In 2019, Shaun was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma. Despite the seriousness of the disease, Shaun was a man “who did not go gently into the good night.” He accepted the diagnosis with dignity. Having a logical and realistic disposition, he read everything he could about his disease including recent articles in scientific journals. Throughout the past two years, he rarely complained and retained his wonderful sense of humor.
Shaun was guided by a belief in Carpe Diem or seize the day. Rather than letting fear and anxiety monopolize his remaining life, he spent much of his remaining time planning future visits to friends and family as well as planning home automation projects. Shaun was a geek. Even while struggling with fatigue, he built a video arcade from scratch to enable him to play video games of his youth. He purchased a 3-D er to build plastic cases for the electronic innards for a whole series of home automation projects that he planned to complete. He installed dash-cams. Although many of his planned projects remain unfinished, Shaun believed that planning the journey was just as important as reaching the destination.
Emily and Maddie remember Shaun as a loving and funny dad who never did anything half-hearted. During the pandemic, when he was a participant in Zoom calls, what did he buy? A full-on green background screen. When Murphy, the pup, had an injured nail, what was Shaun’s solution? Puppy boots. When he wanted fresh pizza, and franchise pizza didn’t come up to his standards, he bought and used a pizza oven. When Madeline’s soccer team was playing its final game to be eligible for the provincial championships, he made a banner for the team AND flags for the parents to wave. Life with Shaun was never boring!
Shaun is greatly missed by his wife of 27 years, Tiffany Irwin, daughters Emily Hope-Irwin and Madeline Hope-Irwin; parents Jack and Charlene Hope; sister Kim Hope, brother-in-law Kent Kammermayer, nephew Barrett Kammermayer; sister-in-law Chelsea Irwin, brother-in-law Richard Watts, nephews Harry Irwin-Watts and Magnus Irwin-Watts; mother-in-law Lorie Irwin and father-in-law Marty Irwin; his long-time best friend Darin Curie, his friend Taner Yildrim, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Shaun was born in Vancouver but moved to Saskatoon when his father accepted a position at the University of Saskatchewan in 1972. Shaun attended elementary and high school in Saskatoon and later graduated in 1991 with a B. Eng. in Electrical Engineering and a B.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Saskatchewan.
Shaun worked for several technology companies in Calgary, Ottawa and Victoria, and his final position was Director, Global Software Integration, Schneider Electric Energy and Sustainability Services (ESS) located in Saanichton. His colleagues at Schneider remarked that it was a pleasure to work with Shaun. He was always caring and kind. He’d shake their hands and ask how they were. He had a slightly wacky but self-deprecating sense of humor. They believed Shaun had a very positive impact on the company.
Shaun loved being a father and some of his happiest moments were spent with Madeline and Emily. He was a proud soccer dad and, even when he felt ill, he would attend their games and cheer loudly from the sidelines.
He loved to cook. His family has many wonderful memories of sitting at the dinner table eating one of his amazing meals. Tiffany will miss “Date Night” with Shaun – eating a meal that took all day to prepare and their planning of the next adventure together.
Our family would like to thank Shaun’s friends, relatives and co-workers for their thoughts, email messages, posts on Shaun’s CaringBridge site, phone calls, and prayers. Over the past two years, our family learned how many people loved and respected Shaun. He was a wonderful son, devoted brother, loving husband, faithful friend, dependable co-worker, goofy uncle, and the best father one could wish for. He was a gem of a man.
Our family would also like to thank Dr. Nick Beatty, the hospital physician and family friend, who attended to the needs of Shaun at Victoria General Hospital and the compassionate nurses in ward North 6C.
A memorial service will be held later when COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.
Please consider donating in Shaun’s memory to a fundraiser for the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation. The link is shown below:
Fundraiser by Emily Hope-Irwin: In Memory of Shaun (gofundme.com)
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mccallgardens.com
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Shaun Michael Hope March 25 1969 April 4 2021..
mccall gardens funeral and cremation service
Death notice for the town of: Victoria, Province: Colombie britanique