Obituary
The family of Irene Mitchell announce her passing at The Gardens in Qualicum Beach, B.C., from age not COVID!
We would like to thank The Staff, Dr. Biglow, and nurses who cared for Mom this past year.
Cremation and Internment have taken place. A small family memorial service officiated by Rev. Elizabeth North was held at St. Mark’s Anglican Church September 25th.
A small bit about Mom’s life well lived….
From a rural school where Irene was principal, Irene moved to Banff to teach High School subjects in the morning and Home Economics in the afternoon. She skied and curled and climbed Rundle Mountain with Muriel Gratz, another teacher, hanging from ropes as the Swiss mountain Climbers guided them to the top. She had no fear!
She met Jim, the Park Superintendent’s son at a Halloween Costume dance she attended with her girlfriends.
In 1950, Irene married, James Alexander Waller Mitchell in the Anglican “Chapel of the Pines” in Banff, Alberta.
In 1957, now with young daughters, age 4 and 2, they set out on an adventure, driving across Canada to Glovertown, Newfoundland 8 years after Confederation, where Jim, a civil engineer would supervise the building of new roads and bridges in the soon to be new Terra Nova National Park. Later, they moved back to their home in Banff, but shortly were relocated to Jasper National Park for 5 years, where they curled, skied, skated and Mom directed a play for the Drama club and started the tennis club. Next government posting was then Calgary and again Irene taught Home Economics until in 1970, they bought the Snow White Motel in Qualicum Beach, which brought them to the Island, when Jim retired from government service. They were very active in the community, but only 5 years later, Jim was taken at the early age of 49 by melanoma cancer. This at first devastated Mom, but with help from good friends and family, Irene rallied and survived the shock.
For 45 more years, Irene was very active in the community in many organizations in a leadership role, including Retired Teachers, University Women’s Club, Anglican Women’s Guild, Happy Wanderer’s, Quilter’s, Needlepoint, Qualicum Seniors and Past Matron, Arbutus Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star (1975).
She also loved to travel and made many trips with her daughters and their families.
Irene is survived by 2 daughters and their families….Amby & Joe Tody, Debby & Les Hodgson and their children, Chris and Melissa. Christopher is married to Andrea and their children are Lance and Miranda. Debby & Les are raising their granddaughter Sophia. Irene having lost 3 sisters is also survived by her only brother, age 91, many nieces and 2 nephews.
Irene’s final resting place is the Qualicum Beach Cemetery alongside her husband, James A. W. Mitchell.
To send flowers to Irene’s family, please visit our floral store.
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Irene Naddia Koblanski Mitchell August 13 1919 September 12 2020 (age 101)..
Décès pour la Ville: Parksville, Province: Colombie britanique