Alan Buckingham Welch

It is with profound sadness that we announce the sudden and unexpected passing of Alan (Al) Welch at his home in Vancouver on October 3, 2025, at the age of 65.

Al is survived by his beloved wife of 37 years, Tanis, and their three children whom he loved and adored: Taylor (Adam), Madeleine, and Robert. He will be dearly missed by his siblings, David (Sonia), Brian (Karen), and Nancy (Chris), his entire extended family, and the wide, loyal circle of lifelong friends who cherished him. Al was predeceased by his father, Warren, and mother, Frances (Buckingham).

Al was born in Montreal in 1960 and spent his formative years in Hudson, Quebec, and then London, Ontario before his family finally settled in Thornhill, Ontario. It was in Thornhill, in 1979, where Al met Tanis, the future love of his life. That same year, Al began his post-secondary studies at the University of Toronto where he received both his Bachelor (1979-1983) and Master (1983-1986) of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering, with his graduate research focusing on hydrogen fueling.

Over his 40-year career, Al held various engineering and leadership roles across Canada and the United States. He began as a Project Engineer at ORTECH International in Ontario before moving to Colorado to lead innovative projects in alternative fuels and product development at Stewart & Stevenson. After several years in the U.S., he returned to Canada to continue this work with GFI Control Systems in Kitchener.

In 1998, Al and his young family moved to Vancouver to join Westport Innovations, where he spent 19 years in a series of technical leadership roles, including Team Leader, Director, and Senior Director. The work was rewarding but the lasting friendships he made during these years were equally meaningful to him.

Later, Al consulted for Tecogen in Boston before joining TRIUMF, Canada’s national particle accelerator centre, and finally ARTMS (Telix), where he contributed to developing systems for producing medical isotopes used in cancer imaging and therapy, work he found deeply meaningful and full of promise.

A week before his passing, Al reconnected with his master’s thesis supervisor, Dr. Jim Wallace, whom he had not seen in many years. Following Al’s death, Dr. Wallace shared his reflections with the family, recalling that Al was just as he remembered him from his graduate student days: smart, well-informed, personable, gentle, and caring. He remembered Al tackling a challenging experimental project on hydrogen fueling and excelling at it, a topic that remains an active area of research today. Dr. Wallace also spoke of Al’s remarkable ability to continually reinvent himself and find new and interesting challenges throughout his career.

All of this was true. Whatever path his career took, Al carried with him the same curiosity, intellect, and strong work ethic that he held as a young graduate student. He had an inquisitive mind and was perpetually engaged in lifelong learning. At age 60, he became proficient in SolidWorks and later took a welding course. He also tried to learn Italian and enjoyed auditing courses at UBC, always eager to expand his knowledge and challenge himself in new ways.

Al’s professional accomplishments tell only part of his story. Beyond his long and accomplished career, he was defined by how he lived, how easily he connected with others, and how generously he shared his time. A man of integrity and warmth, his sincerity, curiosity, and generosity of spirit shone through in everything he did. Handy and thoughtful, Al was always quick to lend a helping hand, not just out of skill, but out of a genuine desire for connection. As a passionate automotive enthusiast Al could often be found under the hood of a vehicle. Whether it was his beloved Isuzu, one of his children’s cars or a friend’s vehicle, Al was always available to help out, seeing every repair or building project as a valued opportunity to spend meaningful, quality time with a cherished friend or family member.

Al found peace in the balance of complexity and simplicity: the precision of a well-engineered design, the stillness of the West Coast wilderness, the solitude on a canoe trip, a walk in the forest, or the quiet joy of coffee and music. Whether enjoying an Italian meal, working on cars with friends, listening to Neil Young, or watching the sunrise with the family dog, Al understood that true wealth lay in the quality of the things we tend.

Above all, Al was a devoted husband and father. He cherished time with his family, whether travelling abroad, camping under the stars, vacationing on the beautiful coastal islands of BC, visiting Ontario cottage country, hiking, skiing, attending all the kids’ sports events, or simply sharing quiet moments at home together. His wife, Tanis, and children, Taylor, Madeleine, and Robert, all of whom he was immensely proud of, were the centre of his world. For all that Al knew, his deepest understanding was simple: happiness was knowing his family was well-cared for and loved.

Al passed away only a few months before welcoming his first grandchild, a moment he was eagerly awaiting. Though they will never meet, she will grow up feeling his presence through the love, kindness and memories he left with all of us.

There is no doubt that Al would not want us to dwell in sadness, but rather to embrace love, peace, and compassion, traits he held close and lived by every day. His loss leaves a void that can never be filled, but his warmth, wisdom, and the deep connections he forged will endure.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, November 20th, 2025, at 1:00 pm, at Kearney Funeral Services, 450 W 2nd Ave (Olympic Village), Vancouver, BC.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Heart & Stroke Foundation, BC SPCA, or making a blood donation to Canadian Blood Services in Al’s memory, as he was a dedicated blood donor for decades.