Edward Hubert (Ted) Purvis

Peacefully, with family at his side, Edward Hubert (Ted) Purvis, aged 75 years passed away at Selkirk General Hospital in the afternoon of Oct 12, 2016. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Mourning his loss is his beloved wife of 55 years, Sharon, his sons and their wives Ted (Tracey), Darcy (Tracy) and Sean (Corrie), his grandchildren Allie, Keely, Sydney, Taylor, Jack, Teagen, Ben, Zoey, Max and Ryleigh, his adopted grandchildren Jessica and Janine, his brother Gerry (Lynne), sister Candice (Phil), sister-in-law Donna (Don), brother-in-law Ross (Darlene), as well as his many nieces and nephews that he loved dearly. Ted was predeceased by his father and mother Ted and Mae and father and mother-in-law Hugh and Ida Williamson.

Ted was born in Selkirk, Manitoba on September 5, 1941. Ted graduated high school in Selkirk and went to Red River College for certification as a Machinist followed by Welder. Ted lived in the Selkirk Area his entire life. Acquiring his uncles boat building business and his fathers machine shop at a very early age, Ted is recognised as the builder of a number of the more prominent Manitoba boats that sailed the Red River and Lake Winnipeg. Most notably of the many vessels built at the Selkirk Slough off Taylor Avenue, the Paddle Wheel Queen, the Paddle Wheel Princess, the River Rouge, the Lady Winnipeg and the Lord Selkirk. Ted loved and was an active member of the community serving in the Selkirk Volunteer fire department from 1959 to 1985 where he finished his service as the deputy fire chief. He also served as a Selkirk Kinsmen and a subsequent K40 member of retired Kinsmen. The families involved in these two groups formed the circle of his closest friends in the early days transitioning in his later years to the” Campski” group of friends that travelled Manitoba with camping gear and canoes.

Ted was truly a self made man. He set his business goals at where he wanted to be rather than where he was. Once committed to a goal he worked endless hours to teach himself the skills he needed to succeed in each endeavor. His confidence, competence and endless drive raised him from his small town beginnings into a nationally recognised ship building expert. His solid integrity and moral compass earned the respect of clients, peers and his employees. He took the lessons he taught himself to the Arctic where he met his long time business partner Daan Hengeveld of Langley, B.C. Over the next few decades, Ted and Daan employed many Selkirk based tradesmen in areas such as Hay River, Tuktoyaktuk NWT, Hong Kong and eventually Delta, B.C. in their partnered company Purvis Navcon Shipyards. Both Ted and Daan concluded their ship building careers and business by participating in the construction of the two BC “Super Ferries” Spirit of Vancouver Island and the Spirit of British Columbia in the early 1990s in Delta, BC.

In his long retirement Ted focussed on his family and hobbies. Ted pursued excellence in golf with the same intensity and focus he had with his business while his wife Sharon enjoyed the time they could have together doing something they both enjoyed. His other interests focused on family, or more accurately his grandchildren. Attending plays, sporting events, joint holidays and special occasions. He and Sharon travelled the globe but never lost touch with their treasured Gull Lake in the summers and their winter residence and golfing mecca at the Whaler resort on Kaanapali Beach Maui. Ted was known for his huge presence in a room. He was always full of life with a sensational sense of humour. His outward appearance and personality could be intimidating until you realised the soft heart within.

The family extends sincere thanks and gratitude to the doctors, nurses and medical aid assistants of the Selkirk General Hospital for their professional and compassionate care during Ted’s last months.

A Memorial Service for Ted will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 22, 2016 at the Gilbart Funeral Home, 309 Eveline Street in Selkirk, Manitoba. Honorary Pallbearers are the Retired Selkirk Volunteer firemen.

In lieu of flowers, if so desired, the family requests donations made on Ted’s behalf to the Selkirk Marine Museum, Box 7, Selkirk, Manitoba R1A 2B1 and the Selkirk Lutheran Evangelical Church, Box 65 Selkirk, Manitoba, R1A 2B2.

 Service Information