Frankly Speaking

My father Art Bucholtz (left), whose first business in Cloverdale opened in 1946 on a lot purchased from Alan Davidson (right), enjoyed chatting with him and longtime Cloverdale notary public El Fedewich (centre). They all were at the memorial service for another longtime Cloverdale businessman, Allan Dann, in January, 2016. Frank Bucholtz photo Alan Davidson, who died on July 25 at the age of 99, was a key part of Surrey’s “greatest generation.” The term “greatest generation” comes from the title of a book by longtime NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw. He applied it to the young men and women who lived through the Depression of the 1930s, took part in the Second World War, and on returning home, had much to do with all the changes and advances that followed. Davidson qualifies on all counts. Born in Vancouver in 1918, he grew up on a small farm in the Tynehead area, not far from Barnston Island. He came to Cloverdale to attend Surrey High School – the only high school in the...

Allan Dann was toasted and remembered at a celebration of life Saturday at Newlands in Langley. Among those attending were longtime Cloverdale residents, business people, volunteer firefighters, family and many other friends. My father Art Bucholtz enjoyed seeing former colleagues and friends, such as former notary El Fedewich and Alan Davidson, longtime insurance executive at Hugh and McKinnon. Allan Dann was toasted and fondly remembered by a large crowd on Saturday. The longtime Cloverdale businessman died in December at the age of 91. He lived an amazing life. Born in Surrey in 1924, he lived and worked in Cloverdale for most of his 91 years. He took over his father Ernie's radio and electrical business after returning from service in the Second World War, working for many years alongside his mother Doris. Many of those details are contained in a Cloverdale Reporter story , but suffice to say that, when he closed his business in January, 2013, his family had operated it f...