Karin Anne (Goossens) Hodge

Karin Anne Hodge (nee Goosens) peacefully passed away on 30th Sept 2020 at the Nanaimo Hospital (Vancouver Island) with her daughter by her side.  She spent her last 3 months living with her family on an acreage in Errington (husband Ed, daughter Sandra, grandson Solomon, and son in law Josh).    She is survived in the hearts of her Dutch family - brother Peter Goosens (Ans), nieces: Anne Marie (Peter), Inger Marie (Gerard), Pamela, Sylvia and Krista, and all of their children; and sister in law Robin and brother in law Hugh in Australia.  She ‘adopted’ many into the family including Georgia  Park, Amy Park and their mother Cydne Smith.

Karin was born on December 3rd 1939 in the Netherlands. While growing up she accompanied her family to various postings in Curacao, Washington DC, and Europe,  gaining proficiency in language and curiosity for international travel. In Holland she studied and worked as physiotherapist.  She enjoyed studying languages throughout her entire life and was proficient  in Spanish, German and

 English and of course Dutch.  She met and married her Australian engineer husband Edwin Hodge while he was a student in Holland. Later they immigrated to Canada in 1974 where she continued her studies at the University of Alberta gaining a masters degree focusing on Gerontology, and become a teacher focusing on caring for special needs children. Her daughter Sandra was born in Edmonton, Canada in 1977.  She participated in a gathering for the birth of her first grandson in 2018.  and rejoiced in being an “Oma” to all the great nephews and nieces she had in Holland.

Karin, Ed and Sandra continued to travel regularly back to Holland, Australia, the middle East, South America and within Canada while they built their home on an acreage near Devon, Alberta. Karin took particular interest in the raising and education of her daughter and it was a great source of pride to see Sandra graduate at her same Alma mater, The University of Alberta.

 She loved participating in a great many community activities including choirs, the Devon library, her university Alma mater, local theatre groups and in her daughters school and extracurricular activities.  She had a particular interest in Toastmasters and was a long term member and officer in the Devon Toastmasters club. Within these groups and throughout her life she developed a great many close friendships.

Karin enjoyed her retirement and had a particular liking for the game of scrabble and enjoyed playing with her her friends. Being with family, her neighbourhood friends and talking on the phone to her many international friends gave her a great deal of happiness, connection and satisfaction.  She will be remembered in our hearts for her kindness, active mind and imagination, her constant fountain of wisdom, willingness to participate, and her love of life.

The family thanks all friends and well wishers  and in lieu of flowers donations can be made to the charity of your choice.   A Celebration of life with virtual access (Zoom) will be held on Vancouver Island on 7 Nov 2020 at 10 a.m.  Those friends wishing to participate please contact Josh Dennis  prior to 1 Nov 2020 at nomore2pick@gmail.com.  Karin/Oma/Mom will be missed dearly.