Patricia Hesketh

We would like to celebrate the fabulous and inspirational life of our beloved Mum and Grandmother, Patricia Hesketh. Born in Wallasey, Cheshire (now Merseyside), England, on September 21, 1932, she peacefully passed away at home in Vernon, BC, on July 8, 2025, at the age of 92. Patricia lived a life full of joy, laughter, courage, adventure, romance, spirituality, faith, love, and service. What was truly remarkable about Patricia was her ability to live life to the fullest with an unwavering positive attitude.

She was predeceased by her parents, Evelyn and Thomas Blundell; her husband, Bill Hesketh; her brother, Peter Blundell; her eldest son, Dave Hesketh; her companion, Peter Tassie; and many other family members and friends. She is survived by her sons, Steven (Eileen) and Mark (Karin), and her daughter-in-law, Diana (Mike), along with her grandchildren, Samantha (Collins), Jordan, James, Tyler (Emma), Jason (Hayley), Sara, Ryan, Dylan and great grandson, Levi.

At the age of 7, Patricia experienced the outbreak of World War II when her school was bombed, leading to evacuations to the countryside and significant trauma. Post war, she thrived in sports and academics, eventually landing a job at the Cunard building on the Liverpool waterfront. Although her life seemed perfect, she felt restless. After a visit with a psychic, she broke off her engagement and emigrated to Canada in search of a “short and stocky” man and a new life. She ultimately met our dad in Vancouver, and he certainly fit the bill. Despite being engaged, she took a week for herself to reflect, realizing she was marrying not just Dad, but the country. Dad was never more scared. When she returned, she was all in, and she never looked back.

They raised three boys, initially in North Vancouver and later in Vernon after Dad was transferred to the Okanagan to expand John Howard Society’s services. Initially unsure about the small-town life, Mom quickly grew to love it, thanks to the supportive community of the United Church. After a family meeting in which we all needed to step up our game in house chores, Patricia returned to work as an administrative assistant at School District 22. Our biggest concern during that time was the supply of home-baked goods!

In retirement, Mum and Dad traveled the world and loved their time at their custom-built waterfront home on the west side of Okanagan Lake, north of Fintry. Eventually they relocated to Vernon at Gracelands, where she lived independently until her final days. She continued to travel with her partner (thanks, Donna!) up until last year, demonstrating her strength and “can-do” attitude by overcoming any obstacle. She even managed to ride a camel at age 90 while in Morocco!

Throughout her life and especially in her later years, Patricia faced numerous losses but taught us not to let those experiences define or defeat us. Her deep faith and spirituality inspired her to strive to be her best self. We will dearly miss her wisdom and guidance as our Blundell-Hesketh matriarch, but we are forever grateful for the many memories we shared.

She truly was fantastic!

Patricia’s celebration of life will be held at Trinity United Church, Vernon, BC, at 1 PM on Friday, July 18th, followed by a reception. We invite you to join us in honoring her memory if you can. Charitable donations in lieu of flowers to Alzheimer.ca, Rotary.org or the charity of your choice.