A large group of Lake Cowichan High School (LCHS) grads of 1962 converged here during the Lake Days weekend recently to celebrate their 50th school reunion and renew old acquaintances. Many familiar faces of former students (with their spouse, family, friends etc.) were here enjoying the activities, which included a Saturday reunion banquet and Sunday brunch before returning home. Several of the coordinators of the event were former grads and are still residents of the area.
A quick look at several different issues of the Azurate (LCSS / LCHS school annuals) recently showed that although the majority of former students no longer live here, there are still many here in the Cowichan Lake area. The following group include:
Ray Bourassa:
Retired long-time employee of the Town of Lake Cowichan and member of the Lake Cowichan Fire department. The 1972 school annual tagged Ray’s nickname as Sunshine (aka Sunny) and as a guy who loves hunting (he still does), fishing, and riding motorbikes. He also enjoyed playing goalie for the Honeymoon Bay Service hockey team. He, and his wife Sandy, are lifetime citizens of the Lake, parents of three adult children, and are proud grandparents.
Debbie May Halama (Fink):
A long time employee of the Town of Lake Cowichan, Deb can be found taking care of the lovely gardens, flowers and plants that can be seen throughout the community. In her Grade 12 year Deb loved swimming, spending money, and reading. Her wildest dream, so she stated, was “to travel the world in a Volkswagen van and have enough money to do it with.”
William (Ross )Forrest:
Enjoying his second term as our esteemed mayor of the Town, Ross loved playing rugby and hockey during his high school years. The 1972 high school annual revealed that he was also “an honourable member of the table ten” (although, we have no idea what that was). In Ross’ Grade 12 school annual write-up, he says that his “wildest dream is to graduate and his future ambition is to live without working to hard.” Ross and his wife Tracy have two grown children.
Franklin (Frank) Hornbrook:
A graduate of Maple Ridge High School’s Class of 1961, Frank was raised in Haney, B. C. After graduation Frank left home for Fort St. John where he was employed in the construction business and where he and his wife Iris were married. They eventually returned to Haney where Frank worked as a fuel truck driver for four months before moving to Victoria. It was there that Frank began a 37-year career with British Columbia Forest Products Ltd. — 8 years in Victoria (where he also sheared sheep for a decade) and the remaining years at Caycuse. Married more than 50 years now, the Hornbrooks have three children, 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Now retired (if you want to call it that) Frank spends much of his time filling his role as councillor for the town of Lake Cowichan as well as being involved with the local seniors’ centre.
Jayne Palliser:
This 1973 LCSS grad was known in school as Fuzz or Thumper, whose hobby, according to the 1973 school annual, was “driving around looking for “men.” She also liked crocheting, working at the arena and “generally having fun.” After grad, Jayne spent many years living and working in the big city before moving back to her hometown several years ago with husband Bruce. She is now in her second term of councillor of the Town of Lake Cowichan.
