I had a man in my barber chair today that told me of Hillary‘s passing as I had no idea. He had helped her a great deal when she had done the masters cleanse years back which is when I met her for the first time. I received amazing bodywork from Hilarie which included a salt scrub and a hot bath filled with love and flowers it was an over the top experience. I was so delighted and I felt so cared for. It was shocking and very sad to hear of her passing. This evening as I was reflecting upon the connection pulling up to my home a rare James Bay bunny here on Montreal Street was right there this Easter Weekend. I have trust with love in my heart that Hilarie was resurrected into the most amazing mer version of herself. My deep condolences to her family and closest friends. Rest well dear, dear Hilarie you made the world a much brighter place💜  

Sitting  across from you, watching on this day as you smiled at me and I at you.
🙏

My beautiful baby girl, how I would love to hold you like this once again, and then you grew into a beautiful, talented, loving women. 🙏


My dearest daughter I am wishing you a very Merry Christmas were every you are .  ❤️ 🙏 😇

The little mermaid at two years old, loved to lay in the tub until all the water was gone. ❤️❤️



In our folklore ,it takes a loved one a year to complete the journey to the other side. The path we take is the milky way itself were we are joined and reunited with loved ones who have gone before us. Your journey is complete my dear friend. I love you Hilarie Ann. May you rest in peace dear goddess 🌻💛

Truth there are some things in this world that cannot be replaced ever. Hilarie was one of  those for me . 
You just try to carry on with this feeling of deep loss and the only thing that touches it this deep loss of you are my memories of you and what we shared . 
There is no replacing you nor my feelings for you ever .
Love Moray 

I think of Hilarie often. We were roommates in Vancouver and friends in the 90’s and reacquainted when she moved back to Victoria. 
We were roommates when she was pregnant with Jesse  and I admired her strength and compassion and am grateful for her friendship.

I visited her in The Queen Charlottes when Jesse was a baby and again and it changed me.
The Queen Charlottes is a beautiful place I may have never seen if she wasn’t living there.
A community full of wonderful kind and loving people who take care of one another.

Hilarie was a wonderful gift of a human to all who knew her and the world is a little darker without her light. 

Thank you Hilarie  for being in my life and 
teaching me so many things about love and life and compassion and kindness and creativity!

I hope you are at peace and know how much you are loved wherever you are with the angels and in the stars.

 Love love love to you. ❤️❤️❤️


Miss you Hilarie, just remembered our times on the matt at Aikido classes. It was nice training with you. You were well balanced and good at Aikido xoxo bless up,  wheresoever you be now❣🥰💕

Hilarie and I were roommates in Vancouver in the 90’s when she was pregnant with Jesse.
I went up to visit her in the Queen Charlottes when she was living there a couple of times and I loved it there.
We kept in touch off and on over the years and she was always such a beautiful creative person who inspired creativity and love all around her. She was one of the people that inspired  me to go to Emily Carr and get my degree in Fine Arts.
She passed 2 weeks after my mom and I still can’t believe she is gone. Shocking and very sad.
I hope her family and friends are healing from her loss especially her son Jesse. 
I’m so sorry she has left us and hope she has found peace. 

You dared to be different. So colorful and photogenic. I remember when you invited my son and I to attend your mermaid show. We sat at your table and you introduced us to your friends. You treated us like family.
  A star in her own right, now you can shine bright with all the other stars. Still look for you when I walk through the inner harbor. 
Love Vera


I was hillary lover for six yeas and we separate as she wanted a baby and I( was way too old for that having three kids of my own, we remained close friends


My deepest condolences to Hilarie's family and close friends. I'm so heart broken upon just hearing of this💔 I have many fond memories of Hilarie, she was one of the first people I met when I moved to Victoria way back in 1993 and we became friends as I also worked down at the causeway. Oh my dear Hilarie, you will be deeply missed by all the people that you touched,a truly kind soul. Until we meet again dear friend❤

Hilarie was truly one of the most loving, friendly and genuine people I have ever met. Her energy was so powerful and will stay with me always. 
I will really miss you Mermy. 

