With sadness, we announce the peaceful passing of automotive aftermarket industry veteran Sam McGladdery on Friday, January 9, 2026, at the Hospice in North Vancouver, B.C. at the age of 88.

Sam was born in Kelowna, B.C. into a large family of 12 children. After high school, he moved to Vancouver, started in sales at A.M. Southard, an accessory warehouse distributor, and quickly rose to the sales manager position to manage the company’s national retail chain feeder business.

In 1970, he started his own agency, McGladdery Sales, with coverage across Western Canada.

For more than 50 years in the aftermarket business, he was known for his honesty, integrity, work ethic, humour and his very firm handshake.

In that time he became an indelible part of Canada’s aftermarket, particularly for those in British Columbia.

His competitive spirit was in all facets of his life, and held fast to the motto “second place is for someone else.”

He insisted that his children attend post secondary school.

Son Kevin graduated from UBC in 1989, and started in the family business that same year. Sam enjoyed mentoring his son in the business, and they worked together as a well known father-son team for decades before Sam’s retirement.

He leaves behind Judy, wife of 63 years, son Kevin (Shauna), daughter Sara (Thomas), and four grandchildren.

No plans for a memorial service or celebration of life have been announced at this time.