Hope Cecilia Hyslop Rogers

Hope was born in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and spent her early childhood in the Maritimes and Northern Ontario before her parents, Craig and Ruth Hyslop, moved with Hope, her sister Marion, and her brother Allen to Calgary in 1948, where her brothers Andrew and Mark were later born.

Gifted with a sharp mind and an early love of ideas and debate, Hope earned her BA from the University of New Brunswick in 1963 and graduated from UBC Law in 1966 as one of only three women in her class.

She moved to Kamloops to article and was called to the bar there in 1967. Specializing in family law, she quickly earned a reputation as the person you wanted on your side. In 1970, she married the love of her life, David Rogers. When David became a quadriplegic after a motorcycle accident in 1986, Hope became his strongest advocate and unwavering partner until his death in 2000.

Over the course of her career, Hope worked in several law firms before becoming a sole practitioner. Her practice expanded over time, and she mentored many young lawyers—several of whom later became judges. She was a founder of Legal Aid in Kamloops and was recognized with the designation of Queen’s Counsel. Hope was appointed to the judiciary in 2003 and later to the Supreme Court of British Columbia in 2009, serving with integrity, intellect, and a steadfast sense of justice until retiring in 2017. She then joined the Faculty of Law at Thompson Rivers University, where she continued to mentor and inspire future lawyers until stepping back in 2023.

A lifelong lover of horses—as well as dogs and cats—Hope was an avid equestrian and a cherished presence in her community. She cared deeply about wildlife and water stewardship and participated actively in the Barnhartvale Horse and Hikers Society and the Campbell Creek Water Users Community. Hope followed politics and the economy with relish and took delight in pursuits as varied as carpentry, art, and gardening.

Hope’s generosity was quiet but immense, touching countless people. Known for her open-door policy, her homes in Barnhartvale and on the Shuswap were places of warmth, laughter, great conversation, and spirited debate.

Hope was fiercely loyal to, and immensely proud of, her siblings, her nieces and nephews, and her step-children. She will be greatly missed.

Mark, Margaret, Allen, Leslie-Anne, and longtime lawyer friend and “soup buddy,” Ken, were instrumental in supporting her during her brief illness. Hope died peacefully at home, surrounded by family.

The family extends their deepest thanks to her devoted care aides from We Kare (Vernon, BC), to Dr. Paul Farrell, and to the Interior Health palliative care team at Royal Inland Hospital. They also gratefully acknowledge the steadfast support of Linda; Jan and Ken; Gene and Joanne; Ted; Donna; Dan; Yvette; and Shirley.

A celebration of Hope’s life will be held in the spring of 2026. In lieu of flowers or cards, donations may be made to a charity of choice.