Tribute

   Born at Rosebank Fire Hall in Johannesburg, South Africa, Ingvar was the youngest of Aubrey & Leslie Creed’s six children. The family immigrated to Canada when he was a year old. Ingvar’s happiest early memories were of their farm in Coldstream (near Vernon, BC). He also loved his years of growing up in Kitimat, where he played tenor saxophone in the high school band and, as a young man, had many different jobs where he spent time alone in the beauty of nature.

   Ingvar travelled the world, visiting his grandparents in South Africa, and his brother Kim’s family in New Zealand. When he made a second trip to New Zealand for a working holiday, he met his future wife, Janice, and her family. He embraced her parents, Mervyn & Jessie, as his own. He brought Janice back to the deep snows of Kitimat and did his electrical apprenticeship through Alcan. They had two children and moved their young family to New Zealand. Because there were better work opportunities for Ingvar in Canada, they returned to BC within a year.

   The highlight of Ingvar’s career was being an essential part of the international crew fixing and maintaining the Brown Boveri breakers at the Mica Dam. In 1991, he moved to BC Hydro’s Vancouver Island Terminal in Duncan and retired ten years later due to health issues from mercury exposure. This decision gave him time to heal and connect more with family.

    Being a grandfather was one of the big joys in his life. In December 2002, he treated his kids, their spouses, and all his grandkids to a holiday in New Zealand to make sure the next generation would get a chance to know their family there. He did his best to keep us close to each other through phone calls and by sharing our stories around the family. He loved reflexology, woodworking, tying rare knots, and solving puzzles. He felt really good when helping others.

    Ingvar spent 16 years as a volunteer for Cowichan Hospice Society. He sat countess vigils through the night, accompanying people in their dying process so that their families could rest. When facing his own end of life, in true Ingvar fashion, he chose something different. He was so grateful for the compassionate medical team who administered MAID when he felt it was time to leave his life and his illness behind. In his last days, he said often that he wasn’t going anywhere; that he was already part of everything and would continue to be.   

    Predeceased by his parents and parents-in-law, his sister Lyn in 1944 and sister Nyl in 2018. Survived by his wife Janice, son Janin (Candace) and daughter Karlin (Steve Shumka), his grandchildren Danielle (Mike), Jade (Terron), Jarin, Avery and Evan, his great grandchildren Vienna, Weston, and Leia, his sister Erica, brothers Kim (Billie) and Dio (Sharon), brother in-law Kevin (Trudy) and sisters-in-law Sheryle and Debbie (Neil), many nieces and nephews, and their children and grandchildren. He valued his friendships and deeply loved his whole family. His love continues even though his life is done.

    He didn’t want a service or sad obituary. As his closest family, it has taken us some time to cry, to learn the new shape of our world, and to find our own ways of honouring our connection with him. If you would like to celebrate Ingvar’s life, please do something creative and fun for yourself. You could take a nature walk, help a neighbour, dance to a song with good rhythm, or maybe overwater your garden a few times. Embrace and enjoy your life in the best way you can and he will be celebrating with you.