (but was moved to its current location on 216 Street and completely refurbished).
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A celebration of life will be held on Oct. 14 at 3 p.m. at the King鈥檚 School, 21783 76B St.
鈥淪omebody commented, the last day of his life he died with his boots off, so we鈥檙e going to cremate him in gumboots,鈥� David said.
鈥� with files from Tricia Leslie
