Barry Tuck

Owner/Licensed Director/Certified Celebrant

In 2022 Barry will have served in the Funeral and Cemetery Profession for 40 years. He is honored to support his community at a time of their greatest need.

Having experienced tremendous loss himself, Barry feels he is well equipped to listen to and support those experiencing a loss.

Barry worked for independent funeral homes early in his career and then moved to the corporately owned groups. It was with the corporately owned homes that Barry took on expanded management roles and upon leaving the corporate world he was accountable for multiple funeral/cemetery locations within the Province of Manitoba. Coaching and training his own team took up most of his time and it led him to reconsider his career objectives. Having the opportunity to come back to the grass roots of our profession in our community has allowed Barry to meet with families one on one and truly help where he is most needed. Today Barry spends most of his time meeting with families who are considering prearrangement, at the time of their loss and as a Certified Celebrant leading services for their loved ones.

Believing that service to community is an integral part of owning and operating any business, Barry finds himself very involved with the Masonic Fraternity. Two of the Lodges and the Shrine Club meet within our funeral homes. Barry is a Past Master of Euclid Lodge #158 in Parksvile and is a member of Nanaimo Lodge #110 in Nanaimo and Barclay Lodge #90 in Port Alberni. He is also a Past President of the Parksville Qualicum Shrine Club. Having the opportunity to participate in the “community of caregivers” finds Barry involved in many educational seminars and he is the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the Oceanside Hospice Society.

In his spare time Barry enjoys landscaping, kayaking, golf, hiking, road cycling and he has a passion for bird photography. Of course, Barry adores his 3 grandchildren and along with wife Rae, loves spending as much time with them as possible!

Having witnessed the profession transition over many years, Barry believes we have a responsibility as a Family Company to think in terms of “People before Profit”, as it relates to the career opportunities for our Team and indeed the ethical treatment of the community and the families we serve. 

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Rae Tuck

Owner | Client Care

Rae is accountable for the oversight of the Financial and Property Management of our company. Having worked as a Professional Commercial Property Manager for many years, Rae is suited well to the detailed aspects of many of the behind the scenes responsibilities. Having the ability to oversee the business side of our company allows Rae to serve our client families by ensuring we will be a sound and healthy company for many years to come!

Rae is often the “positive energy” for our team when we are challenged to serve within our profession and to be “there” for our client families.   Known for her Thursday morning “positive and inspiring” quotes, Rae creates a healthy balance for our Team.  She is also a Pre Need Specialist, supporting our client families as they begin to plan ahead.

Being involved in the community is important to Rae.  Yates is a proud sponsor of 100 Women Who Care Oceanside (hosted at Yates facilities) which sees Rae and over 300 women donating over $30,000 per quarter to a local charity!

Rae is a member of the Chamber of Commerce Clubs of Port Alberni, Qualicum Beach and Parksville as well as the Qualicum Beach Rotary Club and 100 Women Alberni. 

Rae is a proud "Nana" to three grandchildren and is a strong family advocate. She enjoys her morning workouts, doing yoga/meditation and many outdoor activities. If not at work, you will find Rae with her grandchildren, gardening or enjoying nature in this beautiful place we call home.

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Bradd Tuck

General Manager/ Licenced Director

Always drawn to the island, Bradd Tuck moved to Parksville in 2013 after growing up in Manitoba and attending the University of Victoria.  Bradd started his career as Park Manager in Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park. After he and his wife Carlea welcomed their first son Oliver in 2015, Bradd joined the family business.  Bradd’s family has grown to include another son, Bowen, and black lab Bentley.  Bradd and his family enjoy camping, biking, and exploring the island.

Bradd received top honours through his apprenticeship program and holds both a Funeral Directing and Embalming Licence.  Bradd’s role as General Manager has cultivated a passion for team growth and development.  Bradd has helped to modernize our service offerings by adding a Certified Green Burial Garden and incorporating live streaming technology into our facilities.

Bradd holds a very active role on the community serving as Vice Chair for Leadership Vancouver Island, Board Member for the Young Professionals Committee of the Parksville and District Chamber of Commerce, and an Organizing Member of 100 Oceanside Men Who Give a Damn.

Steve Knapp

Licensed Director

Steve is one of our four Licensed Funeral Directors whose primary responsibility is to look after our Port Alberni location, which often takes him to the communities on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. Assisting client families with their loved one’s end of life arrangements has been a progressive process for Steve beginning over 10 years ago with Yates. 

After 27 years in Social Services, Steve has had a seamless transition to our profession. A desire to help others in their time of need is evident in Steve’s character. 

A huge sports enthusiast, has seen him coach hockey in the Oceanside Minor Hockey Association. 

During camping season Steve can be found almost every weekend entertaining friends at his nearby RV/Resort location! 

