TODD, Patricia Eveline

November 25, 1941 — December 20, 2024

Our beautiful, courageous mother, Patricia Eveline Todd, passed away peacefully at Central Okanagan Hospice House on December 20, 2024, at the age of 83. Patricia had a long and difficult journey with metastatic breast cancer. Throughout her countless treatments, and particularly over the last eight years, she maintained a positive outlook buoyed by her sense of humor and quiet strength.

Patricia is predeceased by husband Brian (d.2022); parents Dorothy Jean and Robert Tunnicliff; brother John and sister-in-law Shiona; sister-in-law Joan (Ian);  and sister-in-law Georgina (Neil).

Patricia is dearly missed by her daughters Laura (Andrew) and Karen (Craig); granddaughters Beatrice, Georgia, and Ella; nieces, nephews, brothers- and sister-in-law; and family and friends from Canada, Australia, and everywhere between.

Patricia was born in Croydon Park near Sydney, Australia in 1941. She was the daughter of Dorothy Jean and Robert and big sister to brother John. Patricia attended Sydney Girls High School before earning her teaching certificate from Wagga Wagga Teachers College, N.S.W. in 1960. At age 19 she began her teaching career with a class of no less than 38 kindergarteners at Earlwood Infants School. In 1964 Patricia left Sydney via the good ship Northern Star and sailed to London where she worked as a substitute teacher. She travelled with a group of Aussies throughout Europe, from Portugal up to the Arctic Circle in Norway, and then flew to Canada to teach in a three-room schoolhouse in Ymir, B.C. On weekends Patricia would go to nearby Salmo to ski, and it was at a toboggan party where she met her Canadian trumpet-playing/music teacher husband-to-be, Brian. Patricia and Brian were married in St. Ives, Australia in 1965. After one more year in Australia, they moved to Kelowna, B.C., where they built their home, raised two daughters, and embarked on long teaching careers.

From 1966 until her retirement in 1998 (with a stint in between as a stay-at-home mother), Patricia taught generations of children at Ellison Primary, Rutland Elementary, Dorothea Walker Elementary, and Bankhead Elementary Schools. She also facilitated workshops on teaching art for K-3, designed programs for school visits to the Kelowna Art Gallery, and volunteered as a gallery docent.

Mom was always interested in people, places, and ideas. After retirement, Mom and Dad’s adventures included sailing in Belize with friends, camping around B.C. and Australia with family, road-tripping to the Arctic Circle via the Dempster Highway, and exploring the cultural histories and flora and fauna in both hemispheres. Mom loved to travel, and she always kept in touch with her family and friends in Australia by returning every two years.

Mom was always up to date on current events, trends, and fashion. She was known for her beautiful handmade garments, knitting and crochet skills, bespoke outfits, and original pattern-making. Perhaps her distinctive, colourful, and coordinated fashion style was formed in reaction to her high school’s standard 1950s uniform of heavy brown serge, brown lisle socks, brown shoes, brown gloves, and brown hat?

After Dad passed away in 2022, Mom moved from their beautiful but drafty cedar home overlooking the lake and vineyards to a smaller, warmer residence. Mom continued to participate in her beloved book clubs, where she could be counted on to point out any grammatical errors or typos and offer her unique commentary on the book at hand.

Mom was smart, funny, creative, and tactfully opinionated. She was a gardener, antique connoisseur, art lover, adventurer, family historian, and organizational genius. She was so proud of her granddaughters’ accomplishments. We always knew how much she loved us. We miss you so much, Mom. We imagine you and Dad somewhere in the ether now, hosting one of your excellent dinner parties or traipsing up a mountain to look at the heathers, western anemones, and glacier lilies.

Our family would like to thank the healthcare team at Kelowna Cancer Clinic; the respiratory therapists and homecare staff from Interior Health; the palliative nursing team and hospice staff at Central Okanagan Hospice House; and our cherished family and friends who helped our Mom with appointments, meals, visits, and support over the years.

A private celebration of Patricia’s life will be held at a later date. In lieu of other tributes, please consider making a donation in Patricia’s memory to the BC Cancer Agency, or the Central Okanagan Hospice Association.

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