Audrey Anne Hopkins

On August 22, 2016, Anne passed away peacefully at the Royal Jubilee Hospital, Victoria, B.C. Anne was born in Outlook, Saskatchewan to Dr. A. G. Hopkins and Mrs. Edith Hopkins on January 18, 1915.

Anne grew up on the farm, “The Heights,” near Surbiton, Saskatchewan. She studied Grades 9, 10, and 11 by correspondence and then attended Central Collegiate, Moose Jaw for Grade 12. Anne took her Grade Nine ATCM and Grade Two Theory. She was a month late starting Grade 12 because she was needed at home to help with the threshing. In 1937, she went into training at the Vancouver General Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in 1940. She worked in maternity for a year.

In 1941, she joined the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corp and was loaned to the South African Nursing Service. She went to South Africa in 1942 and returned to Canada in 1943 and re-entered RCAMC. In 1944 she was posted to England and Europe; returning to Canada in 1946. At this time, she signed on to the permanent force. Anne took Public Health at McGill University from 1952 - 1953. She was posted to Calgary where she did Public Health for a couple of years and then to Edmonton as Regional Matron. She retired from the RCAMC in 1961 to Vancouver.

The next position she worked in was that of Assistant Director at Peach Arch Hospital in White Rock, B.C. In late 1969, Anne moved to St. Mary’s at Sechelt, residing there for a couple of years before moving to Victoria. While she lived at Sechelt, Anne took the real estate course enabling her to work at that for over a year in Victoria. Following this job, she took the position as Matron of the Beacon Hill Retirement Home in Victoria until 1980. Anne volunteered for the Red Cross at the blood donor clinic in Victoria for 15 years. She was on the Board of the Homemakers Association for six years.

Anne was an avid gardener, growing vegetables and flowers. She was active in Church work and enjoyed reading and walking. She was very knowledgeable about holistic medicine, especially in the area of vitamins and herbs. She set an excellent example for exercise and diet. She enjoyed retirement in Victoria.

Anne was predeceased by her parents; her brothers Leonard (Sadie), George (Zelma), Geoffrey (Elizabeth), Jack; sisters, Dorothy, Helen (Frank), Gladys (Harry), Phyllis (Clifford), Margery, and Betty (Amos). She leaves to mourn sister-in-law Jean Hopkins (Jack), numerous nieces and nephews, and special friend and caregiver, Judy Parker.

A memorial service for Anne will be held on Saturday, October 15, 2016 at 10 am at First Memorial Garden of Memories, 4725 Falaise Dr., Saanich (Victoria).