Olive Mary Kloepfer

Olive Mary Kloepfer (nee Sultan), loved by a close family and many friends, died peacefully on the morning of May 28, 2024.

Olive lived a long, active, rich life, full of friends, family, travel and adventure. Olive Mary always had a lot of energy, optimism and enthusiasm for life. She nurtured and maintained many friendships with her loyalty and generosity. She loved to entertain and host family and friends with her beloved husband Victor – who passed away in 2008. They shared their love of travel with their children Susan, Jay and Tony, their spouses Rick, Mary, Merryn and Ann - and every family member including her eight grandchildren has great memories of shared travel experiences. One of Olive’s greatest achievements was to engage the family in skiing, which became a life-long love for the entire family and a terrific bond. Her interest in music, the performing and visual arts is another legacy for her family.

Olive was a voracious reader throughout her life and set a terrific example for her kids. She belonged to several book groups for many years, relishing the friendship and the stimulating conversation. Olive was an avid movie buff since she was a young girl, with an encyclopedic knowledge of films and movie stars. She could also impress her kids’ friends with her knowledge of current pop culture.

Olive and her husband Vic enjoyed a very active life, and she was an avid golfer, skier, cyclist and hiker for many years. Olive graduated from the University of Calgary with a bachelor's degree in Art History as an adult student in 1985. Her children were incredibly proud as she attended University at the same time as they did. She was a volunteer docent for many years, including at the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, and then at the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Olive grew up in South Calgary with her mother, father and brother Wally. She attended Western Canada High School where she excelled in the business program and earned a scholarship.

When she graduated from high school, her plan was to work and save money to travel and see the world. She began working at Husky Oil, where she met Victor Kloepfer. When he proposed after a short courtship, Olive told Victor she was not ready to get married just yet, she wanted to see the world. Victor promised he would show her the world. Victor married Olive in April 1957 at the ripe age of 19.

Victor kept his promise, and together they enjoyed a life filled with world travel and adventure. They traveled to 6 of the 7 continents, missing only Antarctica! Several of Olive’s favorites were Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Kenya, Malaysia, England, Italy, Egypt, and Hawaii. After Vic died, Olive continued to travel, with her art friends and her family.

In 1991 Olive and Vic moved to West Vancouver to fulfil a long-held desire to live close to the water and enjoy warmer winters while remaining in Canada. Olive was very active in clubs and groups and treasured the social and community engagement with Engineers Wives, the Catholic Women’s League (CWL), Newcomers, Rotary, and University Women’s Club.

Her children would say that Olive was most proud of her family, her friendships, and her many adventures.

To the end, Olive lived her life with a strong sense of purpose, always believing that she was fully capable of controlling or managing her own destiny/ happiness.

A funeral will be held at St. Anthony’s Church in West Vancouver on June 24. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation or volunteer some time to your favourite charity in Olive’s memory.