By Dominic Abassi

Nanoose’s Stouffer remembered as larger than life figure that made lasting connections

Jan 13, 2017 | 11:18 AM

PARKSVILLE — Tributes and memories are pouring in to Parksville as people mourn the loss of a literal giant in the British Columbia golf world.

Nanoose Bay’s Ward Stouffer, 56, passed away unexpectedly at his home on Jan. 5. He leaves behind his wife Shelly and their two sons, who are 9 and 11-years-old.

What has become clear in the week since his sudden passing is that Stouffer left a lasting mark on a seemingly countless number of people during his time in the Oceanside community. He spent more than 20 years at Fairwinds Golf Club, eventually becoming the course’s director of golf.

“He was just like a magnet, everybody was drawn to him,” said Ryner Wilson, who worked with Stouffer at Fairwinds for more than 20 years. “He was a great listener and an interesting person to talk to.”

Stouffer spent seven years on the Canadian Tour as a pro golfer. In 1986, he wont the PGA of BC Championship and also spent time on the Asian Tour.

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“He had a total connection to the game,” said Kris Jonasson, executive director of British Columbia Golf. “He was a player, a teaching professional, a manager, a golf coach, he was a caddy to his wife.”

“I used to love to watch him come out and carry the bag around for Shelly at some of our events. He was a babysitter. When she played golf, he’d look after the kids…he was just a fixture in everything to do with golf in the province,” said Jonasson.

Jonasson says Stouffer was respected for how he volunteered and gave back to help grow the game. He says he was involved in a lot of the education processes for new golf professionals.

Stouffer looked a bit more like an NFL offensive lineman than a golfer.

“When you first met Ward, he was an imposing figure. When you watched him hit a golf ball he was an impressive figure and he scared the hell out of ya,” said Jonasson. “And then when you got to know him you realized he was one of the nicest, most pleasant people you could ever possibly meet.”

Jonasson says a favourite memory of his happened while he was running an event that Stouffer played in. He says Stouffer sent his young caddy back to his bag to get his sandwedge, but the young man wasn’t very familiar with golf.

“He took sandwedge to be sandwich. So this poor kid is rummaging through the bag looking for a sandwich and he can’t find it…it was just one of the most hilarious things I’ve ever seen on a golf course.”

Brenda Rositano, of the Nanaimo and District Hospital Foundation, worked with Stouffer on the Golf for Life tournament. The event is a major annual fundraiser for the foundation and Stouffer was one of the founding committee members.

“(Ward) helped to shape the tournament into what it is today. I personally was fortunate to work with Ward closely for over 15 years on this event and he would do whatever was necessary to ensure the success of the event each and every year. He was a great teacher, mentor and friend,” stated Rositano in an email.

Another former colleague of Stouffer’s, Kyla Karakochuk, says he was very creative and was never restricted by things they couldn’t do.

“Ward is almost like a part of the history of Fairwinds,” she said.

There has been an outpouring of support for Stouffer’s family online. A GoFundMe page setup for the family has raised more than $33,000.

A celebration of life for Stouffer on Friday at 1 p.m. at the Parksville Community and Conference Centre was expected to draw a huge crowd, according to Wilson.

“He was connected to a lot of people. It’s coming from all angles over the last few days…the amount of people that are coming in is very overwhelming and leaves you with a nice thought too. Something you admire and makes you want to be like him,” Wilson said.