Lucy Botel, a lifetime resident of Northern Vancouver Island, passed away January 4th, 2005 at Eagle Ridge Manor in Port Hardy. Lucy was born at Sea Otter Cove on August 11th, 1914. Her parents, Marie and Carl Rasmussen, were among the first Cape Scott pioneer settlers in 1897. Carl bought the sawmill which supplied lumber to the small settlement for their houses, boats, school and community hall. It was 1909 when the Rasmussen family settled in Sea Otter Cove. The community’s little school was closed by the time Lucy was of school age and she did home schooling until they moved to Quatsino in 1929.
She told many stories of the homestead life she enjoyed as a child. The stories were of farm chores, fun games which she and her 3 brothers and 4 sisters devised, long energetic hikes along trails to Cape Scott, San Josef Bay, Lake Eric, and Holberg — sometimes filling their tummies with various wild berries on the way, the antics of their two pet raccoons and Jerry the deer, their Christmas festivities and dances attended in the different settlements. She had so many wonderful memories from these days and told the stories so well.
Lucy married Max Botel on April 14th, 1931, and they moved to Winter Harbour on their little float house. They built their home along with the first settlers. Max was a commercial fisherman and enjoyed building boats. Lucy spent her days growing almost all the vegetables and fruit needed for the year in her garden. Her flower garden was beautiful and enjoyed by all passerbys.
Max died in 1983. Lucy bought an apartment in Port Hardy in 1985 and lived there part time, moving permanently there in 1997. When she broke her hip in May 2000 she spent several months in the hospital and when Eagle Ridge Manor opened in November 2000 she became one of the first occupants.
Lucy leaves her brother Alton, her daughter Shirley (Stout), son Carl, 6 grandchildren: Ron, Mary, Gerry, Sandra, Glen and David, and thirteen great grandchildren. There was a graveside ceremony on January 11th followed by a gathering at the Port Hardy Legion by relatives and friends.
Anyone wanting to make donations in lieu of flowers can do so by donating to the activity fund at Eagle Ridge Manor.