ABOUT
the author and beginnings of
Growing Up Lillooet
What’s the saying? "You can take the boy out of Lillooet, but you can’t take the Lillooet out of
the boy."
Growing Up Lillooet, Chapter 1
Terry’s productive working years included stints in the U.B.C. Geophysics Department and as Canadian Sales Manager of CBS Musical Instruments. As middle-aged indifference to gainful employment overcame him, he semi-retired to a quasi-successful small business, volunteer efforts in his local community, service as an Alderman in the Township of Langley and real estate. Terry, his wife Sherrie and their three sons raised sheep on their Fraser Valley hobby farm.
Terry and Sherrie enjoy painting, writing and travel — having backpacked 100-plus countries and territories. They still live in the Fraser Valley and have five grandchildren.
One day Terry’s wife, Sherrie (the family’s genealogist), raised the question, “Wonder what future generations of our family are going to think and say about us? Let’s take the guesswork out and write our own stories. We can do this!”
Terry took the challenge and wrote a 550 page, four-and-a-half-pound book for their children and their children’s children. In the process, his family discovered, to their delight, he was a gifted writer.
“These stories about growing up in Lillooet are way too good to share with family only. You have to write a book for others to read.” It took almost a year of encouragement by Sherrie and his sister, Wendy, with promises to help however they could, before he conquered his shyness and was convinced.
Sure, it’s a book about Terry and his childhood friends, but it also highlights the community of Lillooet - flexible, resilient and experiencing its own growing-up gains and pains during the 1950s. Growing Up Lillooet contains 90+ photographs — some rare and never before published. Between the covers you will discover a memorable cast of characters who called Lillooet home for a brief time – or a lifetime.
“A boast led to a brag, which led to a challenge and the bet was on.”
This quote, from Terry Thorne’s Growing Up Lillooet, kinda-sorta describes how it got started.
Receive insider information as Terry’s Growing Up Lillooet continues its journey of laughter and informative narratives with behind-the-covers tidbits.
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