Aug 2, 1925 - Jan 12, 2018
Nancy was born in the old Smithers Hospital on August 2, 1925. She grew up on the Evelyn farm where her parents (Janet and James Owens) had settled in 1920. She was the youngest of three girls.
She was predeceased by Mollie and Janet. Nancy attended the Evelyn School house for the first eight grades and then went to Prince Rupert after one year of correspondence to finish her high schooling at Booth Memorial and graduated in June 1942. After a year of a business course at St. Joseph's Academy in Prince Rupert she worked in Vancouver for a few years as a stenographer.
Yearning for wider horizon, Nancy travelled to Montreal and worked for three years in the Laurentians as a " ski bum ", then gravitated to nurses training at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal. She graduated as an RN in the spring of 1952.
€Longing for Smithers and home, she returned after six years in the East to a job as a nurse at the Bulkley Valley Hospital. There, after one year of nursing, she met Dr. Kenneth Leighton and they were married in August 1953 on the Evelyn farm.
One year later Kirsty was born, then Alasdair in Trail B.C. and Roderick in Kitimat B.C.. Dr. Leighton was a restless soul and moved his family to New Zealand for a time, then to North Vancouver, back to Smithers and then finally settled in Vancouver for thirty one years!
Nancy was predeceased by her husband Kenneth in June 1998 in Smithers and remained on the Evelyn farm until she was 85 years old. From there she lived at the Alpine Estates for a few years and then the Bulkley Lodge for four years until her death on January 12.
The family of Nancy is grateful for the wonderful care she received from Home Support while at Alpine Estates and from the nurses, care aids, house keeping, rec therapists and laundry staff, at Bulkley Lodge.
We also want to thank Dr. Haskins for taking care of our mum for many years. We so appreciate the many friends that dropped in on Mum while she was at the lodge. Your visits were a bright spot in her day. Thank you.
There will be a celebration of life for Nancy on June 16th at 2 pm at the Evelyn farm (16971 Owens Rd. ). "When the poppies are out and everyone can be warm".