June 22, 1949 – October 17, 200
Huntley was born in Kamloops, B.C., and lived his young years in Barriere where he made numerous lifelong friends.
He loved his mom’s home cooking and the summertime sound of the screen door slam.
He acquired a keen appreciation of woodworking from his father, a self-taught carpenter, in which Huntley in turn carried on to educate many.
After high school, Huntley went off to BCIT and soon realized his love of nature and the outdoors did not embrace the life of a technician.
He earned the named of ‘Hippie’ mostly in part to his long hair and bearded face but a cross-Canada trip in a white van with purple eyes clinched the name.
He began his logging career with Earl Hyde’s company out of Penticton but soon saw the value of working in the Coastal stands of the Giants. He spent his mid-years in the north, Burns Lake/Francois Lake/Smithers area where he met his first wife Margaret and had the extreme pleasure of gaining a loving son, Tyler.
In 1999 Huntley was injured in a serious falling accident and credited his sensibility many times to the incident,
“Hit a man over the head with a big enough stick and he will listen.”
In 2000, he met up with his longtime friend, Wendy G. and rekindled a spark. The soul mates were married in a quiet clandestine ceremony on Genier Lake on July 5, 2008.
Huntley and Wendy (affectionately referred to as the ‘Warden’) shared a love of family and friends and enjoyed everything as one, especially the love of woodworking.
His greatest journey began when grandson Austen was born and continued with the birth of Holden, and then a third, Dreyden – the boys will attest that the greatest toy a child could have is a “Growly”.
Huntley above all loved his family and kept in touch with each and everyone regularly.
He has the distinction of giving most of the family, and many of the young friends, driving lessons (who knew Lenny’s airfield would get so much ground usage).
He had an uncanny sense of humour and was a diabolical trickster who regarded Calvin of ‘Calvin and Hobbes’ as ‘not such a bad guy’.
He thoroughly enjoyed the frenzy of a good water fight and took great pleasure in the shock of a recipient of a surprise snowball upside the head.
Huntley enjoyed the irony of life’s silly rules, teasing Wendy that the marriage would certainly be void if the Marriage Certificate were folded (as was written in fine print on the bottom).
He supported so many with quiet contributions of his time, or money, or both; whatever the need be.
He enjoyed music and would steal a private dance with Wendy on a Saturday night to CBC’s tunes.
Many will remember seeing him in Wink’s mill yard with radio headphones listening to the mysteries and stimulating conversations of CBC making sure to keep the gas can out of Wink’s sight (for he knew Wink would walk by and splash some on the more-than-adequate fire).
We all will remember the compelling pleasure of opening up to Huntley in conversation or just the satisfying comfortable silences of sitting with him. He was the best cook and could whip up a meal or a snack in a moments notice.
Huntley was a hardworking peace-loving family man. He had no regrets. He outclassed the classiest. He was our ROCK!
Huntley leaves to cherish him; devoted wife, Wendy; son, Tyler (Mandy) of Burnaby; daughter and son-in-law, Cara and James Rayburn of Kelowna; grandsons, Austen, Holden and Dreyden; brothers, Jim (Janice) of Quesnel and Tom (Betty) of Cold Lake, AB; sister, Mary (Ron) Bernt of Kitimat; and many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. He will be sadly missed by many, too many to list.
If you wish to make a donation in memory of Huntley, please do so to the Thompson Valley Players or the Barriere Food Bank.
A party at Wink’s log yard was held on Saturday, October 23, 2010, to celebrate Huntley’s life.