Marcia Vaune Jocelyn Kran

Early on the morning of January 17th, we lost a wife, a sister, a cousin and a friend. Marcia was born in the small farming community of Morris, Manitoba to Emil and Esther Kran where she lived until graduating high school.

From there she moved to Winnipeg where she studied at the University of Manitoba and received her law degree. During this time, she met Luis Molina, the love of her life, and they quickly became an inseparable pair for more than 45 years.

Marcia’s studies in Canada and abroad led her to a career spanning more than 4 decades dedicated to defending and advancing human rights. She held positions in several corners of the globe including Geneva, Vienna, Phnom Penh, Budapest, Bratislava and Bangkok, many of them with the United Nations. After her 2013 retirement and move to West Vancouver she was nominated by the Canadian Government and elected to the United Nations Human Rights Committee which she served on for 8 years.

In 2005 Marcia received the Walter S. Tarnopolsky Prize for an outstanding contribution to international human rights. In 2006 she was given a Celebrated Alumnus Award from the University of Manitoba Facility of Arts and in 2020 was appointed to the Order of Canada as an officer for her contributions to the advancements of international human rights and development and for her steadfast advocacy of democratic governance. Three days prior to her death a phone call came from the president of the University of Manitoba advising her she was receiving an honorary doctorate there.

We are heartbroken by the loss of our beautiful Marcia, a truly kind, caring and wise soul who lived her life with grace, empathy and sincerity and was an inspiration to so many. She had a keen inquisitive mind, unending passion for and dedication to her work along with a great joie de vivre. She and Luis travelled far and wide together over the years sharing numerous adventures, many with their darling Westie Casper.

Marcia is survived by her husband, Luis Molina and sister Janice (Hans Jonckheere) as well as numerous cousins and countless friends worldwide. May you rest in peace dear Marcia and know you live on in all your good works and in the hearts and minds of those who love you.

The family extends our sincere gratitude and thanks to the doctors and nursing staff who cared for and helped in her fierce battle with Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, especially those in the Oncology and Palliative Care wards of Lions Gate Hospital.

A memorial will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the BC Cancer Agency or Lions Gate Hospital Foundation.