We are sad to announce the passing of Ingrid Waltraud Kiss, a wonderful mother of two boys and sister of two remaining siblings. With her two sons at her side, on the afternoon of Saturday, May 11, 2019, at the West Coast General Hospital in Port Alberni, Ingrid took her last breath. Ingrid was 77 years of age.
Predeceased by her husband Mike Kiss; sister Ruth Heitland; nephew Walter Heitland and parents Anna and Alois Gehring. Survived by her sons James and Roy Kiss of Port Alberni, BC; siblings Helga Gehring of Copenhagen, Denmark and Kurt (Heidi) Gehring of Port Alberni, BC; niece Karen Gehring and her son Jack of London, England; nephews Arne Gehring of Switzerland, Gordon Heitland of Port Alberni, BC and Glen Heitland of Port Alberni, BC.
Ingrid was born in Singen, Germany, a small southern city near the German-Swiss border on October 16, 1941. Ingrid spent her young adult life working in a wool factory in Switzerland as a lab technician helping to test and design new threads of wool. She would catch a train from Germany to Switzerland daily for years. In her leisure time she enjoyed swimming in the Boden See.
In 1961, she met Miklos Kiss and they married in 1962. By 1966 she and Mike immigrated to Canada and settled in Port Alberni, BC, where her brother Kurt had already arrived. Here they raised two boys. In 1969 after attending the gospel tent ministries, through the Lathom Road Gospel Hall, Ingrid accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her personal Savior. In 1972 Ingrid became a Canadian citizen.
Ingrid worked in retail and in the Home Fashion show industry, working for Le JAME Fashion and also Chandele, winning top sales agent many years in a row. In 1984 after Mike suffered a massive heart attack and had to take early retirement, Ingrid supported her family by turning her passion for natural remedies into a business: the Alberni Health Market.
Above all, Ingrid was a dedicated Mother and Wife. Everything she did was for her sons and husband. She helped her son Roy start a wholesale distribution health supplement company (Natural Balance) which sold to health stores across Canada.
Diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2004 after her husband’s passing, mom continued working both the store and helping in the wholesale business until symptoms worsened. In 2016, Ingrid was diagnosed with lung cancer, despite never having smoked a day in her life. Mom never really retired and helped with bookkeeping up until two days before her passing.
Ingrid had a great love for the Lord, she enjoyed going to church, loved animals and nature, enjoyed skiing (in her younger days), swimming in Sproat lake, walking and painting with water colors.
A funeral will be held on Thursday, May 23 at 11:00 am at Chapel of Memories, 4005 6th Ave, Port Alberni, BC, with burial to follow at Greenwood Cemetery
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