Obituary of Claude Angus Oram

December 19, 1942 – March 5, 2021

 

Claude Angus Oram passed away on March 5, 2021 from advanced prostate cancer.

Claude was born in Kimberley, B.C., in the middle of a December snowstorm. He loved the town of Kimberley and helped build the ski hill and worked in the Cominco Mine in his early years. Upon graduating from Selkirk High School in 1962, he moved to Calgary to attend SAIT earning a degree in Merchandising. Claude married Raylene in 1965 and they settled in Calgary, where he worked for Mandrell Industries, Motorola and International Systcoms, before establishing his own company, Caltronics Communications in 1975.  The business was focused on selling two-way radios and later expanding to satellite dishes and cell phones. He was the first cellular dealer in Calgary. As the kids got older, Claude was enticed into basketball refereeing and was a familiar face at many of the high school gyms around Calgary.  Both Colin and Michelle would agree they never got any extra favors when he refereed their games! After selling the business in 2001, Claude bought a Honda Goldwing and took up driving tour bus for something to keep himself busy. He and Raylene did numerous road trips around B.C., and he was always happy to give the grandchildren a ride on the bike.  On more than one occasion he would arrive on Michelle’s doorstep in Coquitlam in a 50 ft bus.

Claude and Raylene moved to the Invermere Valley in 2004 to get out of the big city, retire and be closer to his father Lloyd. Claude became involved in volunteering for the Invermere Rockies Hockey Club and took on numerous leadership roles with the Lake Windermere District Lions Club and was the unofficial mayor of Crooked Tree Estates. In 2017 he was awarded the Lions Cubs International Foundations Melvin Jones Fellow Award for dedicated humanitarian services.

Claude lived life to the fullest, always wanting to be busy or learning something new. He enjoyed many hobbies throughout his life from ham radio, downhill skiing, flying private airplanes, photography, camping, golfing, scuba diving and travelling. But his passion was new cars, all the latest technology and surfing the internet (a top Amazon purchaser!). Once Raylene retired they supported the cruise ship industry by taking trips through the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Panama Canal, around South America, Hawaii, Alaska, and Australia, enjoying great adventures together and making wonderful friends. In the later years he was quite happy to sit on the beach in Mexico and listen to the waves … especially in the months of December and January! During the rest of the months, he explored every road in the valley just because they were there...sometimes ending up at the top of ski hills. Claude was the proudest and got the most joy from his children and grandchildren.

Claude is survived by his wife of 55 years, Raylene (nee Martin), daughter Michelle Burton (Mitch), son Colin (Jenn), grandchildren Alexandra Burton, Tessa Burton, Ashley Oram and Ethan Oram, sister Lynn Birch (Bob), sister-in-law Arlene Martin along with numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents Lloyd and Dorothy (Angus) Oram.

The family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to Dr. Johnson for the wonderful care given to Claude throughout his long battle with this disease and to the staff at the Invermere Hospital who attended him during his final days.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Lake Windermere District Lions Club or the Canadian Prostate Cancer Society.  A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

 

Arrangements entrusted to McPherson Funeral Services.

Condolences for the family can be offered at:

www.mcphersonfh.com