Sharon Laing, Okanagan Centre pioneer

It is with deep sadness that we announce the death on January 27, 2017 of Sharon Marguerite Laing, a pioneer of Okanagan Centre.

Sharon is survived by her husband of 52 years, Wyatt (Sandy) Laing who was by her side when she died peacefully at her home. Also survived by her children and grandchildren: Mark (Deb) Chey, Jordan and Brelyn of Oshawa; David (Jacquie), Alex and Mattea of Nelson; and Lisa (Shane Watson), Shealyn and Brandt of Lake Country. Also survived by brothers, Richard (Elaine) Gibbons of Lake Country and Glen (Karen) Gibbons of Lake Country.

Sharon was born on February 24, 1941 in Kelowna General Hospital. Her first home was a small cabin near Little White Mountain where her parents, Clare and Peggy, operated a mill. The family moved to their permanent home in Winfield when she started school. After graduation from Rutland Secondary, Sharon trained as a Registered Nurse at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster.

She was a skilled and dedicated nurse working at a variety of hospitals as Wyatt’s career took them to such diverse locations as New Zealand, Germany, Goose Bay in Labrador and Cold Lake, Alberta, before moving to home to Lake Country in 1983.

Sharon retired from Kelowna General Hospital in 2006 after assisting at the births of many hundreds of babies. She was immensely proud of her years in nursing and enjoyed working with a great staff.

Sharon loved her Okanagan home surrounded by their orchard and the pastures for Wyatt’s horses. Summer days were spent at “The Cabin”, the family’s ancestral spot on the lake just down the road, hanging out with her brothers and her much-loved sisters-in-law. Her family was at the center of her life with her books and love of reading close behind.

She volunteered with the Lake Country Museum & Archives and she and Wyatt were generous in their support of myriad causes, both home and far away. She will be deeply missed by so many of us with whom she shared her love without question.

A celebration of her life was held at the Okanagan Centre Hall in Okanagan Centre, BC, on February 4th.

Donations in Sharon’s memory may be made to The Salvation Army.

Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.springfieldfuneralhome.com.