Michael Dapavo and Barbara Arnold

Mike was born on January 21, 1935, to David and Rose Dapavo, in Summerland, B.C. He and his parents moved to Rutland in 1935 where they settled, with their farm and orchard, at the end of Mugford Road.  While Mike was growing up, he worked on his parents’ orchard. This is where his love for growing things started and it stayed with him for the rest of his life. Mike attended school in Rutland, graduating at Rutland Secondary School.

Barb was born on January 24, 1935, to Arthur and Ethel Arnold, in Penticton BC. She moved with her family to Winfield in 1946. Barb attended primary school in Winfield and bussed to Rutland to attend high school at RSS. This is where Mike and Barb met. Mike and Barb were both fond of music and started a dance band with their friends.  Mike played clarinet, saxophone and accordion, Barb played the piano, and the community got to dance the night away. Mike also played in the Kelowna Marching Band.

Barb went off to Victoria to get her teaching certificate and Mike stayed behind, working at logging and at his father’s orchard. When Barb returned, she taught her first year in Salmon Arm. Throughout this time, Mike and Barb dated.  They got married on Aug 22, 1956 and moved into a little house on Rutland Road. In 1958, Mike and Barb bought and moved to an orchard property next to Mike’s father’s orchard.  Barb continued her teaching at Rutland Elementary. In 1959, Julie, their daughter was born and in 1961, Steven, their son was born.

Throughout their lives they gave back to the community through volunteering with many organizations. Mike was a member of BC Fruit Growers Association, a director with Kelowna Growers Supply, a grower representative at Sun-Rype, a volunteer firefighter and assistant Chief for the Rutland Fire Hall, and leader of Youth Forest Rangers. Both Mike and Barb helped in many areas, making the Rutland May Days a success. They organized and ran gates, made floats for the parades and taught youth Maypole Dancing. Barb, for many years, played the piano at Rutland United Church and after school, she organized choirs, dancing and writing clinics.  She was fashionable, lively and fun. In later years, she was a treasurer and participant at the Sr. Centre for Fitness and Line Dance classes. Barb continued teaching up until retirement. She taught at Rutland and East Kelowna schools. Hundreds of Kelowna residences have been taught or touched by her.

Mike being a full time orchardist, was also a tinkerer and fixer of all things mechanical or not. With some tinkering and lots of head scratching, he could fix just about anything. Mike was the go-to person for anyone needing to borrow equipment, or for advice on growing almost anything.

Despite aging Mike and Barb love to help people and stay active. They continue to head off on adventures, from Kamloops to Osoyoos at a drop of a hat. They still grow an enormous garden of both flowers and vegetables. They have touched so many lives and continue to do so daily. Mike and Barb currently still live in the house on the hill, on the property they purchased so long ago. They have two children, four  grandchildren and four great grandchildren, whom they cherish deeply.
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Contributed by Julie Dapavo Christensen, daughter