BERGSMA, Judith

June 12, 1940 — April 23, 2024

Judith “Judy” Bergsma, beloved mother “Anyu”, grandmother “Nagymama”, and great-grandmother “Great-Nagymama” passed away at the Hospice House in Kelowna, B.C. on April 23, 2024 at 83 years old, with her family by her side. Judy was predeceased by her husband Tjeerd “Ted” in 2021 after 43 years of marriage; her son Robert; and her grandchild Corey.

Born in Pestszentlorinc, Hungary in 1940, Judy left Hungary during the 1956 revolution. She immigrated to Canada from Austria in 1958 and travelled across the country by train to Calgary where she lived for most of her life. Judy’s life journey took her to Carstairs and Airdrie, and then she retired with her husband Ted in Salmon Arm. She lived her final years in Kelowna.

Judy was a proud mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. It was her calling. Family was everything to her. Big family holiday get-togethers were her favourite! Mom would always cook enough to make sure we all had leftovers, and she always reminded us to bring our containers. She baked the most delicious treats including pogacsa, jam cookies and shortbread, Valentine’s Day heart cookies, and her Easter sweetbread. She was famous for her homemade jam, canned beets, peaches, and pears.

She was a devoted mother who was present and encouraging in all of our activities, and was an avid baseball parent. Her Hungarian culture was very important to her, and we all participated in Hungarian dance, church events and Hungarian scouts where she became a leader for many years.

Judy loved the opera, musicals, and the ballet, and dressing up for each event was always a highlight. She had a love of shoes, scarfs, and shopping at The “Village” and Winners. She even asked for styling neon yellow crocks while in hospice! She had an amazing green thumb and loved tending to her flowerbeds, which stood out on any of the streets she lived on. In her retirement years in Salmon Arm, Judy was a proud member of the seniors Dragonboat Team, and she was a dedicated and long-time volunteer with the Shuswap Hospice Society.

Taking care of everyone else, is what she did. Every year, she made customized calendars for each of her children and grandchildren full of fun stickers, and she never forgot anyone’s birthday or their special holidays. Judy will always be remembered for her special quotes (she spent hours finding just the right one), and of course the confetti surprise in the greeting cards she sent to the entire family and her friends.

Judy was a dedicated wife, matriarch, and friend who put others ahead of herself, always. She left this world peacefully after having special visits with her family and friends over her last months. Special times with her grandchildren included getting her nails done, giving chicken paprikas cooking lessons, enjoying BBQ steaks, having a few tequila shots, nibbling on a McFlurry and fries, and even teaching canasta.

Judy was the loving mother of Alexander (Gay, Kelowna), Judy (Iby, Airdrie), Antoinette (William, Calgary), Agnes (Calgary), Harold (Audrey, Calgary), and James (Lyndsay, Maple Ridge); and will be remembered as a loving grandmother to her many grandchildren, Kevin (Lloydminster), Sharlet (Tim, Kelowna), Damon (Claudia, Mission), Chelsey (Mason, Airdrie), Christopher (Shannon, Calgary), Alexander Jesse (Kelowna), Devan (Riley, Calgary), Samantha (North Vancouver), Bryce (Ashley, Calgary), Emma (Calgary), Aidan (Maple Ridge), Aaron (Maple Ridge), and Saralyn (Richard, Calgary), Maryanne (Calgary), Christina (Calgary), Brandy (Terrance, Calgary), Otis (Calgary). She was also a great-grandmother to Quinn (Kevin), Callah, Nevaeh, Hunter, Onan (Sharlet), Isla, Fiona (Damon), Emmett, Taylen (Chelsey), and Thomas, Laurence (Saralyn), Skyler, Norah, Charlotte (Maryanne), Peggy (Christina).

The family would like to thank the Kelowna palliative care team and the wonderful Hospice House staff who took great care in making our beautiful mother Judy comfortable during her final days. We thank Dr. Ali and RN nurse Mo of the MAID Program, who helped her leave this world gracefully and at peace. The family would like to support the Canadian Cancer Society and the Hospice House Kelowna, and anyone who wishes to donate in memoriam of Judy can do so at www.cancer.ca or www.hospicehousekelowna.com.

In honour of Judy, a Private Service will be held at a later date.

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