From Amanda Asay and Andrea Johnson to Tom Masich and Alex Murray, Prince George lost some amazing local residents during 2022.
Here is a list of some of the Prince George people who passed in the last year and their contributions to the city:
Amanda Asay, a longtime national women’s baseball team member and one of the most accomplished and groundbreaking athletes in Prince George history, Asay is widely considered to be Canada’s best women’s baseball player of all time. She was just 33 years old when a skiing accident near Nelson claimed her life.
Tom Masich, a Prince George Track & Field Club founder and inductee into the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame. Masich Stadium is named in his honour.
Andrea Johnson, a UNBC communications officer at the time of her sudden passing, her 15-year newspaper career included a stint as sports reporter at the Citizen. Known as “Andrea Everything” in the local volunteer community for her tireless work with Rotary and Operation Red Nose.
Alex Murray, an icon in the Prince George arts community, well-known as a singer, instructor, musical director for numerous local music groups and his work on many Prince George musicals alongside his daughter Judy Russell.
Ron Neukomm, a 2017 Citizen of the Year by the Prince George Community Foundation for his decades of volunteer service, widely known as “Mr. Rotary” for his work with the service club.
Patrick Joseph Guignard, a longtime Prince George resident and logging company owner.
Gordon Petrie, a Surrey man who reconnected with Kris Zemlak, his Prince George sister who lost touch with her brother when they were children. She had been looking for him for more than 10 years.
Hermann Rohrmoser, a longtime Prince George businessman.
Susan Lestage, a 40-year employee at Pacific Western Brewery and Canada’s first female brewer.
Hank Bugara, a longtime School District 57 employee who started as a science teacher at Lakewood Jr. High School and rose to assistant superintendent.
Brian Fawcett, an award-winning Canadian author of more than 20 books of fiction, non-fiction and poetry, who grew up in Prince George.
Myron Sambad, a business owner and founding member of the Interior University Society, the group which campaigned the provincial government to create UNBC and a founding member of the Prince George Regional Hospital Foundation, which later became the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation.
John Ryser, one of the founding members of the Prince George Farmer’s Market, who served on the region's first Farmer’s Institute and was active in the Prince George Cattlemen’s Association.
Eugene Fetterly, a mayoral candidate during many municipal elections under his “Remember The F Word” campaign slogan. His memorial just happened to coincide with municipal election day on Oct. 15 and he was planning on running yet again before his untimely death.
Dave Dyer, a longtime City of Prince George employee, engineer, and community volunteer.
Harry Gairns, a former president and manager of Industrial Forestry Service Ltd. and the first board chair of the Northern Health Authority.
Romeo Parent, a Prince George businessman and one of the founders of Immaculate Conception Church in College Heights. Parent Road is named in honour of him and his family.
Lloyd Clay, a longtime Prince George volunteer through Rotary and the Prince George YMCA. As an engineer, he worked 40 years in the pulp and paper industry and retired as mill manager at Northwood Pulp.
Lorraine Grant, a tireless community volunteer and non-profit fundraiser. She served as Prince George Community Foundation president, chaired the B.C. and Yukon branch of the Canadian Cancer Society and was vice-chair of the College of Registered Nurses of B.C. As part of the Kordyban Lodge Cabinet, she was honoured by the Canadian Cancer Society for helping raise more than $2 million for the lodge.
