August 1, 1917—October 5, 2004
Walter Henry Bucher was born
in Lucerne on August 1st —
Switzerland’s National Day in 1917.
“I thought the parades were all for
me!” he used to laugh.
Walter laughed easily and often
during his 87 years. The youngest
of four children, Walter was born
into an established Swiss family
that published the country’s largest
Roman Catholic daily newspaper. He
served in the Swiss military for nine
years and then, faced with a career
in publishing or commerce, he chose
instead to immigrate to Smithers,
British Columbia in 1950. Western
Canada was calling for settlers and
Walter’s dream was to work outside.
“My knowledge of English was
no better than my knowledge of
agriculture,” he once said. With
only a slim pamphlet called Making
Money from Cows as his guide, he
set out to work 200 acres of partly
cleared land with 20 dairy cows,
a team of old horses, a Ferguson
tractor and some bewildering farm
machinery. He had never milked a
cow in his life.
His •rst challenge was penning an
offer of marriage to a lovely young
Italian girl he had met just after the
war. To his delight, Stefania Merlo of
San Remo, Italy soon crossed the
ocean to be his bride. She arrived at
the Smithers train station on a frigid
December day (—50º C). Stefania had
never seen snow. They were married
in January 1951.
Together, Walter and Stefania had
four children and built a series of
successful ventures. The farm grew
into Alpine Dairy and they delivered
milk, and eventually eggs, from
Hazelton to Telkwa. Walter loved
to tell stories about the early days
on the farm. Winter was always his
toughest adversary — frozen milking
machines, frozen milk and frozen
•ngers — but humorous anecdotes
always sprinkled his recollections,
sweetening the years of hard work
and leaving only pleasant memories.
Walter was never content to settle
into a routine. In the sixties, he began
to develop what is now the Hudson
Bay Mobile Home Park — a •rst home
to many new people coming to the
valley. The paving of Highway 16
and growth of automobile travel also
prompted him to build the Juniper
Lodge — now the Sorrento Motel.
Walter was also drawn into civic life,
including the Chamber of Commerce
and municipal tourism initiatives. In
early seventies he founded the “New
to You”, •rst as a fund-raiser for
missionary work in India and later
contributing to other charities. He
was an ardent supporter of both the
Swiss Club and the Italian Club.
Retiring in the mid-seventies, he
went back to his •rst love — farming
— or, as Stefania always saw it, “Any
excuse to drive his tractor.” His
Massey Ferguson 500 was his pride
and joy. In later years, Walter’s body
permanently took on the curve it
had when he sat in tractor seat, one
arm propped up on the fender as
he turned to look over his shoulder
at neat furrows or freshly plowed
snow.
Walter shared with his children and
friends his love of music, singing,
books, world history and lively
conversation. He touched others with
his good nature, sense of humour and
optimism. He will be remembered
by many for the pioneering spirit
that built both a strong family, and
enriched the fabric of his community
in his beloved valley, in his adopted
country. “Such a paradise,” he often
said. He considered himself a rich
and blessed man.
Gradually, Parkinson’s Disease and
a bout of pneumonia proved too
much. Walter died peacefully and
without pain on October 5 in the
company of his wife and children. He
will be missed by his wife Stefania,
his children Walter Jr. and wife
Amy, Elizabeth and husband Gerry,
and Francis and wife Cathryn, as
well as by his grandchildren Laurel,
Stefan, Katherine, Manon, Christy,
Anton, Ethan and Marco. Walter was
predeceased by his youngest son
Mark and by his grandson Ryan.