“Flight Was In His Spirit’, is an interesting and entertaining biography of Harry Burfield and the history of ski jumping in British Columbia, and especially the Sun Peaks area. Harry moved his family to the Kamloops area, where he assisted in the development of the Tod Mountain Ski Resort. Harry lived his daily dream of inspiring others and promoting the sport he so loved.
Author/publisher, Marion Burfield, was recently on hand with her publication at Sun Peaks for a book signing on July 7.
As the second child of Harry and Katherine Burfield, Marion Burfield was born on June 2, 1955, in North Vancouver, British Columbia. Harry came from an English background, and Marion says one of his favourite stories read to him as a child was Robin Hood.
“My first name came from that story and Mom gave me her second name”, says Marion who spent her first four years at Hollyburn Mountain in West Vancouver.
“I don’t remember much about that era, with the exception of my first experiences of skiing. Dad would strap on our skis and away we would go down the hill. With my tiny skis between his much longer ones, I would hang on to his legs. Dad used the same technique to teach my brother, Richard,” said Marion, “Being a tomboy, I got myself into many predicaments as a child and often found myself injured. At the age of six I broke my leg by the Burfield Lodge. The ski patrol didn’t have far to go to bring me in.”
Marion says writing “Flight Was In His Spirit” has been emotional at times, bringing back more that forty years of memories.
“It has also allowed me to do some healing,” said the author, “I hope my wonderful Dad, my loving Mom and my dear brother Richard would be happy to see memories of their lives in book form. It is important for me to offer readers a glimpse of the amazing family I have been a part of.”
Included in Marion’s beautiful hard cover book are over 176 pages detailing historical views of the history of skiing in British Columbia and the US Pacific Northwestern States with over 270 archived and personal images of the story of skiing, ski jumping and looks into the past of the early beginnings of Hollyburn Mountain and Tod Mountain (now known as Sun Peaks).
Part of her dedication of the book says, “Finally, I dedicate the book to all past, present, and future skiers of the world, for venturing out and who, like may dad and my brother, Richard, love the sport of skiing.”
For more information on the sale and availability of ‘Flight Was In His Spirit’ go to www.FlightWasinHisSpirit.author@flightwasinhisspirit.com