Our mom, Bobbie, was born in Powell River, on November 24, 1936, to Jean and Bain Calder, early Powell River (Wildwood) settlers. After several months of battling her third bout of cancer, she left us peacefully on the morning of February 1, 2025, with family by her side.
Mom had fond memories of growing up in Powell River. She loved dancing and frequently attended the Teen Town dances at the Elks Hall. After leaving school, she worked as a teller at the old Bank of Montreal near the mill site, a favourite recollection being how crazy busy it got on mill paydays. She was briefly married to Don McQuarrie, with whom she shared a daughter, Brenda. She later married Archie Jack, with whom she had three children: Rod, Karen and Craig. Bobbie, Archie and family initially lived in Vancouver and then moved back to Powell River for a few years before moving to Burnaby in 1971. Then in 1976 they settled in the small community of Pinantan Lake, near Kamloops, BC.
After Archie passed away in 2000, Mom bought a condo in downtown Kamloops. She and her friend June enjoyed doing everything together, from Music in the Park to Kamloops Blazers’ hockey games and senior’s dances, which was where she met her late in life partner, Stan. Mom and Stan were a great dance couple and fun to watch when they took to the dance floor.
Mom always said she would “go home” one day, which led to her and Stan relocating to Powell River in 2013. In addition to enjoying time with her Powell River family, she was able to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. Mom was a “people person.” She could go into a room of strangers and by the time she left, she’d have made new friends, Airports and bus depots were favourite places to just sit and “people watch.” When she lived in the small community of Pinantan, the door was always open and the coffee pot was always on.
Bobbie was predeceased by her daughter Karen in 1991, husband Archie in 2000 and brother Bill Calder in 2008. She will be dearly missed by Stan, her partner of nearly 20 years; her children Brenda (Rick), Rod (Jill) and Craig (Suzy); her grandchildren Erin (Ryan), Matthew (Misty), Dustin (Jordanna), Lindsay (Chris), Isabella and Seraphina; and her great-grandchildren Ethan, Noah, Hayden, Lyla, Peri, Nova, Mackenzie, Gracelyn, Bain, Morrison and Marley. She will also be missed by her Jack family nieces and nephews and their families, as well as her Powell River friends, old and new.
As Mom’s family, we would like to thank her cancer care team: Dr. Schweitzer, Dr. Takhar, Dr. Rankin, oncology pharmacist Dennis and Home Care nurse Jodie, for their care during her cancer journey. We would also like to extend a special thanks to her friend Hank, along with the rest of Mom’s Starbucks crew, for being her social gathering circle and keeping her spirits up during these past few months.
Mom requested there be no service, however, tribute donations may be made to the BC/Canadian Cancer agencies, MS Canada or a charity of your choice.
