GILLIS, Stephen Joseph

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Stephen Joseph Gillis (Grand Mira North and Vancouver) on June 21, 2020, at the far-too-early age of 66 years. Steve was born in Massachusetts, to James Joseph (Jimmy Ian Hamish) and Isabel (Isabel Rose) Gillis. Jimmy and Isabel were both born in Grand Mira, but moved to the ‘Boston States’ after they were married where all of their six children were born. The family moved back to the old house in Mira in 1967. Steve was an intensely intelligent, active and talkative child. As siblings in Mira, we swam together in the river, rambled through the woods, played baseball, tobogganed, and cut down our own Christmas trees. We watched the moon landing together on a floor-model black and white TV. Our Dad fixed up a wooden lapstrake rowboat for us and, with Steve at the helm, we set off on countless summer excursions around the river: three sets of oars and (on occasion) a homemade ‘Viking’ sail. After graduating from high school, Steve attended Dalhousie University for one year. For summer work, he crewed aboard a commercial vessel travelling up the coast of Labrador. And that was it. He never went back to school and became a full-time professional mariner instead. He spent most of his adult life living in and working out of Vancouver, a city he loved very much and a place where he developed many close and lifelong friends. A member of the Seafarers’ International Union, Steve crewed and piloted commercial vessels to and from destinations such as Colombia, Venezuela and Singapore. On one occasion, he sailed a tugboat back from China to BC. He lived in New Orleans for three months, working onboard barges on the Mississippi. In his later career, he was employed by a BC ferry service travelling back and forth to Washington State. In Vancouver, Steve restored a discarded, handcrafted wooden boat – of the traditional lapstrake construction, which he so much admired - which had been cast off after years of service in the fishing and forestry industries of British Columbia. The re-christened ‘Tiki’ was the scene of many adventures in the Georgia Strait and Fraser River Delta, and the petite red and white vessel always made for an eye-catching conversation piece in the marinas crowded with larger, more sophisticated craft. When Steve returned to Cape Breton full-time in 2006, the Tiki followed him east on a flatbed, and began plying the gentler waves of the Mira River. As a retiree, Steve lived a simple, fulfilling life: he ate good food, smoked good weed, told good stories, and engaged in lively debates with good friends. He had a passion for hockey, current events, and world history right up until his sad and sudden departure from a family and circle of friends who loved him so much. Steve will be remembered as a great brother, a great uncle and a great friend. He lived his life his way, with a notable aversion to conformity, but a true moral compass and a gentle heart. Steve was pre-deceased by both his parents. He is survived by his sister, June Gillis; sister, Darlene Gillis (of Rothesay, NB); only brother, Brian Gillis (Gina Wells); sister, Bernadette Gillis (Peter Kerr); and sister, Caroline Gillis (of Toronto, ON). He is also survived by his nephew and absolute best friend, Tristan Collier, as well as nephews, Gerrit Collier, Jonathan Adamson and Peter Adamson; and two grand nieces, Keira Collier and Elizabeth Adamson. He is very fondly remembered by Vancouver friends Cheryl, Wayne, Jim, Mike and Raymonde. At this time, Steve’s family wish to thank all the staff at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital who offered such compassionate and quality care during his six week period of illness – in particular, the physicians and nursing staff of the ICU, the IMCU and the PCU. We are so grateful. Cremation has taken place. There will be no formal service but anyone wishing to make an ‘in memoriam’ on Steve’s behalf should give consideration to the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation. Condolences and memories can be shared with family by visiting www.twcurry.com.

“A man is never lost at sea…”

– Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and The Sea