Severin Morin, a city hero and a key figure in Burnaby, passed away on March 28, at age 86.
Morin had a long record of helping the community and was well connected to many local figures.
"Everything he did was all about Burnaby," said Gloria Staudt, a local Rotarian. "He did so much."
Staudt knew Morin through the Burnaby Board of Trade, where Morin was a liaison officer, and he was also an honorary member of Rotary for many years.
"Even though he was an honourary member, he was more active. He was always very generous," she said, adding that he helped out with Rotary's annual wine festival.
Staudt said Morin was in the hospitality industry for a long time and ran a restaurant on Kingsway.
"It was the place to go for dances and dinners. It was the who's-who's that went to that restaurant on Kingsway, the Gai Paree," she said. "He knew all the politicians, he was just a very kind and generous man. He knew everyone in the community."
Morin was named a local hero by the City of Burnaby, and he received a Queen's Diamond Jubilee award. He was vice-chair of the B.C. Gaming Commission and served as a senate member with SFU.
Staudt described Morin as a father figure and an eternal optimist.
"He was so positive, he told me when I spoke to him a week before he died, 'When I feel better, I'm coming to help at the wine fest,'"she said. "He will always be treasured and missed by many people, I was just honoured to know him."
Morin's family is organizing a celebration of life on Saturday, April 12, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at the café at Willingdon Church in Burnaby. They are asking for donations to charity in lieu of flowers.
