Charles Yonge

Charles James Yonge, "Chas", passed away peacefully in

Canmore surrounded by his wife Pamela and his three children

Carolyn, Emma, and Alexander.

Charles was born in England to John and Enid Yonge. His brother

Mark resides in England; his sister Charlotte in Wales and his sister Jane in Canada.

Charles came to Canada in 1977 as a PhD candidate at McMaster University studying geochemistry and paleoclimatology. This allowed him to pursue his passion for science, caving and climbing. He met his wife there and they married in September 1981. After receiving his doctorate in 1982 they moved to Edmonton where he worked at the University of Alberta and in 1984 they moved to Calgary where he worked at the University of Calgary.

In 1985 Charles formed the company Canmore Caverns Ltd with his business partner and friend Tonny Hansen. The triplets arrived in 1990 and in February 1993 the family moved to Canmore, Alberta.

This was a lifelong dream come true, to live in the mountains.

In 1998 after returning from Indonesia where he worked for CIDA,

he started running

Canmore Cave Tours

full time. He conducted

wild cave tours at Rats Nest Cave in Grotto Mountain until 2013

when he retired.

Charles was an enthusiastic caver and climber. He developed many climbing routes in the Bow Valley. His caving exploits took him to many places in the world - Cuba, Barbados, Belize, Mexico, the USA, Norway, Indonesia, Australia, China, Bhutan, England, Wales, Ireland, France, Spain, Turkey, Papua New Guinea and Canada where he discovered, explored and mapped numerous significant caves with much of this work being published.

In November 2019, he went to Ottawa to receive the

Sir Christopher Ondaatje Medal for Exploration

from the Royal Canadian Geographic Society, a well-deserved award.

Charles lived life fully; believed strongly in seizing every

opportunity that life presented and took time for everyone.

He will be dearly missed and fondly remembered by all of those

whose lives he touched.

The family would like to thank Dr. Mark Hawkins, the staff at Canmore Associate Medical Clinic, and all the wonderful nurses and staff in acute care at the Canmore General Hospital for their most excellent care and compassion.

Those wishing to remember Charles are encouraged to make a donation, in his memory, to the Canmore General Hospital or the Palliative Care Society of the Bow Valley.

A Celebration of Life gathering of friends and family will be held Sunday, May 24, 2020 in Canmore. Details will be announced when arrangements are finalized.

Services provided by Russ Reynolds and Bow River Funeral Service.