Daniel Cheetham

It is with sadness we share the passing of Daniel Harley Cheetham, age 75, who died peacefully on September 28, 2024.

Dan was born to Harley and Gladys Cheetham on May 14, 1949, in Summerland, BC. He is survived by his wife Kathleen; sons Glen (Fran), Ken (Melanie), and Jay (Jess); stepchildren Kent Harding (Laurie) and Lorinda Hall (Nick); grandchildren Madison, Cohen, Abbigail, Elliott, Enid, and Findlay; sister Sandra Schultz (Mike) and their family.

Dan began his working life on the booming grounds of Prince Rupert. He was quick to say the life of a logger was not for him. He attended UBC with dreams of becoming an engineer but struggled with calculus. He turned instead to accounting and loved the work. He received his CGA designation in 1976. During his accounting career, Dan worked for MacMillan Bloedel, Church Pickard Lane Newman CAs, Ballam Ingborg CGAs; then became a partner with Barclay Tarr Walters & Co CGAs.

At his retirement he was the Director of Administration & Human Resources with CGA BC (later CPA BC) working with the organization for 30+ years. In 2013, Dan was named a Fellow and awarded the FCGA designation, the highest honour given by the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada for his exemplary service to the profession. With humility, he joked about being F-d but in fact, he was deeply moved and immensely proud to receive the honour.

Dan was a quiet man, an introvert who enjoyed long drives and time to think in peace. He was a problem solver and a number cruncher, the guy who’d develop strategic financial plans while his own affairs were modest. He had a flash temper which could bruise a relationship but he also possessed sensitivity and understanding which made him a go-to person in tricky situations. In a quiet conversation, he could clarify a thought, dispel doubt and inspire a person to move onward to greater things.

Dan was a lover of dogs and chickens, garage sales, tractors and musical instruments he could not play. He lived to research and buy things; to tinker and repair. His hobby room and carport are filled with curiosities, from accordions to motorcycles in varying stages of “fixed”. He enjoyed an evening at home, the company of his family and a good cup of coffee. Dan was a guy who could make you laugh, really laugh; a prankster with a special sense of humour that was strong and alive even in his final days.

We are deeply grateful for the care Dan received from the Port Alice Health Centre, ICU and Palliative floors at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria and the BC Ambulance Service. On November 10, 2024 the family will scatter Dan’s ashes in his childhood community of Saltair BC.