passed away peacefully in Port Alberni surrounded by her loving family on Tuesday, June 7, 2016 at the age of 89. Olive was born in Vancouver. She attended school there and proceeded on to post-secondary education. Although archeology was her passion, she received her Bachelor of Science from UBC. During the war she became a WREN. Olive and Jimmy met in Prince Rupert. They were married and started a family. They moved to the Alberni Valley with two children, for the construction of the Pulp Mill in the mid-50s. Olive and Jimmy had 6 children. She entered the workforce again in the 70s, where she worked as a lab technician in the Hospital for many years. After retirement she volunteered at the Alberni Valley Museum. After retiring she started swimming daily. She swam 80 lengths a day. Along with her other talents, she was a wonderful seamstress. She made wedding dresses for her children and their brides. Olive enjoyed traveling, especially to Hawaii. She enjoyed gardening both vegetables and flowers. Later in life she pursued her passion for archeology at Elder College. She was a loving and caring Mom. She loved being a part of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s lives and went to every graduation.
Olive is predeceased by her husband Jimmy, baby Michael (son) and Kelsey Ferguson (grandchild), and survived by children; Dennis (Lynn), Sharon (Jim), Diane (Randy), Patricia (Neil), Susan (Terry), and Al (Shelly) as well as 19 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren, sister Lenore (Don) and beloved and faithful canine companion Maia who misses her dearly.
Many thanks to the care aides and nurses at Fir Park and West Coast General Hospital for the compassionate care they showed Mom at the end of her life.
A Celebration of Olive’s life will be held at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, June 22, 2016 from the Chapel of Memories, 4006 – 6th Ave with Reverend Laura Hargrove officiating.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.chapelofmemories.ca. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Heart and Stroke Foundation of BC & Yukon, 1212 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3V2.