Ralph Yeomans

July 17, 2023

Ralph and Scott Yeomans Obituaries

Ralph Harvey Yeomans

Date of birth: December 8th, 1948

Date of death: July 17th, 2023

Monday evening, July 17th, 2023, Ralph Harvey Yeomans, died surrounded by family members in Vancouver General Hospital after a 7-week battle in intensive care fighting two aneurisms caused by infection to his heart. He went the same way he lived life, fiercely independent fighter of the cause, true to the end and resigned to his fate.

Born in Saint John, New Brunswick on December 8th, 1948, to Dorothy Gertrude Yeomans (Burchill) and Ronald George Yeomans, Ralph was a man of his postwar baby boomer generation. He was a young 74-years last week when he left us. Ralph is survived by his long-time spouse, Shelley Darlene Waller, and two sons Christopher Yeomans (49) and Brad Yeomans (41) and stepdaughter Candice Didier (41), five grandchildren, Marcel Yeomans (10), Bryden Yeomans (9), Grady Yeomans (7), Makenzie Didier (6), Bennett Didier (4). He leaves behind four younger siblings: Nancy Thorne, Fay Colwell, Ken Yeomans, & Margo Yeomans.

Ralph graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from St. Thomas University (STU) in 1971, Fredericton, New Brunswick and was a Military Police Captain in the Canadian Armed Forces. He married Jacqueline Carmelle Desjardins (predeceased 2008) in New Brunswick in 1970 and had three boys, Christopher, Scott, and Brad in three different cities (Fredericton NB, Ottawa ON, and Surrey BC) given the military lifestyle he led at the time.

Ralph brought his family to Vancouver, British Columbia to the Jericho Military Base in 1978 and while looking out to the North Shore mountains above English Bay and before being posted to England, he decided to retire from the Military after a 13-year career to raise his family on the West Coast of Canada. He then took a series of public sector jobs helping to build the security systems at three large institutions in Metro Vancouver. These include Head of Security for BC Transit in the 1980s, starting its security service and inaugurating its first special constables at a critical time when Skytrain was introduced. Then, on to Simon Fraser University by the late 80s and into the 1990s as Director of Parking and Campus Security before spending over a decade with the City of Vancouver as Parking and By-Law Enforcement Manager until he retired in 2013.

Ralph and Jacqueline were divorced in 1988. He remarried in 1989 to Maryann Morrison who helped raise the three boys for over a decade. They divorced in 1998 and since then, for nearly 25 years, Ralph and Shelley have accompanied each other through thick and thin and a good 10 years of time in retirement, building their dream lake front property up at Cluculz Lake, Vanderhoof, BC. They escaped the winters while travelling with their fifth wheel on a yearly basis to Boca Beach, Jalisco on the Pacific Ocean, Mexico.

Ralph will be remembered as a man who was always quick to help others in need. He was an administrator, a leader, and a social convenor. He had a gregarious laugh, enjoyed making others laugh and he and Shelley were often the life of the party down at the beach or sitting around the campfire. He liked his good cheer sharing happy hour with those friends and family who were blessed to be in his company during the happy times throughout his life.

This last year was a tough one for Ralph and Shelley. Last March 2022, they lost their new fifth wheel (mobile home) to fire on Boca Beach, just barely getting out alive. A few months later, Ralph suffered his first stroke and, a month later endured the death of his son Scott to Muscular Dystrophy. In remembering our friend, brother, father, and colleague, we want to commemorate Scott’s life who was accompanied by Ralph and Shelley just under a year ago in Vanderhoof during his final days at 45 years young.

Scott Frederick Yeomans

Date of birth: November 29th, 1976

Date of death: August 19th, 2022

Scott was born in Ottawa, Ontario but spent most of his life in Surrey, BC with family and friends. Graduated from Queen Elizabeth Senior Secondary and looked to serve others most of his life. He played hockey in the street and on ice into adolescence before the disease progressed with age. Scott loved his job as a greeter at the movie theatres and was appreciated working over 20 years at the Metrotown Cinemas.

During the Pandemic, Scott moved up to Cluculz Lake to be close to Dad and Shelley and then off to Riverside Place where Scott spent the last few months of life before succumbing to complications related to Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy. Scott always had a warm heart and a helping hand for those who needed it. He loved to give people a back and neck rub should they be stressed.

Scott will be remembered as a kind soul, who liked being with family and hanging out with his friends and his brothers’ friends watching a Canucks or BC Lions game while sharing a meal. 

On Sunday, July 30, at 3 PM, a Celebration of Life gathering for both Ralph and his son Scott will be held at the White Rock Legion, 2290 152nd Street, South Surrey.

Please RSVP to clyeomans@hotmail.com should you be able to attend. Overflow parking across the Street in the Christian Academy School.

In celebration of the life of Ralph Harvey Yeomans and Scott Frederick Yeomans, we invite you to consider making a gift in their memory to Muscular Dystrophy Canada. You can donate online at www.muscle.ca or by phone at 1-800-567-2873.

You are invited to leave a personal message for the family.

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