Anthony Arthur (Art) Yelich passed away Thursday, March 18, 2004. He was born to Sophie and Tony Yelich on Feb. 9, 1938 at 4lbs 8oz. after a bumpy horse and sleigh ride from the farm on Snake Rd. to the Bulkley Valley District Hospital. He spent the next 22 years on the farm helping his mom and dad.
In 1959, he met Antiena Stoelwinder at her parents’ farm on Glentana Rd. He came to sing and play the guitar at her parents’ anniversary.
After a brief engagement they were married in May 1960 at the Christian Reformed Church in Smithers. They were blessed with five children.
Art had various jobs including falling, cat operator and truck driver, eventually hiring on with the Town of Smithers in 1964. He enjoyed working with equipment and fabricating and welding metal.
In 1980, he, Antiena and their family purchased the Bayson farm on Newens Rd.
He continued working for the Town of Smithers for another 19 years until 1999, when he retired from the Town to farm full time.
Art will be remembered as a fun-loving, generous man who had a valley full of friends. He will be deeply missed by his wife Antiena; mother Sophie; children Robert, Cliff Yelich and Rhonda Webb, Linda Yelich and Steve Mann, Liza and Glenn Hooker; Quintin, and Sister Mary Yelich and Sam Hardy; grandchildren Ryan Bompas, Cole and Tiana Hooker, and many nephews, nieces and in-laws.
We will cherish his memories forever.