April Anne Beckwith

February 27, 1947 – September 22, 2023

April was born February 27, 1947 in New Westminster, British Columbia, to William (Bill) and Joan Wingrove. She grew up in Prot Coquitlam as part of the large, extended Wingrove family. In 1958 she was crowned May Queen in Port Coquitlam. She started school at Central Elementary and graduated from Port Coquitlam Secondary School. She went on to the University of British Columbia where she studied to become a teacher.

April was a dedicated teacher in the Port Coquitlam school district. She went above and beyond for her students. She loved teaching choir in her early years of her teaching career, and having her dad come in to talk about fire safety with her students. Many of her closest friends come from her early teaching years. She took on every day with so much energy and enthusiasm. She really came into her own when she start teaching children who were struggling with their learning. She was determined to find a way to help every child she taught. She also enjoyed team teaching with numerous colleagues over the years.

She had the chance to go on so many adventures. She travelled across the country and through part of the U.S. on a motorcycle and sailed through local B.C. waters in sailboats and power boats.

In 1986 she gave birth to her only child, Briana. Two years later she moved with her family to Stave Falls where she would live for the next 16 years. She loved the wilderness and the animals she got to see. She made many friends through volunteering with the Girl Guides and at the local dance school, Stave Falls Scottish Dancers.

In 2010 she took the trip of a lifetime to Europe with her daughter. She also got to travel to England and see her cousins and aunts and uncles. She had a wonderful time and saw many places she always wanted to see. She talked of that trip often.

In 2012 she retired from teaching. She took up walking in Heritage Park in Mission where she discovered a community of walkers and dogs. As was typical of her, she always knew the dog’s names before the people’s names, but she made many friends who she was close with until her death.

On August 20th, 2023, April suffered a massive stroke and was taken to Abbotsford Regional Hospital. She passed away peacefully September 22, 2023. Her family would like to thank the doctors, especially Dr. Jain, and the nurses who looked after April in her final days.

She is predeceased by her mother, Joan, and father, William, as well as her many aunts and uncles, including Aunt Doll, Auntie Anne, Auntie Meg, and Auntie Ede. She will be fondly remembered by her daughter, Briana, her many cousins including June, Jill, Susan, Helen, Claire, and Alison and their families, her nephews Colin and Jason and their families, and her numerous colleagues she worked with over her career.

In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to one of April’s favourite charities: the BCSPCA, the Fraser Valley Humane Society, the Canadian Wildlife Federation, the Marmot Recovery Foundation, Critter Care Wildlife Society, or Northern Lights Wildlife Society.