Hilarie Ann, I am beyond words to express to you. We crossed paths so frequently and shared empowerment towards one another on every occasion. This time was always sacred with you. You have spread such enduring light and love to all you’ve crossed paths with - what a blessing that you lived and gave so fully of yourself. You made a sacred difference to so many. Thank you for your beautiful presence in my life 🥰❤️❤️🌺

Peace to you my friend 🙏💖

I have been out of the country and only learned of this today. I will go back to the last thing I posted on her Facebook. It was about her mermaid show.

Hillary spreads happiness and light, Wherever She Goes.

Always happy and cheerful. I could be walking down Niagra Street, having a very average day, then suddenly there's Hillary, with a smile that lights up the whole street.  All worries disappear for a few minutes. 

After a short chat, she's on her way, spreading little seeds of happiness As She Goes.

I only had the pleasure of meeting Hilarie once in March of 2020 outside the library in James Bay. I can’t remember what prompted our conversation, but I remember thinking ‘how did I not meet this interesting and beautiful soul sooner?’ since we were both local to the area and had a lot in common. After an inspiring conversation that day, we exchanged contact info and messaged briefly about our connection.  

I was left with such an impression after meeting Hilarie and had hoped to reconnect one day down the road. I’m sad to say that didn’t happen during these past two years. I just found out today about Hilarie’s passing and my heart goes out to her son and all her friends and family. I didn’t need to know her long to know she was a true gem. Rest easy Hilarie and sending so much love and peace to her family and friends. 

I have quite a few lovely snapshots of memories of Hilarie. From Haida Gwaii to Victoria. The first time l saw her in Masset, she was rummaging around in the trunk of a car bright scarf barely containing her shining locks, white stanfield long johns, giant sweater,  and gumboots (of course!) I remember the excellent burlesque routine she gave  at our table of rowdy friends from up the coast at the Superior. She gave me some of the most important advice of my life. She was one of the good ones. Pure, and true. Rest peacefully beautiful soul. I'm sorry your momma is gone honey. Carrie.

Hilary on Haida Gwaii 2018
I first met Hilary when she brought a Mermaid performance to the Prince Rupert Udder Theatre Festival long ago
She was with another Mermaid Janeen Hartley. They were so terrific! I brought different friends to see the performances 3 nights in a row. How could anyone not be hit by the strength of her joy up there singing and dancing. May she forever bring us sparks of poetry and light because we really need that more than ever in our lives today. Rest in Peace Hilary ✨✨✨

A mother and daughter relationship is beautiful, we shared so much together, such a caring and loving person.  Miss you so much, will see you on the other side, I know you will be waiting for me.   Love Mom


 I will see you shining on the other side my beautiful daughter

Fun dancing together and seeing her be a mermaid in the inner harbour♥️💐

 Hilarie was a very kind and gentle person .  She will be sorely missed.

My sweet mermaid sister
I can’t believe you are gone 
I can’t believe I will never see
You and your smile.
My words can not begin to capture my love for you.
I can see you still my
Friend and I know it’s you who
Visits me
At the ocean 🌊🤍💙

I came across this lovely photo of Hilarie. Such grace and beauty, inside and out. I have a small figurine of a mermaid and her name is Hilarie.  

Luvs ya soo much Hillarie , I am Soo gonna miss you  , Swim Free Mermaid 
   Paully 

You were always an inspiration to follow dreams, spread joy, happiness and to live. My favourite mermaid in the world. 

