Mildred Caroline Ross (Dice) ~ June 20, 1922 - July 24, 2013
Mildred passed away suddenly at St. Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver. She was predeceased by parents Samuel and Eva Dice, son William Samuel Ross (Bill) in 1968, husband G. Alexander Ross (Alex) in 1990, brothers Gordon (Sam) in 1968 and William Dice (Bill) in 2006.
Mildred is survived by daughters Carol (Terry) Foort, Betty-Jane (Jim) Harding from Courtenay BC, son Gordon (Nyla) Ross, grandchildren Kim (Brett) Carlson from Coldstream, Donald (Michelle) Foort, Teri-lyn (Dave) Davidge of MacKenzie, Ron (Sherrie) Foort of Duncan, Bill Harding from Vancouver, Eva Harding from Courtenay, Chris (Kim) Harding from Cumberland, Gaye Ross, Alec Ross from Vancouver, great-granddaughter Ayzia Carlson from Coldstream, Courtenay and Autum Foort, brother Jack (Alice) Dice and sister-in-law Betty Dice as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Mildred was born and raised in Powell River, living her entire 91 years in a place she loved. Her first home was in the Townsite in the lot above the Old Courthouse Inn, then on to Maple Avenue where she spent her school years. She was active in the CGIT and volunteered for the Canadian Red Cross. She worked at Kip Taylor’s Soda shop and that is where she met Alex. Mildred Alex in 1946. They moved onto Willow Avenue where she raised her family of four children, giving them the best of life. Through those years she spent her time volunteering for the Parent Teacher Association, cubs, scouts, cadets and any other organization the children decided to join. She enjoyed knitting as a pastime and gave all her family a basket of slippers to warm their feet while she warmed their hearts.
Mildred gave much to her community and devoted her life to giving to others. She became a member of the Powell River Health-Care Auxiliary and worked continually for the past 30 years. She did many jobs within their organization throughout her years but the greatest reward was the people she met along her journey. In 1993 Mildred moved to the new mobile home park where she worked tirelessly to keep her home beautiful and gardens welcoming for all who came to visit. She held many great parties and birthday celebrations at her home that she loved so much.
Everyone is invited to share in the celebration of Mildred’s life at 2 pm Sunday, August 18, 2013 at Powell River Town Centre Hotel. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Mildred’s name to the Powell River Health-Care Auxiliary, 5000 Joyce Avenue, Powell River BC, V8A 5R3, Attn: In Memoriam, or BC Heart and Stroke Foundation, Donations Department, 1212 West Broadway, BC, V6H 3V2.
Jasper Solo Mohan
Jasper Solo died in the late evening of July 10, 2013 at the age of 15. He was at Canuck Place hospice, the window was open and a breeze brought in the scents of the garden. His parents, Barbra and Stephen Mohan never left his side, as promised.
Jasper packed a lot of life into 15 years. Born June 12, 1998 in Victoria, BC, he lived aboard a sailboat and successfully battled cancer before the age of two. After a few years in Calgary, he moved to Powell River and enjoyed a true “boy’s life,” commuting by rowboat from Sevilla Island and exploring the Copeland Islands with his good friend Zach. A friend to all and a leader, he could usually be found singing loudly and he loved to play and invent games. He had the opportunity to travel to England, Hawaii, Tennessee, Oregon, Washington and much of BC and Alberta and was planning to visit France, Italy and Japan. He could read a novel in a sitting and thus was extraordinarily well-read enjoying classics, poetry, adventure, sci-fi and steam-punk. Also a talented writer of poetry, prose and fiction, he leaves many works unfinished. He was proud of our family’s sailboat project, the Carlotta and was a crack sailor in his own right. He was always developing new interests and accomplished much on his goal-list, but more importantly, never stopped adding to it even though he knew he was dying.
Jasper leaves us all behind, but then he always did. If you met him, you knew his intellect surpassed us all. Cousins Coen and Lauchlan said he was the best cousin ever, a “100 out of 100.” Uncles Ryan, Nigel, Roger and Auntie Melanie will miss his computer and video-game prowess, appreciation of all things LEGO and Star Wars, and of art, science and nature. Grandparents Susan Mohan of Qualicum Beach and Fie and Willem Hulsker of Calgary will remember him for the times he spent with them using the full force of his grand imagination, his strong voice, stubborn will and sharp tongue, scintillating conversation on any topic and time spent sailing, submerged in sand or in the kitchen.
And the rest…extended family, friends in the musical, medical, school, swimming, library, and sailing communities and all the friends he never met but whose lives he touched through his recent experience with cancer. Perhaps the worst loss is for the world—which will never benefit from his realized potential, which may have just as easily been theatrical performance, as theoretical physics, as computer engineering, jazz composition, politics, creative writing, international aid, fatherhood, Olympic sailing or teaching. So remember him and what he may have become and let it make you better and live more fully, and don’t worry about him because he’s okay now—he finally gets to see what a molecule looks like from the inside.
Come and join our celebration of Jasper’s life at 10 am at Evangel Pentecostal Church on Saturday, September 14. He was planning a garden at our new place, so you can contribute flowers by donating in his name to Mother Nature or Springtime Garden Centre. He supported Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, Ronald McDonald House of BC, BC Children’s Hospital and advocated donating blood. Remember him by doing the same if you like.