Evelyn Ruth Flynn

On 19 February 2019, at 90 years of age, Evelyn Ruth Flynn (née Gaitens) passed away peacefully in Langley B.C. with all of her children by her side. She is survived by her children Bob (Vivian), Larry (Kelly), Lynn (Kevin) and Nancy (Andrew), her grandchildren Dawn and Jason, David and Valerie, Kyle, Kristen and Wyatt, as well as her great-grandchildren Stella and Freddy.

Born in Ottawa, she was raised in Ottawa and Montreal, and moved west to Edmonton and then Vancouver in the 80’s, always steadfastly refusing to go back east.

In her youth she pursued her passions for cross country skiing and dance. Unfortunately, her attempts to combine the two led to stories of short convalescences in the Commons Pub in the hills outside of Montreal, followed by “get-back-on-that-horse therapy” on her skis. She did her best to pass on that indomitable “never let them get the best of you” spirit to her children.

Mom lived what was, at times, a difficult life. A single mother with four children at home, she persevered through immense difficulties to ensure we were all able to participate in sports and other  activities.  She always stressed the importance of education to her children and taught them to do their best to excel at whatever they did.  Regardless of the paths they chose, she was unquestioningly supportive and immensely proud of each of them. She was also extremely proud of her family’s five (5) generations of military service to the country, and was a strong supporter of the Legion.

An early adopter of healthy nutrition, she helped her children to understand that food borne infection is a real danger and that no food can ever be over-cooked. We all now know the delights of crispy steak and black bottom cookies.

Without preaching, throughout her life she lived the motto of “others before self”. Evelyn was fiercely independent, yet constantly demonstrated the importance of caring for, and respecting, others and including them in our lives. In her retirement years, she devoted her time to helping others by volunteering (helping the vision impaired, many hospice clients, as well as seniors outreach), and teaching countless people one of her many craft making skills. An inveterate card shark, she also enticed many unsuspecting bystanders into lengthy sessions of “Spite and Malice”.

Always undaunted by challenges, and sometimes feisty, as everyone who knew her will attest, she always had a quick laugh and a comforting hug for those around her.

This brave, humble and giving mother wanted no fanfare when she left this world, only to be remembered fondly. How can we not? At her request, her ashes will be scattered on the Sunshine Coast in a private family gathering. Any donations are requested to be sent to Sunshine Coast Hospice at www.coasthospice.com in Evelyn’s name.

You are invited to leave a personal message of condolence for the family.