Our Clive left us in the early hours of October 27, 2016, when invincibility ended. He was a man of extraordinary spirit, courage, character and charisma, but in the end, his body abandoned his spirit.

Born on August 10, 1937 to Creighton and Margaret (Graham) Lytle, he grew up in Winnipeg and, for a brief time, in California. Returning to BC, he lived in Burnaby, Coquitlam, New Westminster and Vancouver, enjoying his last years at Fountain Terrace adjacent to Granville Island. Grand Beach in Manitoba, Zihuatanejo in Mexico, and Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver played important roles in his memories and the stories of his life.

After completing his Bachelor of Arts degree at The University of British Columbia, he worked with the Vancouver International Festival, served first as Research Director and later as Assistant Secretary-Treasurer for the BC Federation of Labour, received a Nuffield Foundation grant for study in Great Britain, was appointed as provincial organizer and subsequently provincial secretary of the New Democratic Party, stood for election in1968 as Member of Parliament in New Westminster riding (odds-on favourite upended by Trudeaumania), and was a key staff member of the BC & Yukon Territory Building Construction Trades Council, Simon Fraser University’s Labour Studies Program, and the BC Labour Relations Board. He was most proud of his public speaking classes at the CLC Winter Schools where adult students learned to lose their fear of extemporaneous public speaking. Advancing social justice and the feminist movement were his pillars. In his later years, Clive thrived in his role as a Thoroughbred horse owner and breeder, with over 40 visits to the winners’ circle.

He gathered friends wherever he went, sparking conversations, storytelling, meals, and, of course, glasses of wine. New friends turned into long-time friends, and he cherished everyone in this large circle of people. He loved creating celebrations, Christmastime, the annual family gatherings, country music (especially Waylon & Willie), hockey and baseball, the New York Times Sunday crossword, the Wizard of Oz (and most other musicals), his cats and horses, mystery novels, Scrabble and travel to sunny destinations.

Clive treasured his family and friends. He is missed and mourned by his wife, Linda; his daughter, Shannon (and Al); his grandchildren, Brendan (and Jean), Briggs (and Tianna) and Olivia. Grieving, too, are his sisters, Linda (and Ian), Lorna, and Shelagh (and Bill), and his sister-in-law, Fran. Niece and nephews left behind are Calico (and Guy), Kevin (and Brekke), Luke and Tosh and great-nephews Gabriel and Samuel. All stand as his proud legacy.

Clive would have been honoured with memorial donations, if desired, to New Stride Thoroughbred Adoption Society (www.newstride.com) or Turtle Valley Donkey Refuge Society (turtlevalleydonkeyrefuge.com), signifying his commitment to animal welfare.

In accordance with Clive’s wishes, a remembrance gathering will be held in the spring at Hastings Racecourse. Friends will be notified when the date is confirmed (RemembranceGatheringForClive@gmail.com).


The light of a distant star continues to reach the Earth long after the star itself is gone.