Gerald Patrick Cartie

The family of Gerald Patrick Cartie are sad to announce his passing on the morning of May 6th, 2023.

Gerry was raised in Nakusp and at an early age developed an affinity for everything drivable. His family lived in a house just behind the current Save-On Foods building, his grandma Annie Peachy owned the bakery, and his father Jack was a linesman for the railway while his mother raised three boys, Charles, Arthur and Gerry. Gerry would often recall racing down the alley on his tricycle, to which his father had affixed a steering wheel, to “drive” to meet the last of the stern wheel steamboats that plied the waters of the Arrow Lakes.

These were exciting times for young Gerry, so enthralled with trucks & equipment he would work for free just to have the chance to drive or operate machinery of any description. He often recalled being in the driver’s seat hauling freight over the Monashee in his pre-teen years with the licenced driver snoozing happily in the passenger seat, paying just enough attention to offer some advice during critical moments.

Gerry left Nakusp at fourteen driving a sedan to Calgary for a gentleman too nervous to negotiate the pass through Golden.  He soon had a job hauling freight in the city of Calgary, after getting his chauffeur’s licence by lying about his age at the motor vehicle branch.  Gerry also worked for the railway, shuttling steam locomotives in the roundhouse in Field B.C. where he would top up the water tanks, fill the hopper car with coal, grease the locomotive, then turn it around, ready for the haul back up to Calgary and points east. 

Gerry continued a life of hauling freight, logs, and gravel from the BC Coast, across Canada, up to Alaska and down into the USA.   He met and married his sweetheart Patricia in Calgary, and the couple were blessed with three daughters, Debrah, Diana, Sandie and a son Gerald. The family lived wherever Gerry found work, and once the children were older, Gerry and his wife parted ways, but his children remained close, and Gerry kept on trucking.

Gerry returned to his roots in Nakusp to retire in the early 1990s, but after a short hiatus, returned to work, the sedentary life of retirement was far too boring!  He was soon working for local logging companies, Box Lake Lumber and Galena Contracting, then continued to haul freight for a number of different companies including Glenncoe and Okanagan Springs, working right through his 70s and finally running a grader in Fort MacMurray at the tender age of 80. Gerry was reluctant to hang up his work boots as he loved being in the middle of everything requiring machinery, but as age became an issue climbing up the ladder of his grader became difficult, he finally retired in Vernon with his wife Eduarda in 2016. Gerry and Eddy enjoyed their life together and shared many years of camping highlights, chopping wood, ATVing, and enjoying areas like Nicklen Lake,  Galena Bay, and any roadside to accommodate a campfire.

Gerry was always a wealth of historical information, he recounted the history of every highway he drove, every customer he served, and all the people he worked with by name.  Very few had a memory for names, dates, and events like Gerry and he loved sharing his stories with people.

From running his father’s linesman’s speedster, to changing rear-ends in a logging truck in Mesilinka, Gerry was a true “Git er Done” guy.   His work ethic was untiring, he had an unforgettable charm, and he will always be missed around the campfire.

Gerry is survived by his common-law spouse Eduarda Amaral and his children Debrah (Donald) Clease, Diana (Marvin) Reid, Sandra Cartie (Nelson Harrington), Gerald Cartie (Dawn Lakusta) as well as grandchildren Jamie (Kevin) Doepker, Roni (Celso) Lienlaf, Lanny (Linnea) Cartie, Tommy Reid, Steven Stark (Delores McGuire), Nicole Stark (Andrew Warner), Kyle Cartie (Jasmine Lazon), and step grandchildren, Jessica Webb, Nicholas Harrington, and Tianna Harrington. He also had five great grandchildren Hali, Madison, Bently, Kayden, Connor, Cade, Nolan, Brandon, Claria, and baby Sophia due in July. 

A celebration of life was held May 11th, near Nicklen lake where he and Eddy spent many hours enjoying a campfire and wieners. Gerry was also interned in Nakusp at the Hillside cemetery on September 22, 2023.  Thank you to all the family and friends that were able to attend these events. 

Arrangements entrusted to

Cypress Funeral & Cremation Services 250-766-4400

Condolences may be expressed to the family by phone or email through Cypress Funeral & Cremation Services: