Henry William Vondette
Captain
April 14, 1924 – July 20, 2006
VONDETTE - Captain Henry William, B.A., M.A, O.M.M., C.D, R.C.N. (Ret’d) Born April 14, 1924 in Pembroke, Ontario, passed away July 20, 2006 in North Vancouver, B.C. He is survived by his wife of 57 years Ursula, his three sons, Dr. Michael (Joanne), Christopher (Sheila) and Timothy, his daughter, Nancy, seven grandchildren, Alexandra, Mark, Matthew, Michelle, Jonathan, Beth and Kathryn and sisters-in law, Connie Vondette and Evelyn Anderson. He served 38 years in the Canadian Navy, including service as a leading signalman on corvettes and destroyers during the Battle of the St. Lawrence and the North Atlantic. After the war, he was commissioned as an officer having graduated from the Royal Naval College in Greenwich, England. He served in the Korean War on the H.M.C.S. Cayuga and later commanded the frigate H.M.C.S. Stettler, the destroyer H.M.C.S. Restigouche, the aircraft carrier H.M.C.S. Bonaventure as her last captain, and the fleet replenishment ship H.M.C.S. Preserver. While still in the navy and in command of ships at sea, he started university studies on a part-time basis, graduating “summa cum laudae” with his B.A. (St. Mary’s University) and M.A. (Dalhousie University). After retiring from the navy, he worked as the habourmaster for the Port of Vancouver. A Memorial Service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, July 27, 2006 at St. Andrew’s and St. Stephen’s Presbyterian Church, 2641 Chesterfield Avenue, North Vancouver. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the memorial fund of St. Timothy’s Anglican Church, North Vancouver, or the Mission to Seafarers.