Corrie Maria Yewchin

Nee: Cornelia Maria van Diemen

Sept 5, 1932- Dec 6, 2021

The family of Corrie Yewchin is sad to announce the passing of their sister and aunt in the early hours of Dec 6.

She leaves 5 siblings Trudy of Kamloops, Henry (Meghan) Grand Forks, Cathy (Gary) Keremeos, Hans (Lorna) Kaslo, John (Deb) Kamloops, step-daughter Darlene (Bill) Nanaimo, and recently widowed sister in law Verita of Kamloops, as well as numerous nieces and nephews to mourn her passing.

Predeceased by her husband Michael, Ria (Joe), Peter (Nel), Leona, Ann, Case, and Margaret.

Corrie was born in the Mijdrecht, the Netherlands, the oldest of 12 children. In April of 1953 the entire family boarded the immigrant ship “the Groote Beer” and sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to Nova Scotia’s Pier 21, eventually to Keremeos where they began their new life in Canada.

Corrie (at 23) moved to the lower mainland and worked at St. Paul’s Hospital for a time as well as being a Domestic Maid. Corrie was a hard working, energetic and fine lady. She had a very generous heart. One year upon arriving back home in Keremeos for Christmas she was horribly dismayed to discover that she had brought the wrong suitcase with her. The one in hand was full of wool for knitting and not the gifts that she had wanted to give her younger siblings.

Corrie married Michael Yewchin in Nov 1964 and they worked and lived in the lower mainland for many years in Super Valu where Mike was a meatcutter. They decided to leave the rain behind and move to dry Ashcroft where they owned and operated a motel and an apartment building as well as becoming Amway distributors. Michael was the Mayor of Ashcroft for a time & they enjoyed some travel & embraced the lifestyle that this small community offered. Michael fished the Thompson River and Corrie gardened to her hearts content. She was very proud of her fruit trees, roses and vegetables that they had. She was part of the Ladies Auxiliary to the Ashcroft Hospital, she learned Tai Chi with then neighbours Ed (deceased) & Barb and in the winter she was part of a curling team. Michael’s pet name for her was “the Warden” and we all knew why, she ran a tight ship.

Michael passed away in Aug 1998 and Corrie remained in their home until April 2007. She moved to Kamloops to Cottonwood Manor, then to Berwick on the Park and eventually because of Alzheimer’s disease became a resident of Ridgeview Lodge in March 2014.

Corrie loved to travel. She visited the Netherlands, China, The Holy Land, traveled across Canada by train, cruised to Alaska, enjoyed the warmth of Hawaii etc.

Many thanks to Dr. S. Lawrie, her special friend Tara and Ridgeview staff for their care.

Corrie’s remains will rest with Mike in Ashcroft and the family plans to hold a Celebration of life in April or May.

Please give if you can, to the Alzheimer’s society to help find a cure.