In her youth, Heather was celebrated for her beauty, intelligence and creativity. She received scholarships to university, and proudly put herself through school accepting greater roles of responsibility in her field of ophthalmology, first at Toronto Sick Kids, then in Stockholm, Sweden where she helped open a Swedish school of ophthalmology. Heather met her husband in Sweden and encouraged his passion for law. They lived in Sweden, England, Germany and Switzerland and had three daughters. Heather spoke many languages, celebrated food enthusiastically and was an excellent cook. She loved to paint, and had success as an artist with many gallery showings in Europe and Canada. Her marriage came to a heartbreaking end, and she moved back to Victoria to raise her three young daughters on her own.
As a single mother she braved humiliation and poverty and taught us the importance of standing up to be heard in a man’s world, to lead with kindness, and to advocate for those less fortunate. She got involved in federal politics and worked for a federal Minister during the Chretien Government. She proudly advocated for the rights of all Canadians, and especially those of refugees and new comers. Her passion was helping others, she had a gift for meeting people undergoing their own suffering, and empathically understanding their pain. She would do everything she could to get families the resources they needed in order to survive. We remember fondly how she was often stopped on the streets by people she had helped thanking her for her dedicated work on their case.
Her legacy is profound to those who know her well. Heather conquered life’s struggles with hope, wisdom, grace, resilience and humour. She had a difficult marriage that taught her forgiveness, and an incurable diagnosis that taught her perseverance.
Thank you, mum, for all you did, and all you went through to give us a loving home, a good education, and a shot at a decent life. Thank you, mum, for fighting for our place in this world. You blazed a trail no one before you ever had. We are so proud of you mum, out of your brokenness you gave, and you taught us that
resilience and hope are the breath of faith. Thank you for the legacy you left that we are humble to inherit. We grieve in hope, and we will see you again – dancing on strong legs with the wind in your hair.
“We glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” – Romans 5: 3,4
Please donate to the Mustard Seed Street Church or Red Cross, and in Heather’s honour, please do something kind for your neighbour. Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
Heather’s three angels – Cecilia, her heart; Monica, her advocate; Christina, her courage
23 Responses
Dear Cecilia, I’m so sorry to hear about your mother. I have often wondered if thanks to the internet our paths would cross again. You and I were fast friends in fourth grade at la chat in Switzerland. Sleepovers and horse riding top my list of those long ago days.
My thoughts are with you,
Penny
Dear Cecilia (Cilla), Monica, and Christina, Nigil and Roger
Let me introduce myself, I am Kolleen Forstinger and Heather and I met on a bus in Stockholm when I was an exchange student 1979-1980. Cecilia was 1 year old and Heather wa coming home from work and picking her up from the dagis-home daycare. I remember looking at Cecilia and speaking my very basic Swedish to her, and Heather asked me where I was from, “Canada!, I said. I live in St Catharines and work as a RN in mental health, but in those days, I was 17 and away from home, lonely and living with a family that wasn’t keen on having me. Heather invited me to her house for tea and I gladly became Cecilia’s babysitter. Later, Heather asked me to come and live with them while my exchange family got sorted out. Heather was generous, kind and caring. She was an academic (I later worked at The Hospital for Sick Children, not in Orthoptics but in a NICU and I thought about Heather and her work in Sweden. I witnessed first hand, how Heather couldn’t tolerate injustice, as she provided a safe haven for me. Further, Heather was an attentive and loving mom to Cilla, playing games on the ground and providing endless cuddles. In 1983 my husband and I visited Munich just after Heather delivered Christina and we met up with the family and went out to dinner. My regret is that I was unaware that Heather was back in Canada and what she endured after the collapse of her marriage. I am sorry for this. Over the years I have tried to find you Heather, writing letters which were returned. This Easter Sunday I stood in my kitchen remembering our Easter Egg hunt with Cecilia and I went to google, and found your obituary. I am sorry Cecilia. Monica, and Christina, that you lost your mom. I will hold her tightly in my heart. Much love Kollen (Redman) Forstinger
This is such a beautiful tribute to an amazing woman, it really echoes what I heard about her throughout the years. Monica, thinking of you and your sisters at this time and reflecting on how your mom passed on so much of herself in you. Your deep respect, love and support for your mom was always so clear to me. My sincere sympathies to you and your family.