Beverley Eriksson

I had a good life.  Married for 49 years to Erik, who I met in Tahsis, where we lived for seven years before we moved to Courtenay in 1979.  I am very proud of our three children Janeen (Rick Dennison), Richard and Bryan and our grandchildren James, Drake and Cierra.

I was born in Vancouver General Hospital, but my parents John and Vera Rogers and I spent my first couple of years in Port Hardy before we moved to Richmond where I went to school.

Before retiring in 2013, I worked for 32 years at the local ICBC office, the last few years as a bodily injury adjuster.  I made many friends working there.

I have travelled to many places - Amsterdam, Paris, Florida, Mexico, Los Angeles, Kenya, Costa Rica, New Delhi, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City and many places in BC including Prince Rupert, Kelowna, and Bella Coola where we have friends and Osoyoos, where my sister Jill lives, who I leave behind along with my sister Mara and many cousins and their families.

Erik and I have been to Iceland many times to visit his mother Gudrun, his bother Gudmundur, sister Gudny, their families and many relatives.

I belonged to the Canadian Federation of University Women, where I became friends with many interesting women.  I was a member of one of the book clubs and we had a kayaking group that paddled the local waters.  Each trip was like a mini vacation.  I was a certified yoga instructor, I sang with The Celebration Singers Grace Notes, I exercised regularly at the CRA and I skied downhill at Mt. Washington.

During Ruth Masters’ final years, Erik and I drove her monthly to the Views where she played her harmonica for the residents.  I met Ruth shortly after moving to Courtenay through the Mountaineering Club.  She led me on several trips including one overnight to the Glacier. I helped out at L’Arche and I was a Senior Peer Counselor for a while.

I want to thank all the people who helped me through my two years of lung and pancreatic cancer – my husband, my children and grandchildren, my dear friends and Drs. Thompson and Geller, the Community Health nurses and specially Dr. Smit and the wonderful nurses at the Cancer Care Program (they told me I was “strong and resilient”).  Also, Dr. Montgomery and the MAID Program, Derek at Pharmasave, and Joe in the CAT Scan Department.  I am very grateful for the Canadian Medical System.

If anyone wants to donate in lieu of flowers, I recommend the CFUW Bursary at North Island College or the Comox Valley Community Foundation, where we have a Fund.