HILIA INEZ HONKANEN

1918 – 2019

 

HONKANEN, Hilia Inez (nee Huttunen), age 101, passed away peacefully at Rockyview Hospital in Calgary, Alberta, on November 13, 2019 and is now with her Lord.  She was born in Radway, Alberta on October 1, 1918.  She was predeceased by her husband Vaino and daughter Linda and her five siblings. 

She will be lovingly remembered by her children Daren, Neil (Laurie), Roy (Leah), Ina (Bruce) MacNicol; grandchildren Michelle, Colette (Lewis), Julie (Ryan), Dan (Shelley), Alecia (Stephen), Kahle (Elijah), Rory (Eka), Lana (Billy Joel); and 19 great-grandchildren. 

Hilia married Vaino Honkanen in Vancouver in 1943 and lived at a logging camp on Vancouver Island for a couple of years.  They then moved to the small farm on Shutty Bench near Kaslo, BC where they raised their five children.

Mom loved to work with her hands and excelled at anything she set her mind to. She especially loved sewing, quilting, and won many awards for her ceramics. Her great grandchildren – who affectionately referred to her as “GG” (great grandmother) – will remember her thoughtfulness in always giving them sweets whenever she saw them.

She will be remembered for her no-nonsense attitude towards life and she attributed her excellent health for most of her life to being physically active. 

A Celebration of Life will be held in Calgary later in the spring 2020.

Her family would like to thank the staff at Shouldice Lodge for their kindness and the medical staff at Rockyview Hospital for their excellent care. Donations in her memory to the Heart and Stroke Foundation would be much appreciated.