Orca Book Publishers was saddened to hear of the sudden death of founder Bob Tyrrell on August 31, 2024.

Bob started Orca Book Publishers forty years ago in 1984 and built a remarkable company. Starting with a guidebook of the pubs of Vancouver Island, he went on to produce some outstanding titles about British Columbia. In the early ’90s, he began publishing for children and won the Governor General’s award in 1992 for Waiting for the Whales written by Sheryl McFarlane and illustrated by Ron Lightburn. Following that the company began publishing almost exclusively for children. In the 1990s he also branched out into distribution, taking on a varied list for US distribution including Second Story Press, Raincoast Books and Douglas & McIntyre. Along with publishing a varied and critically acclaimed children’s list, the distribution business grew to be an important part of the company’s growth.

From that humble start in 1984, Orca Book Publishers grew to be one of the largest independent publishers in Canada. Bob was a passionate publisher, an astute businessperson and an ardent supporter of BC and Canadian publishing. As a member of the board of the Association of Canadian Publishers, president of the Association of Book Publishers of BC and a board member of Livres Canada Books, Bob fought for many of the supports that exist for Canadian publishing and the promotion of Canadian-published books at home and overseas. He was also instrumental in the establishment of the Victoria Book Prizes, serving on the board for a number of years.

Bob transitioned out of ownership of Orca Book Publishers almost a decade ago. He saw the need for viable succession in this industry and found creative ways to make it work. Andrew Wooldridge purchased the company from Bob over a number of years and Ruth Linka became a partial owner following Bob’s retirement. Bob had been out of day-to-day operations for a number of years but was still willing to offer his advice and wisdom. He enjoyed hearing of our recent successes, and we were delighted to have him speak at the fortieth anniversary gathering this past June. Orca has grown in the years following his departure, due in large part to the foundation that he had built.

Bob will be missed. Not only for his business sense and his commitment to always doing the right thing, but also for the joy he brought to those around him. His gift of story, his love of scotch and his willingness to always show up were legendary. Bob was remarkably gracious and giving, and the circle of people who loved and respected him was wide.

Our thoughts are with his wife Avril, his daughter Alex and Alex’s husband Sean. Details of a service are not known yet but will be shared in due course.

Bob will always be remembered for giving Orca Book Publishers life and for his contributions to the wider community.

Wherever you are, Bob, we hope the fish are biting and the whisky is flowing.