Maida Emilce Foucher

On the morning of April 02, 2025, Maida Emilce Foucher passed away surrounded by her loving family due to stage 4 gallbladder cancer in the Palliative care unit at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, Nanaimo, British Columbia. Maida was 57 years old, born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras to Frank and Mercedes Nowotny, November 06, 1967, though she spent most of her life in British Columbia.

Maida worked many jobs, most notably, seasonally working in a greenhouse preparing floral baskets for the busy spring season and her main job working in a care home for those affected by dementia.

Over the years she was recognized to be extremely caring, charismatic and a friend to many in the workplace. Besides working to support her family, she spent her days being a loving mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend.

Maida was an extremely strong woman and considered to be the “glue” within her family. She raised two daughters to be the beautiful, caring, smart and strong young women that they are today. She was always calling her mother, Mercedes who she became a translator for or taking her out to do things to ensure she had everything she needed. Maida hosted every holiday possible and planned as many other family get togethers that she could. She also spent plenty of her time visiting her mother-in-law Shirley Foucher at her retirement home and keeping up with her many friends.

Maida has been described by many to have a wide and varied music taste that she could show off her moves to, to have a great sense of humour, a contagious smile, and a big heart, as well as being an excellent gardener and cook.

Even after receiving her diagnosis, Maida was ensuring the well being of her family any way she could until mere days before her passing, including surrounding them by her wonderful friends that could provide support, giving people orders to take care of each other and comforting them by telling them everything was going to be okay or just simply wiping their tears.

To give an example of how special Maida was to the people in her life, her family and friends dropped everything to put together a double wedding after finding out her diagnosis in just three days to ensure she could experience both of her daughters walking down the aisle.

Maida was a beautiful woman with a soul that will continue to touch the hearts of many for the rest of their years and will never be forgotten. Her impact on her loved ones will be cherished forever.

Maida is preceded by her father Frank Nowotny. She is survived by her mother Mercedes Nowotny, her husband Bernie Foucher, her sister Marie Di Sibio (children Natalia and Alexa), her brother Stan Novotny (wife Joan, child Neve), her daughters Kelsey Manahan and Anika Ockey, and her dog Django.