Gurinov, Vasili

Vasili Gurinov, 88, passed away on September 21, 2024, in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Born in Cahul, Moldova, he was the son of Ecaterina and Vasile. He had one brother and one sister, Nicolae, and Ana. His family was of Russian origins, Vasili's first language was in fact Russian, not Romanian. They were refugees of the Second World War, the family immigrated to Galati, Romania, which is where Vasili spent much of his life.
Vasili attended the University of Iasi, where he studied electromechanical engineering. He worked for over 30 years as an engineer and spent most of his career at the steel manufacturing plant in Galati, where he rose to the position of chief engineer. At that time, this was the third largest steel plant in Europe.
He married his wife, Margareta, at the age of 24 and were happily married for 64 years. They had one daughter, Larisa, who they raised in Galati. They had many wonderful vacations together, including trips to the Black Sea and the Carpathian Mountains. They also look after, cared for, and raised their grandson Mihai as though he was their own son.
Vasili and Marga followed their daughter, son-in-law, and grandson to Canada. They immigrated to Vancouver in 1995 and became Canadian citizens in 2002. They settled in Burnaby.
Papi, as he was known by his close and extended family (Beschea, Niunin, and Kilofliski), was a kind, selfless, and dedicated man. He was always curious and a lifelong learner. In his late 50s, he learned English, attended a local college, taking night courses in physics and math, and also learned to work with a computer. After immigrating to Canada, he continued to work and finally retired at the age of 70.
Papi was an active person and enjoyed sports. In his university days, he practiced gymnastics and folk dancing and in his 60s he enjoyed swimming and would often cycle between Vancouver and Burnaby. He was extremely handy; he built many home projects and carved wooden picture frames. He loved to garden and passersby would often stop to admire his greenhouse and flowerbeds.
Vasili made many friends over the course of his life, both Romanians and Canadians. Vasili and his wife always hosted wonderful dinner where they served homemade “muraturi” and Romanian cakes prepared by Marga. Their door was always open to all. During his life, he always put others first and gladly helped his family and friends. He was truly selfless. His presence will be missed. He is survived by his wife Margareta, daughter and her husband, Larisa and Radu, and grandson, Mihai.

​Prayers will be held on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 at 6:00 pm at St. Nicolae Romanian Orthodox Church, 8679 Harvie Road, Surrey, BC.

Funeral Service will be held on Thursday, September 26, 2024 at 10:30 am at St. Nicolae Romanian Orthodox Church. Burial to follow at Heritage Gardens Cemetery, 19082 16 Ave, Surrey, BC.