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THE LEGACY OF BRIAN NASH
Thu, Jul 29 2010

In any community, there are people who seek to make the place in which they live a better one.

There are dreamers and there are doers.

Both are necessary.

Grande Prairie lost one of those people Monday. Brian Nash passed away at the age of 62 after a long and courageous battle with cancer, one many people had no idea he was even waging.

The word legacy is often tossed around like a cheap token in a penny arcade, but in Brian's case, his footprint will live on in Grande Prairie in perpetuity.

If it's sports, you look at junior hockey. As a key founder of the Grande Prairie Storm, twice the team's president, his push to bring top calibre Junior A hockey to this city and all other events along with it such as the Royal Bank Cup are things the city has enjoyed and relished. Many fans just take that for granted, not realizing all of the hard work, time and money that went in to getting ti done.

In entertainment, this city has a long history with Bud Country one of Western Canada's premier country summer concerts, produced by Nash and partner Ken Truhn for so many years.

While the pair had divested the event, they will always be a key component of the event's history. Not to mention Q99 radio another co-venture which is very much a part of day to day life in our city.

How about travel

Brian worked for CP (remember them) before he bought the travel agency which became Marlin, now to be operated by loyal friends and longtime employees Caroline Connelly and Karen Cloutier in the spirit of community continuity.

He utilized his agency to push his favourite endeavours – trips to Vegas, National Finals Rodeo, some Nascar, and when locals hit the big stage such as Renee Sonnenberg twice winning the Alberta curling title and a berth in the Scotties, he was there to arrange for South Peace fans to travel to Charlottetown and Sudbury to cheer on our locals.

It's a tough thing dealing with death. No one has truly figured it out.

But Brian's death reminds us about the ol' pool room adage – it's not what you make, it's what you leave.

And while many boast or claim a legacy, how many people truly leave such a widespread mark on a community's persona like Brian has?

His legacy is a breathing entity, every time you watch the Storm play, do business in his establishment, or kick up at Bud Country, he will and does live on.

–Fred Rinne, Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune

BRIAN NASH MEMORIAL AUG. 7
Wed, Jul 28 2010

A memorial service for Brian Nash is going to be held in the Crystal Centre in Grande Prairie on Saturday, August 7 at 2 p.m.

Nash, 62, died of cancer on Monday.

He was a two-term Grande Prairie Storm president and at the time of his death was sitting on the Storm executive as the past president.

He was also one of the founders of the Storm helping get the team organized back in 1995. Before that he managed to Grande Prairie Junior North Stars and had been involved in the sport of hockey in some aspect since he moved to the city in the 1990s.

A private family service will be held prior to August 7 and it is expected Nash's cremated remains will be placed in a plot near his parents in the HInes Creek cemetery.

The family has asked that any donations in his name be forwarded to the Grande Prairie QEII Hospital cancer ward.

STORM LOSE FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE
Mon, Jul 26 2010

The Grande Prairie Storm and the community of Grande Prairie have lost a great friend.

Former Storm president and team founder Brian Nash died of cancer this morning in an Edmonton hospital. He was 62.

“Brian was one of the Storm founders and was very instrumental in ensuring a strong organization,” said Storm president Lionel Jones. “He was a character that brought a lot of new ideas as well as new business to Grande Prairie.”

Nash was a two-time president of the Storm – 1998-2000 and 2007-2009. He was one of the original founders who each contributed to pay off a debt left over from the previous junior team and help get Junior A hockey back on track in Grande Prairie.

 “When you wanted good input on different ideas he was there with solid advice as well as financial support if required,” said Jones. “I will also remember Brian for his many suits and dress shirts and colourful ties. Brian will be missed at the Storm family and board, but will not be forgotten how much he gave to the hockey team he loved and believed in.”

Nash grew up in the Peace Country in Hines Creek and worked in Fort Nelson, B.C. before moving to Grande Prairie in the mid-1970s to work with CP Air.

His community involvement began shortly after he arrived in the city.

“I have known Brian for 35 years and have lived in Grande Prairie all of my life and there are few people in Grande Prairie who contributed to such a wide cross-section of the community as much as Brian did,” said Storm business manager Don Moon, whose son Liam is Nash’s godson.

His foray into the local sports scene included being manager of the Grande Prairie North Stars of the Peace Cariboo Junior Hockey League in the late-1970s and early-1980s. He also backed Grande Prairie’s first summer hockey and figure skating school at the same time.

“He even had to act as coach of the North Stars for a game when the coach was suspended and as if his presence behind the bench in this huge fur coat wasn’t enough to attract some attention the fact he fell off the bench certainly was,” said Moon. “We had lots of laughs about his first and only coaching experience.”

In the early-1980s Nash was behind a bid to get the North Stars into the Alberta Junior Hockey League. The bid failed and the team eventually folded.

“When the team folded they left behind a huge debt and Brian reached into his own pocket to pay it off,” said Moon. “He did a lot of financial giving in the community and never asked for, or wanted, any recognition for it.”

And when the junior team of the time, the Chiefs, were in huge debt in 1995 and about to fold Nash was one of the first to get in line to help bail the Swan City Hockey Association out. The result was the formation of the Storm and Nash was one of the founders.

He served as president of the Storm from 1998-2000 and again from 2007-2009. At the time of his death he was on the Storm executive as past president.

 He also served on the first Grande Prairie Stompede executive, was on the Grande Prairie Airport board and the Crystal Centre Advisory Committee. He and business partner Ken Truhn started Grande Prairie’s annual country music festival, Bud Country.

He left CP Air to get into the travel agency business purchasing Reilly McFarlane Travel and re-naming it Marlin Travel. He also started Nash Tours and over the years escorted hundreds of area people to Las Vegas to enjoy the National Finals Rodeo and NASCAR racing.

“Brian’s life may have ended sooner than it should have, but he had a very full life and enjoyed every minute of it,” said Moon. “He was an outstanding marketer and businessman. He has been a great mentor over the years. We are all going to miss him.”

The Storm has already had several meetings to discuss a potential legacy in Nash's name.

"There is no doubt something will be done, it's just a matter of making sure it's appropriate and something Brian would be proud of," said Moon.

Nash is survived by his son Shawn Schell; grand-daughter Taylor Schell; brother Dennis Nash; sister Ardith Hodson; and numerous other relatives and friends.