Irma Hoivik

November 27, 1942 - July 31, 2021
Irma Hoivik was born to August and Emilie Pahl on November 27, 1942 during the family's wartime relocation in Poland.
At war's end, the family lived in Germany until immigrating to Canada in April of 1949, settling on a small mixed farm in Spondin, Alberta.
She completed grades one through ten in Spondin and then grades 11 and 12 in Hanna, AB. She was an excellent student and having received several academic awards and scholarships, enrolled in the University of Alberta, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree.
She was then employed in the RCMP's Crime Detection Laboratory in Regina, SK in the Serology department. She later transferred to the Vancouver Laboratory where she managed the Serology department at that location. During this time she met a young Mountie by the name of Arthur Hoivik and on July 4, 1970, she realized her dream and married the Mountie at a beautiful ceremony in Calgary, AB.
Three years later, upon the birth of her son Paul, Irma gave up her career to become a stay-at-home mother. Three years later, a son, Steve, completed the family unit.
In 1977 the family was transferred from Vancouver to Courtenay, an ideal place to be stationed and raise a family. In 1985 they moved to Chilliwack. As her sons became older, Irma re-joined the workforce at Sears Canada until she retired 20 years later.
Irma never wavered in her love and devotion to her husband and her sons. She was able to instil in her children a desire to follow in their parents' career path, as both boys would later join the RCMP.
Irma always put others first and truly cared about people, making friends wherever she went. Her name was a synonym of the words "gracious, caring and hospitable". She enjoyed meeting with the Ladies at their monthly Coffee Klatches and the annual Vets & Ladies Christmas dinners. She loved to walk and many people in the neighbourhood knew her because of that. She loved her flower gardens, cooking and baking and big family dinners. She paid attention to her extended family, staying in touch with siblings, nieces and nephews, no matter where they lived.
Irma embraced Teresa, her daughter-in-law as a long-awaited gift and the two would often talk several times a day. But most of all, she took great joy in spending quality time with each of her three grandchildren, Koby (18), Kristin (13) and Corbin (11). They in turn, could never get enough of Grandma Irma.
Irma passed away in the care of the Cascade Hospice in Chilliwack, BC on July 31, 2021 at the age of 78, bound for heaven to be with her Maker and to reunite with her parents and the five siblings who predeceased her.
She leaves to mourn her passing, her husband, Art, her son Paul (Teresa), her grandchildren Kristin and Corbin of Vernon, BC, her son Steve and grandson Koby of Vancouver, BC, a brother Art of Calgary, AB, a brother Otto (Karen) of Red Deer, AB and a sister Hilda of Calgary, AB, as well as many extended family members and friends.
Irma leaves a huge void that simply cannot be filled; however, her influence and legacy is certainly evident in the lives of her children and grandchildren.
A special thank you to Dr. Basson, Dr. Galbraith, Dr. Enns, and the many nurses and staff of the Abbotsford Cancer Centre, the Chilliwack Hospital and the Cascade Hospice.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Chilliwack Hospice Society would be appreciated. www.chilliwackhospice.org/donate.
The celebration will take place on August 6, 2022 upstairs at the Chilliwack Curling Club: 45550 Spadina Avenue, Chilliwack, BC from 1pm - 4pm.
We welcome all that knew Irma and would like to celebrate her life along with us. Light refreshments will be served.