With profound sadness our family announces that Edith passed away peacefully at Selkirk Place in Victoria on December 16, 2009. Edith was born on April 16, 1928 in Victoria to Helen and Walter Beutelspacher, and attended Sir James Douglas Elementary and Victoria High School where she graduated in 1945 with classmates who remained enduring friends. After initiating a lifelong interest in music and piano, she began her early career with the Bapco Paint Company and as a dental assistant in Victoria. She married Howard Bruce Knapp (d. 2001) on August 24, 1951 and they settled in New Westminster, BC. Edith was a devoted wife to Howard and mother to her four sons (Bruce, Paul, Peter and Steven) and was active in her community and church. The family moved back to Victoria in 1963 and she became a member of the First United Church choir, the 1st Garry Oak Cub Scouts, the Victoria Choral Society and in her later years as a member of Probus. After helping our family start Victoria Medical Supplies in 1974, she began her later career with Eatons in the Facility Management Department and then for many years as Executive Assistant to the Operations Manager for the Downtown Victoria store, which she valued immensely.. She retired from Eatons in 1993 to enjoy several wonderful holiday trips to Europe and Asia, as well as across Canada and the US with Howard at the motorhome’s wheel. Edith is survived by her four sons and their families: Bruce and his sons Keane and Hugh of Vancouver; Paul and his wife Sara and daughters Kate, Rachel, and Hillary of North Vancouver; Peter and his wife Sharon and daughter Hayley and son Trevor of Ocean Park; and Steven and his wife Linda and daughters Andrea, Kimberly and Jennifer of North Saanich; and by her brother Harry Beutel of Irvine, California, and his sons Curt, Brett and Marc. The family wishes to thank the staff of Selkirk Place for their kind and personal care of our mother.
A private family burial service is planned along with a public service and memorial gathering at McCall’s Funeral Home on Saturday, January 23, 2010 at 1pm.
15 Responses
I also joined the CISV camp in Hurdal, Norway , in 1966 , and saw the obituary for your mother, Bruce, when searching for CISV .
Hopefully everything is fine with you and you family .
I was in the delegation from Hamburg, Germany . Since decades I live in Berlin.
All the best, Amelie
To the Knapp boys, their families and Beutel families,
My sympathy and sincere condolences go out to all of you on the day of Edith’s memorial. It was such a sad time for me in December when I heard about her death. I am so sorry that I was not able to make it to the Island today for the memorial service. With my husband, Gary, and Mom and Dad all being out of town, I was not able to leave the mainland because of the many commitments that the children and I had today. Edith has been in my thoughts all day, just remembering what a wonderful person she was; kind, generous, smart, funny, talented and creative and someone I really looked up to. I always felt very priviledged to have Edith and Howard as my Godparents, I loved and respected them and hoped to grow up just like them! Well I guess I have grown up now, and have a great husband and children, so they were good role models. Edith always made you feel so welcome and good when you were around her and she was always eager to hear all about our family’s goings on. She was so thoughtful to send me a birthday card every year when I was younger, and then once I had children she would send them one too. Amy and Craig were also sad to hear that she was gone, but they have memories of her as well. She made them both Christmas ornaments for a few years, which now hang on their miniature trees in their rooms at Christmas time. When each of my children were born she knit beautiful outfits for them which I came across the other day and can’t bear to get rid of. They will be worn by other babies some day, hopefully my grandchildren, and her memory will live on. She always seemed so positive, even with all of the terrible health issues that were dealt to her in later years. She was a very strong woman, one that will be sadly missed! Our thoughts and prayers go out to you all and hope your sadness is replaced by so many of the happy memories that I am sure you have of your Mom, Sister, Grandmother and Aunt.
With deepest sympathy,
Lisa, Gary, Amy and Craig Whitton
Hi Guys…
For she always call you the guys. “my guys” she would have said. Your Mom meant alot to me since the first day I met her. Paul and I we best friends from Grade 4 till now. I remember your Mom as somewhat strict, she made her guys wear “dickies” under their very conservative dress shirts at school, she made your lunches for you, she drove you anywhere you had to go….and as you grew into teenagers she tolerated weird girlfriends and later unusual marriages that she was not always sure about. That always amazed me…. strictness and tolerance… how Canadian..
Your Mom was always kind to me. She was not so sure of what to make of the reptiles I kept as pets. She was especially freaked out in 1972 when my pet iguana got lost in your family house on Dewdney and so relieved when it finally crawled out of a hole in the downstairs bathroom two weeks later. She once was driving her old Vauxal Viva through the Uplands gates and saw my escaped snapping turtle crossing the road and came down to notifiy me it was there (after all, who else in the “hood” would own turtles?) She was also forgiving when Paul and I brewed rootbeer in the attic of her house and had half the bottles (Chivas Regal– Howards favourite I recall) explode and make a stinking mess. She even forgave me for writing “Eat Shit” in the snow on the front lawn area one winter… Your Mom was to be respected,, never feared, because she loved her kids and their weird friends and always made you feel welcome.
These are my memories and I am very sad she had to suffer in her final years and am sad but relieved that she no longer must endure her life as it became.
With deepest sympathy.
Malcolm Macartney
To The Knapp Children. We are very sorry that we will Not be able to attend your Mom’s service as we have another appointment in Campbell River on that same day, sorry, but our THOUGHTS will be with you all.
Sincerely,
Freddi & Chuck Saults
My condolences to Bruce and family in the passing of your mother.
Debbie Greig (CISV Hurdal, Norway 1966)