HARSHENIN, Carmen Thelony

February 16, 1935 — December 28, 2025

It is with immense love and sadness that we announce the loss of Carmen Thelony Harshenin, who passed away at Kelowna General Hospital on December 28, 2025, at the age of 90.

Carmen is lovingly remembered by her four daughters, Leeza, Shirley, Beverley, Jenny and their partners; along with many other extended family members and friends whose lives she touched.

She now goes to join those who passed before her.

Born into Doukhobor Culture on February 16, 1935, in Winlaw, BC, to George and Percia Chernoff. She was named Olga, but later in her adult life she changed her name to Carmen.  She was raised and went to school in Winlaw, where she met and married Steve Harshenin and had four daughters. Carmen eventually left the Kooteneys with her daughters and courageously started a new life in Kelowna, with no job and only a few acquaintances.

She was determined to create a new life for herself and her daughters, which was no easy task at that time.

Carmen was a very social, caring, and generous woman who had a way of making people feel seen and valued. She loved hearing people’s stories and genuinely listened, always putting others before herself. She enjoyed music – listening and dancing to it. Her favourite song was “Walk of Life” by Dire Straits. However, as much as she loved her music, she didn’t like when her daughters played their own music loud! She played the accordion for many years, often playing music with her sisters and friends and neighbours. Carmen participated in bowling leagues, poker tournaments (where she was dubbed, the “Carminator”), enjoyed bingo, playing cribbage at the senior centre and loved playing all kinds of cards, often hosting game days with friends and neighbours. She also participated in wrist wrestling competitions in Kelowna in her younger years, which included a road trip with her group to California. She received many trophies as a result of her competitions.

Carmen loved gardening, and grew vegetables and fruits for many years, which she then canned, but her main passion was flowers.  She LOVED her flower garden and had the most beautiful flower garden, hands down, at each place she lived. She appreciated beauty and took pride in always looking her best when going out – hair done, jewellery on, outfits coordinated. Carmen enjoyed baking and was especially known for her delicious butter tarts, where everyone who knew her, was fortunate to be gifted a tray full of them. She delighted in handing out gifts to family and friends, and even her doctors, simply because it brought her joy. She also enjoyed showing the world how much she loved her Christmas lights, by ensuring every inch of her deck was covered in all blue bulbs with the occasional twinkle of white. When you arrived in Carmen’s neighbourhood, you would always know which place hers was, by the beauty of her gardens or her lights.

Carmen will be deeply missed for her kindness, warmth, humour and the generous heart she shared so freely.

The family would like to thank those who lovingly cared for her, especially in her last year of life, and would like to extend a special heartfelt thank you to the management and care team at Blue Heron Villa in Lake Country. We are forever grateful to all of you there who cared for her and made her feel special.

And, we cannot forget Dr A Lange, who genuinely cared for mom’s well being and treated her with kindness and respect. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

God Bless you Mom – you will be missed every day. Rest in Peace.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Operation Smile Canada in Carmen’s honour. She cared deeply for all the children who were born with disabilities.

If you wish to send a condolence, post photos, or share a memory, please scroll down the page to the area called “Condolences”.