Jill Major

Licenced Director

Jill is a Licenced Director.  Jill began her career at Yates as an administrator and when an opportunity came up for her to further her career in the Funeral Profession she jumped at the chance. 

Jill’s warmth, compassion, friendliness and knowledge quickly puts people at ease.  She is an asset to the Yates team and we are so pleased she became a Licenced Funeral Director in 2021!

Having come to us with several years of administration in real-estate, paired with her caring personality and passion to help others, Jill finds her career in our profession very rewarding.

Jill moved to our community from Ontario in 2015.  She  enjoys the benefits of raising her two children in a very community oriented environment and is happy to call the Oceanside her home!

Jessica Dovey

Apprentice Director

Krissy Blyan

Client Care

Krissy joined Yates in August 2019 and has become an integral part of our team. As the front office administrator, Krissy greets our clients as they walk in the door, answers our phones, and carries out the numerous important administrative tasks that are required to keep our business operating. Krissy takes great pride in her role at Yates and treats everyone with the utmost respect and care.

Krissy was born in Ontario and moved to BC in 1997. Krissy married her high school sweetheart in 2017, and together they have two children. Krissy’s family enjoys riding their bikes together, camping, and spending time on their boat fishing and exploring.

Krissy is very social and knows many people in the Oceanside community. She has many friends, and family is of utmost importance to her. Krissy’s kind and generous heart serves her well in her personal life and in her career. Yates is so lucky to have her.

Heather Ash

Accounting Assistant

Heather has brought her tremendous accounting/administrative skills to our team. Having a desire to be “perfect” in her work lends well to the expectations of serving our client’s needs. Among many, many tasks, Heather helps clients access their pre funded arrangements at the time of need and in turn creates and performs required audit checks of all our financial procedures related to those funds, ensuring we are compliant with our Provincial Regulators.

A warm and caring person, Heather’s contribution to our success is not only measured in numbers but in her enthusiasm and commitment to the team.

Born and raised in the Oceanside community, Heather loves to explore the entire Island and enjoys the outdoors!

Carlea Tuck

Accounting Assistant

Carlea joined our Team in 2017 to further support her family and serve our community.

A detail-oriented and organized person, Carlea comes to us with a Residential Property Management background. Having graduated with a Linguistics Degree from the University of Victoria, Carlea has a diverse background that suits our ever-evolving profession.

Carlea has an interest in the outdoors, reading, cooking and home improvement and leads a very busy lifestyle!

As a devoted mother to Oliver and Bowen, and wife to Bradd, Carlea believes in balancing her professional life with that of nurturing a wonderful family.

Donna L. Liberty

Client Care

Donna has been with Yates Parksville in many administrative and accounting roles since 2007. Best described as a Client Care Specialist, Donna is now our first contact with clients in Port Alberni, whether that be by phone or in person. Donna is ultimately the person who works in the background for clients who have met with a Licensed Funeral Director. To satisfy our Provincial and Regulatory Boards there are countless administrative procedures behind the scenes and Donna has become an expert in satisfying those requirements. 

Having lived in the Oceanside Community for over 35 years, Donna worked with the SOS for over 20 years. She has coordinated many initiatives such as Caring for Kids at Christmas, Haven Home and Meals on Wheels. 

A lover of pets and wildlife, you can find her on the beach everyday with her puppy Cassie. And, once a year at the New Year’s Polar Bear Swim you will actually find Donna in the water! She has been a steady participant for over 24 years! 

Real Lachance

Cemetery Care/Transfer Specialist

Real has a unique position within our group as he is the Cemetery Care Specialist in Parksville and serves on one of our two teams of evening/weekend Transfer Specialists. Having over 30 years of landscaping experience, you can find Real pruning and detailing our beautiful cemetery into a peaceful parklike setting. Indeed every second week, Real, then spends his evenings and weekend on-call to serve the community transferring loved ones from their place of passing into our care at the funeral home. 

As an avid photographer, Real is well known around the world for the postcards and pictures he creates and sells. Real enjoys gardening at home (of course!) and is proud of the tomatoes he produces year after year. 

Glen Friesen

Crematorium Operator

Henri van Amerongen

Transfer Specialist

As a Transfer specialist Henri spends every second week/weekend on call to serve the community transferring loved ones from their place of passing into our care at the funeral home. 

Henri is a volunteer at SOS, a life coach and counselor.  He spends his spare time renovating his home, with his loving wife Debbie.

Henri appreciates the opportunity to give support to our families in need.

Natasha Young

Transfer Specialist

As a Transfer specialist Natasha spends every second week/weekend on call to serve the community transferring loved ones from their place of passing into our care at the funeral home. 

Natasha's home-based furniture refurbishing business keeps her busy restoring old furniture and is a great outlet for her creativity and passion for saving old furniture.

Natasha appreciates the opportunity to give support to our families in need.