We Remember
NELSON, Eric Hemming
August 13, 1939 — February 10, 2026
Our dad, Eric Hemming Nelson, after a few hours’ struggle, slipped into sleep and passed away peacefully in the early hours of February 10, 2026, at Kelowna General Hospital, himself almost to the end.
Dad was born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, on August 13, 1939, to Dagmar (Pat) Charlotte Nelson (née Arneson) and Walter Hemming Nelson. Dad’s sister, Sonja, was three years older. He grew up “half-wild”, as he’d say, exploring the land and waterways around P.A. with his friends on foot, bike, ski, car, motorcycle, truck, and/or airplane, and continuing these exploits throughout his life as a travel writer and adventure-seeker. He traveled around the world with his friend Arnie Riechle shortly after high school, and to many other places globally through his work as a freelance photojournalist.
Dad married our mother, Harriett Collins of Saskatoon, in 1968, and after some travel to Mexico and a short stint in Kelowna, they settled in Saskatoon, where Rana was born in 1970 and Ari in 1975. Dad had bought 40 acres of waterfront property with his father at Wakaw Lake, Saskatchewan, and we remember glorious summers there as children, running half-wild ourselves between our “shack” and our maternal grandparents’ house, Geneva Mission, a former hospital, the land of which stretched farther down the lake to “The Point.”
Dad and our mom divorced in 1981, but he moved down the street, so we saw him frequently. Dad became a committed Christian around that time, strong in his faith for the rest of his life. Dad taught us to hunt, fish, shoot a bow, and build a fire. We have great memories of hunting grouse with him in prairie fields, fishing on the lake, and spontaneous ski trips where there wouldn’t be a room available in the hotel until Dad pulled out his card and said he was writing a story – and then we’d get the honeymoon suite. Eventually, he moved back to Prince Albert, then to Vancouver Island, and finally to Kelowna in about 2012.
Dad was a storyteller with big plans. He was always working to get one of his 15 books commercially published, and self-published three of them, working with Rana on “Rent-a-Dad Christmas,” a collection of the Christmas stories he wrote every year when we were kids. “Tell us a story!” we often asked him at bedtime, and he would. Dad loved talking to and meeting people and dogs, and many of his friends are those he made on his daily walks along the Kelowna lakeshore, where he always had dog treats in his pocket. A hopeful romantic, Dad was always sure he’d get married again, but despite his best efforts, that did not come to pass. Dad also loved art, music, books, and handcrafted items, and his bright apartment was filled with them, many from his childhood home. He also loved us and made sure we always knew it.
We, Rana and Ari, are remembering our Dad along with Rana’s husband Kurt Grabinsky, Dad’s grandchildren Rebecca, Rachel, and Zachary; Dad’s nephews Joel and David Barton, niece Joanna Leach, and their children; the Danish cousins; and his friends and family in western Canada – which he always said was the greatest place in the world – and beyond.
Special thanks to Mike and Karen Quigley and Nikki Norrie for all their help this past year, and to Charlotte and Peter of Springfield Funeral Home for their compassion and care for our dad. Interment will be at a later date in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.
A Celebration of Life will take place on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at 2:00 pm, in the Family Centre at Springfield Funeral Home, 2020 Springfield Road, Kelowna, BC. All are welcome; please bring stories, memories, and photos to share.
Memorial donations may be sent to Kelowna’s Gospel Mission, Okanagan Humane Society, Hope Bible Church, or Calvary Chapel.
If you wish to send a condolence, post photos, or share a memory, please scroll down the page to the area called “Condolences”.
Service
Saturday, February 14, 2026, at 2:00 pm
Location
The Family Centre at Springfield Funeral Home, 2020 Springfield Road, Kelowna, BC
Share with Others:
Kelowna's Gospel Mission, Okanagan Humane Society, Hope Bible Church, or Calvary Chapel Link: kelownagospelmission.ca, okanaganhumanesociety.com, hopekelowna.ca
Service Information
Service Details
The service for NELSON, Eric Hemming is scheduled for Saturday, February 14, 2026, at 2:00 pm. Below you will find the map for the service location and the contact information should you have any questions.
