Denis Shim-Ping
February 10, 2023
February 10, 2023
February 10, 2023
Denis passed away on February 13 2023, surrounded by his family. He was born in Georgetown, Guyana in 1942 to Joseph and Rosie. Denis grew up surrounded by his younger siblings: Cleada, Willie, Joan, Jean, Trevor and Camille. He decided to make the big decision to immigrate to Canada and ended up in snowy Calgary in 1966, a huge change from his West Indian home. Over the next few years, he helped his entire family immigrate to Canada while working for a wholesaler followed by Amoco Oil. After moving to British Columbia in 1980, he worked in a kitchen cabinet company and property management. He retired from the GVRD Housing Corporation after working there for over a decade.
Denis married Vera, the girl across the street, in Calgary in 1967, who survives him. He is also survived by eldest daughter, Camille and husband, Jose, and younger daughter, Andrea and husband, Craig. Denis has two grandchildren he absolutely loved spending time with: Ethan and Arya.
Denis always had a passion for gardening and moving to British Columbia allowed him to show off his gardening skills. His garden displayed his love for roses and rhododendrons as well as a kitchen garden at his home in Surrey. In later years his passion grew to include fishing and he was often found on the Fraser River with friends. Denis was known as a handyman, and it was useful when Vera and him decided to buy a future retirement property in Harrison Hot Springs. The family spent many years building and developing a home that he retired to with Vera for many years before moving back to Surrey to be closer to his grandchildren.
Everyone knew Denis and if you didn’t you soon grew to know him. He was able to strike up a conversation with anyone at anytime and knew everyone in the neighbourhood on a first name basis. If anyone needed a hand, Denis was always available to help. He was also know for his love of children and spending time with his grandchildren was his favourite thing in the world to do.
You are invited to leave a personal message for the family.