My name is Rodger Konkle, Al's son-in-law. I had the pleasure of having Al as a relative and also, over the years, as a good friend, a fishing partner and a hunting partner. On many trips that we took, we didn't get any game or fish but we talked a lot. Albert Bartle, or just plain "Al" as many of you knew him, was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on October 11, 1915. He never knew his dad. His mother, Winifred, passed away when he was quite young. Al was raised in Winnipeg by his aunt and uncle, Alice and Walter Kelly. 

In his early years, he was very active in school track, loved to swim in Lake Winnipeg, and serenade the young ladies with his ukulele. He was a self taught musician and could play many instruments, such as the organ, banjo, guitar, saxophone, accordion, ukulele and his ever popular harmonica. While in Winnipeg, he met and created a life long friendship with Frank Mar, during which time Al learned to speak fluent Chinese and enjoyed shocking staff in Chinese restaurants when he would order in Chinese a "Sing Tou" or a special food dish.

Al was a people person, who would put a big smile on his face, stretch out his hand and say "Hi, I'm Al." He made himself at home in any situation and would go out of his way not to hurt anyone or anybody's feelings.

Al moved to the coast and tried his hand at different vocations. He was a fisherman at Gibsons, a cook in a lumber camp, and a shake block cutter in the bush.

Soon after joining the army, Westminster Regiment, in 1941, Al met and married the love of his life, Dorothy or "Dot" as many people know her, in Vancouver and he was stationed overseas for one year. While serving overseas, he contracted tuberculosis and had to have part of one lung removed. Over the next twenty years he spent months at a time in different hospitals for the treatment of TB. It was in the hospital that he learned the art of leather work.

In the early 50's, he worked at a furniture factory in Vancouver as an accountant and then moved to Westbank in the Okanagan to work for Westbank Orchards as an accountant. While working at Westbank Orchards, he also started a hobby farm with 512 baby cherry trees. This eventually turned into a big work project, growing up to 11 ½ tons of cherries each year. One time Dot took lessons in tree pruning and grafting and learned how to graft six different types of peaches onto one tree. Guess who pruned off all the new growth? And, yes, their marriage still survived.

Al and Dot lived in the Okanagan from 1954 to 1967. While in the Okanagan, Al took every opportunity to visit the many lakes and streams to fish. ... When visitors came, Mom would always be able to serve trout for breakfast. Also, when visitors came to visit, Al would jump at the chance to take them fishing at Rose Valley Dam, Postle Lake, or Trepanier Creek. He always knew where the fish were biting. He built his own row boat, which he left at the dam, so he could go fishing right after work and the boat would already be in the water.

Al combined his love of music with his interest in young people, starting a young peoples' band in 1955 because the school was too small then to have a school band. Son Phil (then called Wayne) and Darrel Scriver were the first two members of the band.

Al was active in the Scouting movement and spent several years going on camps with son, David. He told many stories of the antics of the cubs and scouts while out camping. Al retired from Westbank Orchards in 1967, sold the farm and moved to Salt Spring Island. Retirement didn't last too long. He took a job as a rural route postman and got to know half the people on the island. While living on Salt Spring, Al became an active member of Lions International, helping those less fortunate than himself, where he drove the Lions ambulance and worked on many community projects. Again he took every opportunity to salmon fish or take off for a trout fishing trip to the interior. He signed on as a relief lighthouse keeper for the Coast Guard and spent many happy times touring the coast to different lighthouses such as Ivory Island, Scarlet Point, Sandheads, Trial Island, Sisters, and Pine Island. After one of these trips, Al sported several pictures of his catch of a twenty pound red snapper.

Al loved his fishing so much that he bought a piece of recreational property on Hornby Island so that he could fish for Northern Coho. Unfortunately, because of surgery on his shoulder, he could not participate in the building of the hunters style cabin, but he sure made a good beer maid. The yard arm might have been only just past noon, but Al would say "It must be time for a 10-to-4," meaning it's time for a beer break. During the building of the cabin, Al and I became a "Stanley Laurel and Lou Hardy" team: ... sawing through the dining room table, breaking the window, and odd antics. The cabin will be a gathering place for fond memories for Al's children and grandchildren as they remember the "fun" times spent with Grandpa and Grandma at Sandpiper Beach.

Al and I enjoyed many fishing trips like ones to Victoria Lake with Ray Jones, to Deep Bay with Gordy Maycock, to the Kootenays with Bob Scriver, to Robert's Lake and to Canim Lake for 5 lb. trout.

During retirement, Dot and Al became world travellers, going several times to Hong Kong and to Mexico, twice to Africa to visit son Phil and daughter-in-law Liz, to Bangkok, to Hawaii to spoil their grandchildren Kelly and Cathy, to the Philippines, to England, to New Orleans, to the east coast of United States to visit one of their many Pearson College students, Gable, for her graduation from university in Boston, and earlier this year on a circle tour of the western United States (not missing a chance to hear live jazz in New Orleans).

Al's love of music kept him close to his family and friends, jamming on the banjo with son Dave on guitar, accompanying on the saxophone with son Phil on the organ, chin wagging with granddaughter Kelly about her jazz studies and a new chapter in his life with son Dave and grandchildren Mike and Adam, as he learned computer writing and transposition of songs for the many band groups with which he played.

Just last week, as I visited with Dad, his eyes went as big as saucers as he relayed the story of catching a 17 ½ inch trout at Quamichan Lake, and he wanted to know when were we going to plan another fishing trip.

Al would not have wanted us to fret or worry about his passing, he would likely say "play me a tune and sing me a song." It has been one of my pleasures to have Al as a father-in-law and also as a friend.

Rodger W Konkle

1996 July 10