Albert Harold Zapshala Obituary (1956 - 2024)

Sadly, my only brother, Albert, passed away on July 8th, at our home on Quadra Island. It was sudden but somewhat expected. He was, as the saying goes, a cat with 9 lives - always landing on his feet. . . sometimes with a broken leg. Spiritually, Albert is survived by his guitars, countless vinyl records and his love for music. He is worldly survived by myself, Kim, his cat, Alley, and my very patient husband, Ed, our mom, Ellen, 96, and our dad, Harold, who passed away July 7th, 2023. We provided a roof over his head at one time or another. We brought Albert to our home July 3rd to live. He was overwhelmed and very emotional about the trailer we purchased to be his home. He talked about helping out, going for hikes in nature, and getting to know me better. We had a good talk about his bi polar disorder and alcoholism. I took him to the doctor as he had several cuts on his legs from falls. Albert was frail at 140 lbs. and wobbly on his feet. He didn't even have a pair of decent shoes. I filled his fridge with food and made dinner for him every night. He was overjoyed to have satellite TV with sports. We watched his beloved B.C. Lions together on Sunday. He ate huckleberries every morning and talked about growing up in Lynn Valley. He didn't get out on the trails but he did help me in the garden Monday. Later that day, Ed returned home with his new shoes and found him unresponsive. Albert passed away in a beautiful place with people around him that loved him unconditionally. He was a brother living a life inside himself and is gone before I had a chance to see what he saw. We are so emotionally conflicted with his passing. Albert's greatest love was music and by the size of his vinyl record collection, Frank Zappa, or anything to do with the man, was his favourite, then The Kinks, and Captain Beefheart in that order. I know this because I matched over 500 loose records into album covers. It took 14 hours and shamefully a good quantity of wine. Albert would have appreciated both. He was tremendously talented and could play many instruments. He was confident with his talent and humble about it. It was his sharing of music that bonded him with people. He was a kind and generous person. Albert's second love was the B.C. Lions and he would go to the home games whenever he could. From the stories he told, I think he was unofficially known as Crazy Albert, a fan favourite in the section wherever he sat. I want to thank Jim Proom and Mike Power for making a trip to visit me on Quadra Island. Jim and Mike both lived and played in the original Crabs band with Albert. Jim visited Albert every year in Campbell River and lovingly bought him an electric guitar with amp and an acoustic guitar. Jim said the years that he lived and played music with Albert are one of the hi lights of his life and he considered Albert to be a brother. Mike had this to say about Albert . . . "Albert was a lot of things to a lot of people. To some he was a musician, an entertainer and somewhat of a local celebrity. To others he was someone to party or just hang out with. His door was open to everyone. He seldom criticized or judged people. Upbeat and a lot of fun, he could be reckless and caring at the same time. He could discuss his own personal philosophy or just crack a beer and D.J. through his vast collection of records. He was a people magnet. I met Albert in the late 60's in the bush in upper Lynn Valley. He was about 13 and I was a little older. I heard some rustling in the bushes and some unusual guitar riffs. He came stumbling into the sunlight with a beat-up guitar and to me he looked like a little kid. I was gobsmacked when I realized he was playing Frank Zappa. I didn't see him for years until one day I happened to be walking along 2nd Street and passed an old shack of a house with the door open. I could hear the Allman Brothers, In Memory of Elizabeth Reed, playing but it sounded slightly different, so I walked up the steps and peeked in. Albert was playing along note for note. I couldn't believe it! I saw and remembered him as that kid playing Zappa in the bush. He was so hospitable and invited me in. It was the beginning of a great friendship. We were soon roommates and Albert my musical mentor. It was during a time in the late 70's when life was an unbridled adventure. Life changed and eventually I moved away, and life took us in different directions. I would keep in touch and visit when I could. He loved to reminisce and always took me back to that place where our friendship was formed. I've never known anyone like Albert and I'm really saddened at the news of his passing. My deepest sympathy to his sister Kim who did such a great job of caring for him. Albert, you will be sorely missed." Mike Power You find out a lot about a person when you go through their life's possessions. Something I would rather have and mean so much more to me are your stories of your adventures and antics with Albert. I know you have them - the good, the bad and the ugly. He was an emotional guy and would appreciate hearing from you, metaphorically speaking. Sit down, have a cup of tea, and share a memory of Albert by emailing me at kzandef@gmail.com or send a condolence via Boyd's Funeral Services (Campbell River) website at www.telfordtoneffboyd.ca I'm listening. Kim Blackbird singing in the dead of night, Take these broken wings and learn to fly