You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are grey
You never know dear, Hilarie
How much I love you
Please don’t take my sunshine away




What to share about this amazing special sister of mine . One of my closest friends . I have known Hilarie for about 20-21 years I recollect a lifetime of memories with her . I never in a million years thought I would lose her this way . Me and her our relationship was special. We would tease joke laugh and dance together . In the whole time I knew her we never had one fight . It was like we knew each other and the boundaries of each other’s soul. She called one of my dance moves as the “Moray jig” a dance I did for her one evening on the wharf with my cowboy boots on . I will never forget her our times together the imprint she has left on my heart and my soul. I will always love her and hold a special   place in my heart ❤️ Just for her my buddy my mate my laughter in her presence.  She will be missed I turn  around sometimes thinking that I will see her and she is no longer there physically but always present in my mind.
Love and Heart ❤️ always 
Moray Benoit 

Hilarie was such a bright spark!  I loved her inventiveness, bravery and joy.  I will always remember her for this and for her warmth and generosity of spirit.  We will miss you, beautiful mermaid!

It breaks my heart to hear about Hilary's passing, but she will always be remembered as a kind, beautiful and creative soul. I pray that God gives her eternal rest, and that she may soar into the arms of the creator. 

'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." -Revelation 21:4

Hilarie,

When I think of you I see your smile, remembering love you shared everywhere you went, your ora glowed with love, your happy shone wherever you were❤🌹

May you find peace & may your journey be beautiful ❤⚘

To young, to soon...💔

Today I walked up Lake Hill  with  Hilarie  in mind/heart and presence.  Initially I chose  a familiar path, one I have walked before- as I walked picturing Hilarie dancing, smiling and with that little spark she has, I found  I was on a new pathway,  and it is here I  came upon this beautiful Arbutus Tree.  As I approached it I could see the letter H carved into her Trunk. I smiled at this and lingered a while before continuing on, and upon finding another special spot had a little dance  with a  few turns and spirals to celebrate Hilarie and what initially brought us together. The love of movement.  

Today I walked up Lake Hill  with  Hilarie  in mind/heart and presence.  Initially I choose  a familiar path, one I have walked before- as I walked picturing Hilarie dancing, smiling and with that little spark she has, I found  I was on a new pathway,  and it is here I  came upon this beautiful Arbutus Tree. I approached it I could see the letter H carved into her Trunk. I smiled at this and lingered a while before continuing on, and finding another special spot had   where I had a little dance  with a  few turns and spirals to celebrate Hilarie and what initially brought us together. The love of movement.  

I remember celebrating my friend Rodrigue's birthday with Hilarie and Patrick on April 25th, 2018. It was such a fun warm evening on their balcony. Such good memories of our mermaid. RIP Hilarie Ann.

Dear Hilarie Ann,
I will miss your dancing and singing beauty and Love which you exuded and shared so generously for all to welcome who dared let your wildness in. I love you.
I always had the experience of being loved so deeply when we would share a tea now and again when we would randomly meet around town.
 Blessings on your journey from here.
For family, please know that Hilarie Ann was loved deeply by many, touched the hearts of many and was a blessing to all who had the honour of knowing her


I had the pleasure of meeting Hilarie Ann about 10 years + ago. We rehearsed in a dance performance piece together.  I liked her immediately. She was kind and warm and bravely creative.  One of a kind; I'm so sorry to hear of her passing.  Blessings to her family. May you find peace in this most difficult time. Her beautiful spirit will be missed.

I have loved Hilarie's wild expressiveness since meeting her in Masset at least 30 years ago. It has been a joy to follow her busking career in Victoria.  The prospect of never seeing her again is awful. Deepest condolences to Jesse and all who love her.

Hilarie Ann
You were a kind, incredible, creative and transcendent spirit and you were loved by so many. How I wish you’d stayed with us but then I didn’t know how much pain you were in.  I will never forget your beauty inside and out.
Cathie and family,
My deepest condolences on the loss of beautiful Hilarie Ann. Her spirit lives on in our memories. May you find peace  knowing how much she was loved and how much her spirit touched others.🧡

Loesha Donaldson 

OBITUARY

Hilarie Ann Higgins

May 18, 1969 – November 30, 2021

First Memorial Funeral Services & Garden of Memories

Show your support

Add a Memory

Share Obituary

Get Reminders

Services