Terry Pearce

Terry's adventures and curious nature to explore most likely started

with the gift of a tricycle at the age of 3 from his beloved grandparents. Demonstrating from that early age physical endurance and self-sufficiency he would travel by bicycle, boat, dog team, cross country skis and on foot to far-flung places in northern England and Scotland, Svalbard, Canadian Arctic, Tasmania, New Zealand, and the Rocky Mountains.

Terry was drawn to the natural world and took solace in its beauty and everchanging vistas. He sought places not travelled by many with his cameras and his backpack. Terry studied photography in England at Brighton Art College and later at the London School of Film. Growing up he was a member of a local cycling club and lived for weekends to cycle into Wales, the Scottish Highlands and throughout England, especially to Cornwall. In 1963, Terry did an extensive solo trip to Spitzbergen to photograph and write about the Russian coal mines on this remote Arctic Island. Having been refused permission to officially visit the mine site of Pyramiden, he decided to hitchhike from his parents' home of Stoke on Trent, north to Thurso, Scotland, and then on Norwegian fishing and sealing vessels north to Longyearbyen and walk to the Soviet mine site. Coming down a mountainous slope into the mining community, he was greeted by the mine manager who had figured out who this lone traveller would be. Terry had written several times trying to gain official permission to visit, but after multiple rejections, he decided that an overland solo traveller would not be turned away.

He was right.

Influenced by the writings of Bertrand Russell, Edward Abbey, contemporaries Bruce Chatwin and Hugh Brody, and John Muir, Terry's career as a freelance photojournalist and traveller was lengthy and varied. He worked freelance in London with articles published in Fleet Street newspapers. When the London Illustrated News wanted him to travel to Lebanon in the spring of 1967 as a war photographer and correspondent, he knew this type of assignment wasn't for him. Terry immigrated to Canada in 1968, arriving in Ottawa. He arrived broke but determined that he could make his way. Couch surfing in Ottawa and daily visits to the National Film Board looking for work, he convinced the manager of the Stills Division to give him a photo assignment contract. It was to Arviat (Eskimo Point) on the western shore of Hudson Bay. The assignment paid for photographs, but not for transportation nor meals. He hitchhiked from Ottawa to Winnipeg, convinced Calm Air to fly him

to Churchill for free, and travelled with an Inuit family by dog sled from Churchill to Arviat. Terry travelled extensively throughout the North and made many friends with his easy manner, friendly smile and willingness to learn about people and how they lived. He hitchhiked twice from Ottawa to Dawson City for contract work.

Terry worked for a field season taking photos of Ian Sterling

(Scientist Emeritus with the Canadian Wildlife Service), one of the world's leading polar bear researchers, R.H. Russell and other the biologists studying polar bears in the Churchill, MB – Hudson Bay area. Stuck at the field camp after his work was done and unwilling to wait

5 weeks for a plane to arrive, he walked for 30 hours straight back to Churchill carrying all his equipment, constantly in eyesight of polar bears, with only bear bangers to deter them.

His first full-time employment was as a video consultant and trainer with the newly formed Inuit Tapirisat of Canada (ITC) in Ottawa in 1971, whose goals were the preservation and promotion of Inuit language and culture. Communication throughout the vast northern territory was through video and Inuktitut news publications. In 1973 he moved to the small community of Hall Beach, where he ran a team of 18 to 21 dogs for over 7 years and would travel for weeks at a time learning the surrounding land and photographing a changing Northern culture.

His first son Jason was born in Hall Beach in 1973.

Terry was one of the first northern super 8 film producers. While battling brutally cold temperature and brittle film, he produced a short movie on hunting in Fox Basin in 1975. In 1976, working with anthropologist Bernard Saladin d'Anglure, Terry was the cameraman and editor of the film, "Igloolik, Notre Terre", an Ethnographic film. In 1977, he worked with Ed Folger on the feature-length film "Nanook Taxi" in Iqaluit.

In 1981, he met Catherine in Iqaluit through mutual friends.

She was the community adult educator and she asked him if he would be willing to teach an evening photography course. That was the start of a 38-year partnership. Their son Galen was born in Iqaluit in 1995.

In July 1983, Terry was forced to exit his flipped kayak in Frobisher Bay and swim to shore in freezing waters. His rectal temperature

was 32 degrees when he was assessed at the hospital. However, he was fully conscious, rational and shivering. He stayed overnight in the hospital and upon discharge went back along the shoreline to retrieve his kayak and paddle. The next day he bought a better life jacket!

In 1985, he wrote, directed and produced the film "Between the Two of Us", for the Department of Education, Government of the NWT.

In 1988 he spent the summer filming Bowhead whales in Isabella Bay, off the east coast of Baffin Island for a BBC Nature production. In the 1990s, Terry returned to free-lance work and built several homes in Iqaluit. He was a keen cross-country skier, hiker, and kayaker.

In 1999, the family moved to Yellowknife for 2.5 years to see a different part of the North.

In 2002, Terry, Catherine, and Galen moved to Canmore. Terry retired from his freelance work in 2004 and pursued his love of the mountains and all that the great community of Canmore has to offer an outdoor enthusiast. In early 2011 Terry was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Ian Murray became Terry's active companion and buddy. They skied, hiked and biked throughout the Bow Valley and Kananaskis country together for many years and Ian continued to take Terry out on walks along the Bow River when Terry became a long-term care resident in Calgary and later in Banff. Terry was a bright, curious, hardworking, self-reliant, generous, and kind person. He was always up for any adventure.

Terry will be greatly missed by his partner, Catherine Moore, sons Jason Akearok (Gwen Healey-Akearok), Galen Pearce, daughter Rita Akearok and grandchildren, Jaia, Amaija, Ryan (Leah Anguttautuq), Jaydin, Jacob and great-grandson Richard, and sister Kathleen Beech and brother Anthony Pearce.

We would like to thank Ian Murray, Max Losee, Adam Raffkind, Lee Eckstrand, and Andre Gigon for being amazing care companions and friend to Terry while joining him on countless ski, bike, and hiking trips. Terry was surrounded by many Canmore and northern friends that helped to expand his diminishing social world and we are very grateful. We also extend our gratitude to the personal care and nursing staff at St. Martha' Place, Banff Mineral Springs Hospital.

A private family interment will be held.

A Celebration of Terry's Life was held in Banff, at the Banff Park Lodge on Saturday, June 15th, 2019. Friends were invited to join with the family to share reminiscences.

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."

John Muir, U.S. Naturalist

Services provided by Russ Reynolds and Bow River Funeral Service.