582 THE ADVOCATE
VOL. 80 PART 4 JULY 2022
battle with Parkinson’s, but weakened by the relentless nature of her illness,
she left us on January 23, 2022.
Like a brilliant diamond, Maris was multifaceted. We knew her as a
fierce, talented advocate; a compassionate, fair judge; a loving matriarch;
and a generous and steadfast friend. Our lives are richer for having shared
Maris’s world and, while we are devastated at having lost her, we know the
best of Maris has survived, and will continue through her family, friends
and colleagues.
The Honourable Judges Michael Brecknell and
Joe Galati with contributions from many of Maris’s friends
Allan Watchorn
For those who had the privilege of knowing Allan,
they will be quite familiar with Allan’s legal abilities
and skills, which befit a superior practitioner.
Despite the stressful nature of a hectic litigation
practice, Allan remained the epitome of calmness
and grace. He had the uncanny ability to put a smile
on everyone’s face. It was not unheard of for Allan to
pick up a client from an airport and ensure they arrived at their hotel safely.
It was a one-of-a-kind experience to work with Allan, with junior lawyers
often clamouring to be the chosen second chair at trial. However, there was
much more to Allan than being a dedicated and hard-working barrister.
Allan grew up in the Kitsilano area and was a student in one of the first
graduating classes at Prince of Wales High School. Through his parents, he
was an early member of the Arbutus Club, where he became an accomplished
curler and tennis player.
During his university days, Allan joined the UBC Sports Car Club, where
he met his lifelong friend, Geoff Gould (another of the graduating class of
1971). It was with Geoff that he acquired his taste for fast sport cars, since
then owing a classic yellow Lotus Elan and numerous Porsches. Allan