Ingrid Kangasniemi

Ingrid was born in the Aspudden, Stockholm Sweden August 13, 1926 to Maria and Johan Jansson. Her father passed away when she was 12 in 1938 and her mother passed away in 1970. She is predeceased by her sister Karin, brother Kalle and 2 half-sisters by her mother, Marta and Astrid. Ingrid is survived by her husband Pentti, her 100 year-old sister Anna-Lisa, sons Bengt (Susan), Peter (Sarah), Dennis and grandchildren Mark, Eric, Adara and Ariel (fiancé, Geoff Cardy). Ingrid was a kind and gentle soul, never seeking to be the centre of attention but always attentive to friends and family around her.

Ingrid grew up in “Lövhyddan”, a house in Aspudden provided by the nearby sawmill company for their workers which they shared with a few single men who live upstairs. Her first job was in a nearby picture frame shop and later in pharmacy in Liljeholmen. Sometimes she would promenade around the Stockholm harbour with her girlfriends catching the attention of American sailors in port and would join then for a stroll but was not ready for further steps. Later she travelled to Mariehamn, Åland (an island halfway between Sweden and Finland) with her girlfriend and met Pentti, a young Finnish apprentice watchmaker. Ingrid returned to Åland again the following year to meet Pentti after he finished his 1 year military service. Pentti soon moved to Stockholm and they were married in 1951 and moved in with her mother in Lövhyddan. Shortly afterwards their first son Bengt arrived. After a long wait for public housing they were assigned their own apartment a few years later. Pentti travelled to Canada in August 1956 after receiving exciting news from his brother Heikki who had moved to Canada from Finland, that Calgary was a great place to get work and make good money. Their sister Hilkka and mother Laura had already immigrated from Finland several years earlier. By January 1957 Ingrid with their 6 year-old son Bengt flew to Montreal and took the train to Calgary to reunite the family. Ingrid soon got a job working in the kitchen at La Maisonette, an exclusive European style restaurant, and Pentti got a job at Birks as a watchmaker. Together they began saving for their future and bought their first house for $12,000 in 1959. Ingrid had her second son Peter in 1959 and her third son Dennis in 1962. By 1967 they bought a small watch and clock shop in the Chinook Shopping Centre.

The business soon grew into a larger jewellery store known as Jewels by Kangas. Ingrid took care of the books and helped with hiring staff, ordering inventory and serving customers as the business grew rapidly, all the while raising 3 rambunctious boys. In 1972 they moved to an acreage south of Calgary known as Pine Meadows where they had a few horses, cattle and their beloved dogs. They sold their business and Pine Meadows, retired and moved to Victoria on Vancouver Island in 1980 and designed and had their dream house built in Metchosin before downsizing in 1990 to a home in Cadboro Bay. Together they enjoyed many adventures on their sailboat… racing, cruising the Gulf Islands and circumnavigating Vancouver Island. Later on Ingrid preferred to travel by RV. They took trips throughout BC, Alberta, California and once all the way to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. They returned to Europe several times to visit Ingrid’s family in Sweden and Pentti’s family in Finland. Her favorite times were family meals, exploring nature, tending the flowers in her garden and attending many Victoria Swedish Club events with her friend Christina Wallin and her family. Ingrid kept in touch with her Swedish nieces and nephews Monica, Rolf, Sylvia and Per. In Canada, she was an Aunt to Pentti’s sister’s 5 children, Marlow, Nadine, LaRae, Deanne and Denise and his brother’s 2 sons, Timo and Ian.

After Ingrid suffered a stroke in 2015 Ingrid and Pentti sold their house and moved to Somerset House in 2016, an independent living facility, where they lived together for 4 years. Following a hip fracture, Ingrid moved extended care in June 2020, while Pentti stayed at Somerset House. This was a very difficult time for Ingrid as it was at the peak of the COVID related lockdowns when no visitors were allowed initially only gradually opening up to visitors over the coming 12 months. Ingrid experienced a second hip fracture in July 2022 from which she never fully recovered and passed away from pneumonia month later. Despite the hardships associated with COVID restrictions and her reduced mobility Ingrid was able to share many heartfelt moments with friends and family members, reliving memories, enjoying music and sharing meals. Thank you to staff of Mount St Mary for the kindness and professionalism in caring for Ingrid. Ingrid will be laid to rest in the Royal Oak Burial Park, Victoria.