Vi, as she preferred to be called, was born in Toronto, Ontario and spend the first 20 years of her life there. She travelled frequently with her parents, several times to England to visit relatives and various destinations in the US. The family spent summers on the coast of Maine and travelled to the Grand Canyon.
Vi married John Huffman in September 1941. He soon joined the Air Force and they started their travelling life. Two daughters, Sandra and Joan were born in Toronto. World War 2 was over before John finished his pilot training with the RCAF, but he decided to make it his career.
As a young family they lived in Singapore and England. After a few years Vi was homesick for Canada and her family, so the family travelled by ocean liner back to Canada. They settled in Toronto and later Manitoba where they saw the arrival of their first son. After many more moves throughout Canada, their youngest child Robert was born in Vancouver.
With John’s retirement from the Air Force in 1965, he and Vi and the two boys settled by Shuswap Lake in Sorrento. Vi became very active in St. Mary’s Church for many years. She played the organ for services and weddings, supplied flowers for the altar and always supported rummage sales and other fundraisers.
Vi loved the Girl Guide movement, especially Brownies, and was a leader then district commissioner for many years.
After the boys were raised, John and Vi spent winters in Arizona, exploring miles of roads in their motorhome. They enjoyed escaping the snow and cold! Vi’s involvement with the church diminished at this time but she still brought back quarts of inexpensive vanilla from Mexico to sell at the spring fair.
In 2001 the family was saddened by the loss of Joan from cancer. John died in Tucson, Arizona in 2005. Following his passing, Vi lived for a time in Salmon Arm. As her needs increased and she needed long term care, she came to Prince George where her daughter Sandra lives. Vi always enjoyed being around people and was much loved by her caregivers.
Vi was a loving wife for 64 years and a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She enjoyed people, socializing, games and made many friends in her travels. She will be sadly missed by daughter Sandra Hepburn, son Bob Huffman, 7 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held at St. Mary’s Church, Sorrento on April 19 at 1:30 pm. Light refreshments to be served following the service.