Month: September 2017

A few days ago Myron Neville passed away.  Although he may not be a household name amongst those who follow track and running in the province of BC, Myron was a tireless worker for the running community and during a long career of service he contributed countless hours to the sport that we love.

Myron for many years has been the coach of the Dearfoot Runners a club that he founded in Abbotsford so many years ago.  It was a club that survived because of his dedication and that of his wife, Dorothy, and it provided a distinct and valuable service to the community of Abbotsford and the BC running community as a whole.

In his youthful days, Myron was a very good high school runner who represented Semiahmoo Secondary School and several mainland clubs.  Myron turned in a number of excellent times for his era (1960’s) and went so far as to set a Fraser Valley High School record for the two-mile run.  Myron continued his running career while attending UBC and SFU as well as Naropa University of the Arts in Colorado.

Myron’s persona was a mixture of intellectualism and idealism combined with a dash of pragmatism.  He believed in the sort of running and saw it as a discipline that could mold a person’s being.  Throughout his life he dedicated his coaching talents to the promotion of running at both the recreational and competitive levels.  An author, philosopher, contributor, instructor of Tai Chi Chuan and a person with deep feeling about the sport we love, with the passing of Myron Neville we have lost an individual who made many positive contributions to the development of our sport.

Gerry Swan

September 28, 2017

Notations can be left in Myron’s Memory book at this link: http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Myron-Neville&lc=3640&pid=186786554&mid=7578473

Shirley (Mass) Young

September 27, 2017

A tremendous friend to Athletics, Shirley Young gently passed on a sunny morning, at Surrey Memorial Hospital. 

Shirley was a long time and deeply dedicated member of BC Athletics; the former President of South Fraser T&F, a member of Valley Royals and Ocean Athletics, a former BCA Officials Committee member, former Provincial Advisor of the BC Summer Games, and most of all was “Information Central” at thousands of Track and Field Meets throughout British Columbia over a 35 year period.

Shirley was the recipient of the Ralph Coates Award, the Dave Coupland Award, and was a member of the BCA Hall Of Fame.

Always an innovator, Shirley was a pioneer in meet management, and brought provincial track and field into the modern times with her use of meet entry and results programs.   She was known to all as “the lady behind the computer at the finish line,” and her knowledge and understanding of our sport is unparalleled.

Even more than athletics, Shirley loved her family, her children Cheryl, Bob and Ed, brothers Gene and Dale, grandchildren, and extended family.  She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Hans Young in July, 2017.

All of Shirley’s many friends throughout the BC Athletics community send their sincere condolences to the Young Family. A Celebration Of Life will be held on Saturday October 7, 2017 at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 20097 72 Ave. Langley, BC.