Florence Belle Walker

Florence Belle Walker (nee Dagg) was born September 8, 1929 in Tisdale, Saskatchewan and died peacefully and on her own terms, on November 15, 2016 in Victoria BC. She is predeceased by her parents Ethel May and William Allen Dagg, step father George Booth, sister Dorothy Semple and daughter Alayne Evans. She is survived by her son Allen Walker, her 2 daughters, Sandy Evans (Timothy Brown), Beth Evans (John Christie), granddaughter Cody Evans, her brother Gordon Dagg and many cousins, nieces and nephews in the Dagg and Booth families.

The Dagg family moved from Tisdale to Flin Flon, Manitoba in the 1930’s. Here, Florence excelled in school and extra-curricular activities. She was the president of the Collegiate Debating Society in high school winning many debates and trophies. She graduated with the Governor’s General Medal and was the first female to win the Hudson’s Bay Mining and Smelting (HBM&S) Scholarship, which she used towards the nursing courses she took at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon.

Florence returned to Flin Flon, and in 1950, married Douglas Evans. She worked for 6 years in the personnel department of HBM&S until she and Doug decided to resume their studies. Instead of enrolling in an institution close by, she and Doug headed to Mexico City where they happily lived the life of the poor student for a year. They moved back to Flin Flon and started their family in 1960, when they adopted their daughters, Sandy and in 1962, Beth. In 1967 Florence decided to finish her degree, this time studying in Winnipeg. She graduated in 1969 with a Bachelor of Home Economics from the University of Manitoba. She was the only married and very pregnant student. Allen, was born, in Flin Flon, shortly after graduation.

Florence worked at the Flin Flon General Hospital in the Hospital Laundry Management Services until 1972, when as a single parent, she moved the family to Winnipeg to head up the Laundry Department at Holy Family Nursing Home. She married Bill (William) Walker in 1974 and while juggling family and working full-time, she also completed a diploma in Business Administration, Materials Management and Labour Relations. In 1979, with that same fearlessness and determination, she again packed up the family and moved to Victoria, BC where she had accepted the position of Hospital Administration Consultant with the Province of BC. She worked as part of a team, as an inspector and consultant in the organization and management of health care facilities with special emphasis on laundry and housekeeping services to ensure efficient operation and high quality patient care. This job entailed travelling throughout the province, which she loved and did for the next 25+ years.

Although she was passionate about her work, she also enjoyed the symphony and theatre. She had a great love of animals, especially cats, and adopted several from the BC SPCA over the years.

She retired from the Public Services Commission in 1995. Not one to be idle, she became actively involved and later President of the Vancouver Island Strata Owners Association.

In 2007 she decided that she was ready for the Senior Adult Living Lifestyle and moved into Ross Place. Always the advocate, over the next few years she enjoyed serving on a variety of different building committees with resident food quality being one of her top priorities! When not advocating she could often be found reading and spending time with her cat and son Allen.

She found her separation from her daughters and only grandchild hard, but visited rarely, as she wasn’t interested in returning to the ‘land of the cold’. She was very proud of her granddaughter, who is a competitive swimmer and took as many opportunities as she could to watch her compete in swim competitions in BC. Even as she became less mobile, if she was determined to see her there was no stopping her.

Florence will be sadly missed by her family but we know that she is being welcomed by her father, mother, sister, daughter, many friends, relatives and all of her Pet family that she took care of over the years!

A Memorial will be held November 30th, 1:30 pm at St. Luke’s Church 3821 Cedar Hill Cross Road, Victoria. In lieu of flowers please donate to: BC SPCA Victoria Branch www.spca.bc.ca.