OBITUARY
Lois Mary Andreassen
July 21, 1938 – December 19, 2018
Mary Lois Andreassen (nee Doucet)
Lois was born on July 21, 1938 in Rexton New Brunswick to Elizabeth & Edward Doucet who were Acadiens. Lois was the eldest of three children, Shirley and Louis.
The family relocated to Beauharnois Quebec in 1947.The children lived with their mother in a Catholic convent while their father was out of town working for long periods of time.
Lois married Gerard Poirier from Lake St John, Quebec in 1958. They had three children Peter, Allan & Daniel. Lois was predeceased by Gerard who died in March 1965.
Lois met and fell in love with a young charming Danish man, Henning Andreassen and moved to BC in 1967. In 1968 Lois married Henning and those three boys of Lois’s became Lois and Henning’s s sons.
In 1974 Lois became a successful entrepreneur long before that word was commonly used as she started up and ran a kitchen and gift shop called “Hennings” that quickly turned into a series of stores as the first was at Scottsdale Mall, and then a second at Westminster Mall, and a store in Lynn Valley and one in Tsawwassen.
Lois was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1975 and battled courageously and won. She missed three weeks of work and was back running her stores.
Lois and Henning loved a challenge and a challenge they would get when they bought a small house on Panorama Ridge that they extensively renovated and later built a new house on that property at the back. This home was where many telltale stories and fond memories for family and friends were cultivated and forever inked in their minds.
Lois’s was predeceased by her father Edward in 1978, her brother Louis is 1982, her mother Elizabeth in 2001, and her best friend Jackie in 2013.
In 1988 Lois and Henning relocated to a small gulf island of Nanaimo called Protection Island. There they had a beach front home built where they could relax and enjoy the water and sunsets. The family lovingly called this place Gilligan’s Island as it was always a lengthy journey for family to get there with little ones in tow.
It was on Protection Island they again made many lifelong friendships. They even tried their hand at co-owning a pub (the Dingy Dock Pub) with good friends Bob & Hilda Banerd. It was here they met Wendy & Gavin, Jackie and Norval, Jim and Heather, Bill and Gloria and many others that would remain in her life for years to come.
Lois and Henning had travelled all over the world and particularly loved to cruise, and cruise they did. Most of their travel was done with great friends Jackie and Norval.
In May 2005 Lois and Henning relocated back to the mainland to Walnut Grove (Langley) where they were closer to family.
In 2008 Lois once again battled breast cancer, this time on the opposite breast. It was a difficult time but Lois was a fighter and was not going to succumb to this disease.
Henning was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and after several years succumbed to this and died June 18, 2015. After forty seven years of marriage Lois found herself without Henning and life was very different now.
Lois’s family had now grown to seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Lois had relocated to a newly renovated condo (facing the water) in White Rock. It was there that Lois met a remarkable lady, Gwen Shaw and the two of them became fast friends and Gwen was there for support and assistance (day and night) right until the end for Lois.
The island life was calling and Lois listened as she purchased a home again on Protection Island and started to renovate as Lois always needed a project to keep her busy. Lois spent two summers at her home on the island and rekindled many friendships from her previous time there. It was here that Lois truly felt that she was home again as she was back by the sea and enjoying life as she had before with Henning.
Sadly Lois was diagnosed with bone cancer in November of this year. Lois made the decision that her time had come to say goodbye as she had lived a full life and had no regrets. Her life had been filled with so much love for her family and friends and she cherished each and every one of us but she didn’t want to fight this disease again as she had in the past and she was wanting to go be with Henning.
Lois told us that she was as going to pass on December 18th but we had asked her not to go that day as Phyllis Jmaeff was coming to see her that day. Lois said okay she would not pass that day, and true to her word, she hung on to see her lifelong friend Phyllis on December 18th. That was the type of woman that Lois was, honest, direct, extremely loyal and one of the most determined individuals we have ever met. No, was not a word that was in Lois’s vocabulary as she would always do what she wanted to do.
Rest now Lois and do not worry about us, as you always did. We will never forget and you and all that you taught and shared with us. We shall all carry your memory with us forever. You live on in your children, your grandchildren, great grandchildren and all that were fortunate to know and love you.
It is with sadness that we must say our final goodbye, but not with a heavy heart as we all know that you were ready to go and that you were looking forward to being reunited with Henning. Lois passed away in the presence of loved ones on December 19, 2018 at 10:07 pm.
Lois lovingly left behind son Peter (Sandy), Allan, & Dan (Kendra), sister Shirley, seven grandchildren, Ryan, Kristin, Brandon, Koya, Keavan, Taylyn, Wyatt, and two great grandchildren, Hannah & Kennedy. Many very close friends, Phyllis & Peter Jmaeff, Bob & Hilda Banerd, Norval Garard, Wendy & Gavin, Jim & Heather, Bill & Gloria, Gwen Shaw and Heather Schaufele to name a few.
We hope that you can join us for a “Celebration of Life” on January 12, 2019 at 11:30 am at Hazelmere Golf Club at 18150 8th Ave., Surrey, BC.
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Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Lois Mary Andreassen 2019..
Victory Memorial Park Funeral Centre
Décès pour la Ville: surrey, Province: Colombie britanique