|
A Royal Canadian Navy Historical Project
In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
BRANDRETH-GIBBS, Robert William - It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Rob Brandreth-Gibbs, a.k.a. RBG. Rob was a filmmaker and storyteller extraordinaire, amateur stand-up comedian, tuba player, amazing cook, hiking enthusiast, jokester, expert bar tender, Corvette driver, harmonica player, avid reader, purveyor of "The Rules for Dating my Daughter", lover of history and space exploration, private pilot, craftsman, scuba diver, Boogaloo Theatre builder, Father-Daughter dance competition winner, genealogist, movie critic, theatre-sports fan, owner and Lord of a square foot of land in Scotland, and all round great guy. Rob was husband to Catherine Siscoe, to whom he was married for 22 years, and father to Alayna and Lauren Brandreth-Gibbs. He was a well-loved member of our extended families and a great friend to many. He always saw the good in people and the fun in life. Rob was predeceased by his parents Vivian (née Vaselenko) and William Brandreth-Gibbs. He is survived by his brothers Rich (Darlene) and Doug (Karen). Rob passed away in North Vancouver at the North Shore Hospice in the arms of Catherine while listening to "Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles, a band he loved. Rob succumbed to complications from a stroke after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Born in Hillsboro, Oregon, Rob grew up in Delta, BC. His childhood friends fondly remember him often saying: "Oh no, we're in trouble now!" He spent every summer of his youth with his brothers and cousins at the family-owned Shangri-La Resort in Penticton, BC. His many adventures included running the pony rides with the family's three pet ponies Duchess, Kicker, and Sugar. He graduated from Delta Secondary School in 1971 and received a Bachelor of Science in Zoology from UBC in 1976. He went on to study motion picture production at UBC and UCLA and won many awards for his productions, including "Hallelujah Darwin." His work was featured at Vancouver's Expo '86 and during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. Rob studied business at SFU, and for many years he headed his own film company, Bravo Zulu Productions. Among his projects were major productions for Canada's departments of National Defence, Parks, and Tourism. Prior to that he was Senior Producer and Vice President with Lunny Communications, Story Analyst at 21st Century Film Corporation, Producer-Director-Partner at Omni-Video Productions, Producer-Director-Editor at Yaletown Productions, and Film-ENG Editor-Feature Producer at BCTV News. He worked tirelessly with many public and private organizations and his "Can-Do" spirit and creativity made their visions come to life in film and video. Rob was also an ROUTP Infantry Officer with the Canadian Forces Reserve - Royal Westminster Regiment, and a MARS Naval Officer with the Canadian Forces Reserve - HMCS DISCOVERY, Vancouver. Rob was an air rescue team member with the Canadian Search & Rescue Association (CASARA) and a mountain rescue team member with North Shore Rescue, for whom he had recently produced a historical film. Rob lived and played on the beautiful North Shore for the last 16 years where he and Catherine raised their two daughters and to whom he often said: "Let's go on an adventure!" As described by his good friend Tim: "Rob squeezed more life into his too-short time on this earth than most people would in three lifetimes. His devotion to his wife and daughters was limitless, and breathtaking. He was ur captain, and until we regain our bearings, we will all be adrift. See you at the next GMNIH (Guys Movie Night in Heaven) Arbeegee." In respect for the current restrictions on gatherings, a Celebration of Life to honour Rob will be held at a later date. If you would like to make a donation, please consider the North Shore Hospice & Palliative Project or the charity of your choice. (North Shore News 27 May 2020)
Ships served in:
|
For Posterity's Sake 
