September 13, 1933 – June 24, 2026
Norm Pelton passed away peacefully at the age of 92.
Born in Queen Charlotte City, Haida Gwaii, Norm spent his early years along the northern coast of British Columbia, growing up in a floating log home. Around 1943, the family moved to east Maple Ridge.
The second oldest of four brothers, Norm enjoyed an adventurous childhood, playing in Cliff Park and catching fish with laundry baskets. Bright and hardworking, he excelled in school, skipping Grade 5 at Alexander Robinson School. He was also a gifted athlete, playing on every sports team he could find and, at one point, playing on three basketball teams.
Norm attended the University of British Columbia, working as a whistle punk in logging to pay his way through school. There, he learned responsibility and the importance of safety—values he carried throughout his life. In the summer of 1952, he was stationed in Bella Coola, where he met Betty Nygaard, the love of his life. While there, he located the switchbacks on “The Hill,” the road into the Bella Coola Valley that the BC government had declared impossible to build.
Norm and Betty married in 1954 and made their first home in Bella Coola, where he designed roads, bridges, and logging layouts. After later postings in Courtenay and Sandspit, Norm returned to Maple Ridge and, with his brother Tom, formed Pelton Engineering. Later, while working for Weldwood in Squamish, he oversaw silviculture projects in addition to his engineering duties.
After a devastating season in which bare-root seedlings failed to survive, Norm set out to find a better way. His determination led to the invention of the Mud Pack, an innovation that transformed silviculture by improving planting efficiency and seedling survival. He received three patents for his inventions.
These innovations became the foundation of Pelton Reforestation, established in 1967. The company became a pioneer in forest seedling production, helping build British Columbia into a world leader in silviculture. The family nursery on 203 Street grew over 70 million seedlings annually and employed hundreds.
Norm rarely complained—except when Betty insisted on another vacation. He preferred being at home, happiest with a pile of gravel and his Bobcat 763, filling potholes on the property.
He loved good food, treasured time with family and friends, and built lifelong friendships through business, politics, and Rotary. He never spoke badly of anyone and touched many lives with quiet strength, integrity, and a steady presence.
Predeceased by Betty, his beloved wife of 66 years, Norm is survived by his son Steve (Pat) and daughter Lynn (Chris); grandchildren Colin, Ryan, Carolyn, Allison, and Laura; and great-grandchildren Kayden, Hailey, Bowen, Lily, Ella, Fiona, and Arthur.
He leaves a tremendous void in our family and in the community of Maple Ridge, which he loved deeply. He will be profoundly missed.
A memorial will be held at a future date.
Expressions of sympathy can be made at www.GardenHill.ca