The Honourable Tom Siddon, PC (1941–2026) – Obituary on Castanet [First, from Tom’s family] It is with heavy hearts, but with heads full of happy memories and passed down knowledge, that we must announce the passing of The Honourable Thomas Edward Siddon, P.C., on June 28, 2026. Tom was surrounded by family when he peacefully... Continue Reading →
From 940 CFCW, London, ONT Tommy Hunter, one of the most beloved figures in Canadian television and country music, has died. Born Thomas James Hunter on March 20, 1937, in London, Ontario, Hunter passed away on July 2, 2026, of natural causes. He was 89. Known to generations of viewers as "Canada's Country Gentleman," Hunter... Continue Reading →
Bob Blackmore — Texada’s master storyteller has spun his last yarnBy Isabelle Southcott in Powell River Living, February 2009With thanks to fellow dog park companion, Dena Wilson He was an adventurer, a bushman, a marksman, a photographer, a journalist and a master storyteller. He wasn’t motivated by money but rather by a burning desire to... Continue Reading →
I have a long relationship with the Requiem by French composer Gabriel Faure. Unlike the bombastic operatic showpiece by Verdi, the intensely dramatic rendering by Mozart, or the massive work by Benjamin Britten, Faure’s Requiem is intimate, melodic, of small scale, and sublime. It whispers, though never shouts. Surely we all want to drift off... Continue Reading →
A Memory from Jim Palmer on Facebook About eighteen years ago a young woman named Rachel Held Evans contacted me because she was beginning to see Christianity differently and wanted to write about it. She sent me her manuscript, and we worked on her book together. She published four books in total. I got to... Continue Reading →
[Notes from a CBC article here] Former politician, diplomat and activist Stephen Lewis has died at age 88. Lewis was a former leader of the Ontario NDP, Canadian ambassador to the United Nations and a longtime journalist and environmental activist. The Lewis family said in a statement on Tuesday that he died peacefully in hospice... Continue Reading →
A sermon for he congregation of St. Saviour Anglican church, Penticton BC - Sunday, March 22nd, 2026 – The Fifth Sunday in Lent - The Very Rev. Ken Gray Those of us who officiate at funerals get to say some wonderful words. For instance, right at the beginning of the service: "I am the resurrection... Continue Reading →
From Adam Chan CHEK TV News Two pillars of the Victoria art scene are set to close down next month. Hermann’s Jazz Club and View Street Social will close their doors permanently on April 30, 2026. The Arts On View Society announced the upcoming closure on Thursday, saying the “difficult decision” came after extensive reviews... Continue Reading →
[Ken Gray] I crossed paths with Jay Koyle a few times over the years, initially at the Anglican Sorrento Centre in the BC interior. He was affable, intelligent, musical, spiritual, and a lot of fun. He was one of the good ones I would say. Rest in Peace faithful Christian leader. A song he taught... Continue Reading →
A few days late, but a great history from Matthew Larkin, with thanks And today, I’m thinking of this guy, who died 150 years ago this date (January 22). John Bacchus Dykes: priest, organist, composer, tractarian: a composer of well over 250 hymn tunes, and an avid and determined ritualist who stood tall against his... Continue Reading →
Take Note - Reflections on life, music, politics, retirement and more by Ken Gray 