It is with immense sadness that we announce the passing of Alana Nast, a beloved mother, daughter, sister, grandma and friend. She passed away peacefully with her children by her side on April 17th, 2024 at the Royal Jubilee Hospital after a courageous battle with cancer. Born on January 27, 1961 in Vegreville, Alberta, Alana spent her early years living in Utah, North Dakota, and Michigan. At age 10 her family made their way to the beautiful West Coast of Canada.
Alana is predeceased by her father Rudy and sister Heather. She is survived and lovingly remembered by her children Micah (Hannah), Claire (Jordan), and grandchildren Emmerance and Elliot. In addition to her immediate family, Alana is survived by her mother Iris (Marlin); siblings Bobbie, Tim (Tasneem), Kimary (Khaled), Darren, Laurel, Shauna (Martin), Ryan, Coral and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Alana graduated from the University of Victoria in 1983 with a BA in Economics. She went on to receive her CA designation in 1988 and worked for national CA firms in Victoria for 13 years. In 2003 Alana and her business partner created the firm of Larkin & Nast Chartered Accountants and over the next 20 years she successfully grew her practice and was a well respected accountant in Victoria. Alana thoroughly enjoyed the work she did and valued the relationships she had with her clients. In 2019, Alana was appointed to the Island Health board of Directors and was the Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee. She experienced a great sense of pride and joy while serving on this board.
At age 50, Alana found a love for running, hiking and tennis. At age 51 Alana completed her first marathon, ran many half marathons and ran the TC 10km every year. She hiked the Chilkoot Trail (53 km), a section of the Appalachian Trail (120 km), through the desert of the West Bank and many trails all over BC and Washington State. She was an inspiration to all of her family and friends.
Alana’s greatest loves were her two children and she devoted her entire life to them. A fiercely loyal and kind mom who found happiness in all things. Her door was always open for a laugh or a cry and you could count on her for anything. She was intelligent, offering a wealth of knowledge on all topics, and she was so beautiful, inside and out. She lived her life to the fullest and was always up for a spontaneous adventure. Alana was a true treasure and her spirit, strength and adventure for life will live on through her children and grandchildren.
A private celebration of life will be held in June. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the BC Cancer Agency.
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
14 Responses
I’m very sorry to just be hearing about Alana’s passing at this time. She was my loyal accountant and business supporter, financial advisor and friend for almost thirty years. She gave me excellent advice and we always had a great conversation going about a million things. I’m so sorry to lose her wisdom and judgment and my sympathy is with her children, of whom she was so very proud, and her family.
Your mom is awesome! She was my Tax Accountant for 18 years and was also my cheerleader. She helped me navigate tax issues through my divorce and throughout the years as tricky things popped up with my ex. Each year after she completed my taxes, we would set up a meeting and she patiently explained everything to me and back in the day… things were complicated with a steady job I had, a small business I started, and a couple rental properties. She was kind and encouraging at these meetings and very patient explaining everything… She was so professional and punctual. I thought it was awesome how she volunteered for the board she served on and worked so hard, yet took time to follow her heart, hiking, and being with family. She was not only my Tax Accountant, but she was stability and a rock for me inshaky times, assuring me we were on the right path. She always had my back and her expertise was second to none. I miss her.
I am truly sorry and devastated to hear of Alana’s passing, and my heart goes out to all those that loved her. Such a tremendous loss. I knew she was unwell and had reached out at the beginning of the year, but realized she might not feel up to or wish to respond. I also did reach out to Tim on messanger and had hoped I’d hear from him with good news. Something made me look for answers today, and I am so sad to have found she had passed away. I am sorry that we’d lost touch as we kept saying we’d get together. Anyway, my heart goes out to you all, but especially Micah and Claire. You had an awesome mum ❤️.
Hello I met Alana in 1997. My father asked his taxperson in Toronto for someone in Victoria to assist me with my income tax. For over 25 years, She always helped in a kind gentle way with a gentle soul. She will be deeply missed. Rest in peace my dear friend.
Jason Richardson