January 21, 1921 – June 29, 2016

We are sad to announce the passing of our lovely mom, Linda Jocelyn Thacker, on June 29, 2016. She was 95 years old. Mom was born on January 16, 1921 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where she grew up with her brother, Jack Richardson, and where she spent her youth and met and married our father, Rothero Wellings Thacker.
Mom led a very active and productive life, was a hard worker, had an adventurous spirit, a good sense of humour, and she had many good friends. She attended Rupert’s Land Girls’ School where she excelled in scholastics and athletics and won many awards. In 1936 she had the honour of being one of two girls chosen by the student body to represent the school at the coronation of King Edward in London, England. In 1938 she was chosen as Head Girl of the school. Her yearbook described her as being “more than popular – she has been liked and looked up to by all of us”. 
In the 1940’s mom and dad moved to Vancouver where they resided and raised their two children. Mom always worked, for several years at The Lions Gate Times newspaper in West Vancouver, and for several years as office manager of a firm of architects in West Vancouver. Soon after moving to Vancouver she and our father became very involved in the early days of the fledgling figure skating community in the Lower Mainland. It was here that she made many life-long friendships. She and dad skated in many ice shows with the Vancouver Figure Skating Club and, along with a couple of other skating friends, mom went on to start the BC Thin Ice magazine which is a publication now serving 115 skating clubs in BC and Yukon with a circulation of some 19,000. She worked long and hard to support the cause of figure skating.
In 1971, after her two children had left home, mom went out on her own. She was brave and adventurous and she lived in the Lower Mainland, Victoria, Mayne Island, Chase, and finally Kamloops. After moving to the BC Interior, she decided to try new things and she got involved in theatre with the Chase Players, where she acted in several plays. She learned how to play the piano, recorder and ukelele, and she started what became many years of volunteer work in Chase and Kamloops.
Eventually health issues started to slow her down and change her life and in the last few years she has been very limited in what she could do. She spent her last 3 ½ years living at Bedford Manor where she formed many new friendships. Thanks go to all the caring staff at Bedford who helped mom maintain her independence. 
Mom passed away on June 29, 2016 at Ponderosa Lodge where she spent the last 3 months trying so hard to recover from a fall. We have so much gratitude for the amazing staff at Ponderosa. You are all truly amazing and we are so thankful for the wonderful care you gave to our mom. 
Special thanks go to Dr Brenda Laupland who has cared for mom for several years, and who was there for her all through her final days, weeks, months. How could we have managed without you?
Jocelyn is survived, and will be greatly missed, by her daughter, Sally Cornies (Hap Ryan), her son, David (Flor) Thacker, her two granddaughters, Abbey Thacker and Amy Thacker (Mark Proznick), her great- granddaughter, Alyssia, and great-grandson, Ethan, and her best friend of over 60 years, Mrs. Billie Mitchell.
At mom’s request, there will be no service. A gathering of family and friends may be held at a later date. Jocelyn’s favourite charities were the Turtle Valley Donkey Refuge, where she sponsored a donkey named Hoss, and the Kamloops SPCA. She loved donkeys and dogs!!
Most important to our mom, always, was the welfare and happiness of her two children. Everything she ever did, she did for us. We will miss her so much.

Condolences can be expressed at www.schoeningfuneralservice.com

• Date : 2016-06-29
• Location : Kamloops, B.C.