Paul Bemister
May 14, 1960 – August 9, 2023
Earlier this summer, on August 9, the residents in Maple Beach, Point Roberts lost a long-time pillar of their community much too soon. Paul Bemister passed away at the age of 63 from a rare form of cancer.
Paul was born in Vancouver, B.C. and passed away in Langley, B.C. Paul dedicated his life to taking care of his family and community. He loved his wife, Judy, deeply. She was his best friend whom he enjoyed working and playing with the most. They met 36 years ago in the beer line-up at The Breakers, were engaged three months later and married within a year. Their’s was a marriage we all aspire to achieve.
Paul was a beloved friend to many. His friends and family will miss his adventurous nature and “get ‘er done” attitude. He rarely sat still, as he was constantly improving and renovating his beloved home in Langley and his cabin in Point Roberts, in addition to assisting anyone else who would let him with their projects.
Paul was an enthusiastic grandfather and if you asked him, he would tell you he should have had grandchildren first. They were his joy, a fact that was obvious to anyone who saw them together. He could be found laughing with them, building them ramps and snow piles to sled on. He passed down his spirit for adventure and fun to them.
Paul received his education in Vancouver at Corpus Christi Elementary, Notre Dame High School, and BCIT. His childhood dream was to be the owner of the family business, Bemister Electric. Originally founded in 1958 by his father and grandfather, Paul and his brother Mark successfully navigated the company to its most successful years.
Paul is survived by his wife Judy, and their children, Jessie (Calvin), Nicole (David), and James (Morgan) and grandchildren, Elijah and Penelope. He is also survived by his brothers, Robert (Dione) and Mark (Vilma), his sister Darleen (Frank), as well as many brother-in-laws, sister-in-laws, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Paul was predeceased by his mother and father, Doreen and Peter, and his mother-in-law, Alma Klein.
Paul was a generous and outgoing individual whose involvement in the community has left a lasting impact on the lives of many. Paul had the privilege of spending every summer of his life at his cabin in Maple Beach – it was his “happy place.” As a child, Paul spent his summers at the family cabin on Alder Street. He later purchased that same cabin from his parents and raised his children to appreciate the unique beauty that makes Point Roberts so special. There were many summers he would commute daily from the cabin to his office in Burnaby. He would return to the cabin just in time for an early dinner and a full evening of waterskiing, wakeboarding, tubing, and crabbing – right up until sundown. Those were long, exhausting days, but Paul would not have changed a thing. The memories and experiences that he helped to create with his children and their friends will last a lifetime.
In Point Roberts, Paul spent countless hours with friends and family on boats, bikes and around campfires. Part of why Paul was considered a pillar of the Maple Beach community was because of the leadership role he accepted. For the past 35-plus years, Paul was fully invested in building the local park. He was the inspiration and heart that got the park built and he was also primarily responsible for its maintenance.
Paul helped to inspire and build a community where families and friends can gather and celebrate. This meant so much to him. He was devoted to this purpose, and he fulfilled it wholeheartedly. Paul was very much a “pay it forward” person. On August 4, the MBPOA renamed the Maple Beach Park “The Paul Bemister Community Park” as a tribute to Paul and his leadership.
Paul was incredibly honored to have this recognition bestowed upon him. I know for a fact Paul did not volunteer those hours for personal recognition but rather he wanted to see the community succeed. He wanted a place to be able to gather and have fun with his friends and family and in doing so, he helped to build not only a park but an extended family. The park was built with the vision of being a community gathering place and achieved that goal beyond all expectations.
Thank you, Paul, for your vision, leadership, dedication, and your selfless hard work for the collective fun. Paul believed in making memories and these memories will be cherished by the many who knew him. In honor of Paul, let’s keep on making Maple Beach Memories! – Darleen Bemister, Paul’s sister. A history of The Paul Bemister Community Park and Paul’s role in its creation can be found at bit.ly/3LHZ0OF.
