SANKEY, Haldis Christine (Storch) An amazing woman of great intelligence and talent died on May 30th, 2014 in Zurich, Switzerland. Born April 3, 1938 in Victoria. Survived by her husband, Terry; daughters: Teresa Sankey, Rebecca Rogers (Brent) and Shawneen Jacobs; brother, Eric Storch (Carol); six grandchildren: Dylan Rogers, Allegra Rogers, Saoirse Sankey (deceased), Freyja Sankey, Kevin Jacobs and Craig Jacobs; sisters-in-law: Maureen Pepin (Fred) and Sandra Ohlemann (Klaus); her best friend Sunny Mowat and other relatives and many friends. Haldis was named after her grandmother, a pioneer in Sooke, who came from Norway to marry Sandy Helgesen. Her early years were spent in Klemtu and Victoria and she graduated from Magee and went to UBC before teaching primary in Vancouver. Haldis and Terry married in 1959 and she was a super mom for their three daughters and a caring grandmother. Terry's educational career took them to Vancouver, Richmond, Grand Forks, Midway, Sooke, Courtenay, Price Rupert, Mission, Chetwynd and finally to retirement in Westbank. Haldis has driven in almost every corner of BC and driving kids to events was something she enjoyed doing for years. Haldis was a good athlete and she was a BC Lion's Cheerleader in the mid 1950's. She was an accomplished quilter and textile artist and was a member of guilds in Chetwynd and Kelowna. Also, Haldis served the community in numerous ways. For example, she served on the Chetwynd Library Board for many years and for several years she was the Peace River Rep and travelled throughout the area. She read voraciously, enjoyed gardening and had a special relationship with the four legged members of the family - Kelpi, Tabi, Chimo and Missy. Haldis enjoyed the gym and yoga, she liked to be fit. She most of all loved being with her girls and with the grandkids and she shared her enjoyment in sewing with them. Haldis embodied feminism and her daughters all went on to higher education, largely due to her guidance. Haldis was diagnosed as a celiac in 1976. When they moved to Westbank in 1999, she joined the Celiac Association and was active in it. In 2010 Haldis was diagnosed with Parkinson Disease. The combination of PD, arthritis and having a neck lamination and fusion limited her life and 5 to 8 hours per day of painful hyperventilation sucked life from her. PD robbed her of so much, but never her love for family and her determination to be a contributing member of society. Dignity of life and self determination in life and death were qualities she honoured deeply and she was an exceptional woman with profound life values. Haldis was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and friend and she will be missed by all of us. Haldis died with dignity. No service by request. Donations may be made to the Saoirse Sankey Memorial Fund through the Vancouver Foundation or to Parkinson Society Canada.
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