Delmer Jacob Haggkvist

Delmer (Del) Jacob Haggkvist, 78, of Vernon, BC, passed away December 13, 2025, at North Okanagan Hospice House. He was born April 29, 1947, in Mission, BC, the son of the late Holger and Fern (Workes) Haggkvist.

Although his dream was to be a rancher, Del was a carpenter for most of his life and somewhat of a jack-of-all-trades. His many skills enabled him to always provide a comfortable home for his family, and he enjoyed nothing more than to work alongside his sons, passing along his skills while helping them to either renovate their homes or build new ones. He was a gadget man! Whether it was a new tool or an app that would control his lights, you could be sure Del had the latest. He was a lifelong member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, where he not only contributed to the worship services, but also put his carpentry skills to good use in a variety of projects.

Del also enjoyed gold panning and mining, bird watching, striking up a conversation with East Indians just to hear them speak (he loved their accents), eating Greek salad, and traveling to Japan, China, Korea, Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, St Maarten, Antigua, Anguilla, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Italy, 9 Canadian provinces, 1 territory, and over 25 US states.

Those left behind to cherish his memory include his wife of 56 years, Audrey; sons Troy (Roxanne), Kerry, and Jason (Chie); grandchildren Justin Kamata, Adelaide Haggkvist and Jin Fu; brothers Earl (Shirley) and Don (Jean); sister Marion von Unruh; sisters-in-law Geri Polanchek and Eileen Cicon; and brother-in-law Warren Doering. He is also survived by an aunt and several cousins, nieces and nephews, as well as many cherished friends, all who will remember him fondly and miss him deeply.

A celebration of life will be held on April 18, 2026 at 3 pm at the Vernon Seventh-day Adventist Church. In lieu of flowers, the family would be grateful for donations to either the ALS Society of BC; North Okanagan Hospice Society; or a charity that you hold dear to your heart.