RememberingHerb Brokop

Beloved husband, father, grandfather and Uncle Herb to his many nieces and nephews, Herbert "Herb" Brokop passed away in the early hours of August 15, 2026 at the age of 85 years old.

Herb was born in Germany on August 7, 1941, in the midst of the Second World War. His early years were difficult ones, and in 1954, at the age of 13, he immigrated to Canada by ship with his parents and siblings. The family landed in Quebec and spent their first two years in Regina before eventually settling in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. Canada became Herb's home, and in February 1967 he proudly became a Canadian citizen.

Herb spent decades working as a delivery driver for a stationery company, back in an era when businesses relied on people like Herb rather than a click on Amazon to get what they needed. Some of his son Dean's fondest childhood memories are of the days Herb would take him along to work, running parcels into businesses for his dad and, perhaps most importantly, enjoying the Long John that came with coffee break.

Herb is survived by his wife, Ann, with whom he shared an extraordinary 60 years of marriage. They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this past May. Despite the health challenges Herb faced throughout 2026, they were able to mark that remarkable milestone together on an Alaskan cruise with friends and Ann's sister Ileen and her husband Tim. It became one last great adventure together and a memory our family will always treasure.

He is also survived by his son Dean, his wife Michelle and their sons Carson and Kaden, and his daughter Lisa, her husband Paul and their daughter Ivy. Herb leaves behind his sister Ingrid and her husband Marvin, and his brother Dieter. He was predeceased by his parents and his sister Sigrid and his brother Bernhard.

Above all, Herb was a great dad, and he took enormous pride in his children's lives and accomplishments.

As Lisa pursued her dream and went on to become a Canadian country music icon, Herb was there for the journey. He did whatever needed doing, from driving the van and serving as a roadie to simply being one of her biggest and proudest fans. Long before the accolades and success, Dad was there to support his daughter and help her chase her dream.

He was equally proud of Dean and his work with the Canadian Paralympic Committee. Herb proudly wore the Team Canada gear Dean shared with him and loved telling others about Dean's travels around the world representing Canada and the Paralympic movement. The details of their careers may have been very different, but Herb's response to both of his children was the same: pride, interest and unwavering support.

Herb was also a very proud grandfather to Carson, Kaden and Ivy. Although distance separated them, he remained keenly interested in their lives as they grew. He was thrilled by Carson's entrepreneurial spirit, loved following Kaden's hockey and baseball exploits, and delighted in Ivy's love of horses and her artistic skills. He was enormously proud of all three.

To his many nieces and nephews, he was simply Uncle Herb, and those extended family connections remained important throughout his life. Dean and Lisa would especially like to thank Tim Major Jr. and his wife Tanya for making sure Herb was included in their annual Father's Day BBQs and family gatherings during the years when Dean and Lisa lived far away. They are also deeply grateful to Tim Major Sr. for regularly spending time with Herb during his final weeks in hospital. Knowing that people who cared about their dad were there for him meant more than can easily be expressed.

Life was not always easy for Herb. He faced significant mental and physical health challenges during the latter decades of his life. In his final months, the sudden onset and rapid progression of Lewy body dementia ultimately took him from us.

Dementia is a cruel disease. Our family is enormously grateful to the staff of the Surrey Memorial Hospital Emergency Department and North 53 for the graciousness, compassion and dignity they showed Herb and our family during an extraordinarily difficult time.

From a childhood in wartime Germany, across the Atlantic to a new life in Canada, through six decades of marriage, raising a family and watching three grandchildren find their own paths, Herb lived a life that spanned remarkable changes in the world around him.

There were difficult chapters, but there was also family, friendship, hard work, perseverance and love. And through it all, there was a man who was immensely proud of his family and happiest when he could share in the lives of the people he loved.

We will miss him dearly.