Address & Contact for Service Location:
The Family Centre at Springfield Funeral Home, 2020 Springfield Road, Kelowna, BC
2020 Springfield Road, Kelowna, BC
Phone:
Special Requests:
None.
Funeral Pointers:
Condolences
Sorry for your loss. Many memories of your dad. Ron was bestman at the wedding at Wakaw Lake
Sending my deepest condolences to Eric’s friends and family. I met Eric in 2015 while on a walk down Abbot Street during my lunch break . I noticed him park his station-wagon and start to haul bags of groceries from the back seat. Something made me turn around and ask him if he’d like a hand, an offer he happily accepted! Soon after that was Valentine’s day, and I didn’t know if he had close friends or family so I made a Valentine and delivered it to his little adobe. From there we became quick buddies. We enjoyed chatting about life, sharing laughs and emails after I moved to Victoria in 2016. My favorite memory of Eric is the day we shared riding our peddle bikes around Kelowna. I showed him my favorite ‘cruising’ paths. He could haul butt for a 76 year old guy! Sharing a photo I snapped on that bike ride adventure day. Him in his yellow helmet that matched ‘bumble bee’ bike. I will always remember him fondly by his infectious laugh and quick wit.
My thoughts are with you and your family. Wishing you peace, comfort, and courage during this difficult time.
Julian
Much love to all of the family. Eric was a dear friend and a wonderful bastion of faith, always forward thinking, always believing in breakthrough and the amazing, that only God can provide. Again my deepest condolences to everyone who knew Eric and loved him. Hugs and I’m with you all, in spite of the fact I’m so far away. I will always remember you Eric!
I knew Eric since forever, and shared many characteristics with him – love of music, books, art, and dogs prominent among them. I too carry dog treats wherever I go, play guitar and sing, read as much as my old eyes can handle, and, most importantly, write. I always both admired and envied his dedication to his craft and wished I had a similar work ethic when sitting in front of my keyboard. I last visited with him at his home in Nanaimo, where sadly we had insistent disagreement on two topics that I have since refused to discuss with friends ever, and others seldom. To each their own of course, but that was unfortunately the last time we saw each other, mostly because of distance and opportunity, but regrettably since as neither of us made an effort to stay in touch. I would dearly have liked to have had one more visit with the two of us speaking only of our similarities and nothing of our differences. Here and now I remember his good heart and entertaining wit, and I miss both of those fine human qualities. I offer deep condolences to his family, and the knowledge that he will always be in my memory as a friend with whom I wish I had shared more time.
I am sorry to hear of your loss. His was a life well lived. I knew him in high school at at PACI
So sorry that I didn’t hear earlier Rana … My cousin in the Kelowna area is married to an old friend of Eric’s from his school days in Prince Albert. But she wasn’t able to contact me because of being hacked and losing all her contacts. I don’t have to remind you of the adventures your dad and I used to enjoy together. I was hoping for one more visit before I was too old to drive.
Eric was an intelligent, kind and godly man. He loved his children and was proud of them. He was a great friend. He was a role model in his tenacious relationship with Jesus. He will be missed. Thank you for the lovely obituary. It really described our Eric.
I was another friend of your Dad’s from the PACI days. When I last visited with Eric in Kelowna about 8-10 years ago I had the pleasure of telling him a story that paid tribute to his Father. Walter was my Mother’s attorney when she divorced my Father. I was told there was an awkward time before it was final there was little financial support. When my Mother informed Walter the four of us needed new shoes she asked him what to do. Walter told her she should take us to Howard’s Shoe Store and charge them to Marvin Hill which she did. In the ‘50s you could do things like that when you were well known. Eric said he could see his Dad suggesting that. RIP Eric!