James Cleveland Hansen

With infinite sadness we announce the passing of our beloved Jim — husband, father, brother, and friend. Jim passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family and friends after a 5-year journey with prostate cancer. He was 73 years old.

Jim was born in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, the youngest of 13 children. A month after his birth, the family moved to Kelowna, B.C. where Jim would meet and marry his first wife, Robbie Pearson. Together, they raised their two daughters: Katharine and Meredith.

After graduating from Simon Fraser University with a bachelor’s degree, Jim did his chartered accountant articling at KPMG. He would go on to BDO where he spent the latter 30 plus years of his career as partner before retiring.

In 2003, Jim met Carol Westmoland at a beach lot in West Kelowna, where she quickly succumbed to the “Hansen Charm”. They married in Tofino, B.C. in 2007. With this union Jim welcomed to his family Carol’s children, Lisa Sigfuson and Darcy Sigfuson.

Jim gratefully received a full liver transplant in 2010, after which he embarked on what he’d often refer to as his ‘second chance’. With this opportunity he continued to live his life to the fullest, never missing a chance to laugh, golf, cycle, listen to country music, and spend time with family and friends. If you ever received an email from Jim you will recognize his motto: “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a ride!” (Hunter S. Thompson).

By simply knowing Jim, you were part of a tremendous extended family, and family meant everything to him. He was a caring, generous, and loving man, immensely proud of his children and devoted to his faithful partner, Carol. To know Jim was to know an ardent storyteller who always had a joke up his sleeve. Please take a moment to enjoy this short video https://vimeo.com/594238816 of him sharing one of his all-time classics.

His greatest passion outside of family was travelling, a passion he nurtured in his children. Over the course of his life, Jim satisfied his wanderlust through cross-country road trips with his young family and by visiting innumerable countries and all seven continents with Carol. With every trip he brought home stories of adventures and mishaps that became the stuff of legend within the Hansen clan.

Jim was predeceased by his parents: Hans Martin Hansen and Charlotte Grant, and eight siblings: Evelyn Peterson, Effie Peterson, Arnold Hansen, Wyonna Butticci, Nora Stregger, Hans Hansen, Delmer Hansen, and Dennis Hansen.

He is survived by his wife, Carol; his children: Katharine (Pouria Shenasi) Hansen, Meredith (Nils Donnelly) Hansen, Lisa (Rick Rambold) Sigfuson, and Darcy Sigfuson; siblings: Kenneth Hansen, Iris Haw, Keith Hansen, and Shirley Lipsett; grandchildren: Braden Rambold and Emma Rambold; and his newest best friend, Charlie the labradoodle.

Jim is also predeceased and survived by many cherished brothers and sisters-in-law and nieces and nephews.

At Jim’s request, there will be no formal service, rather a BIG party which will be announced when we can all gather safely.

The family would like to thank B.C. Transplant, the Sindi Ahluwalia Hawkins Centre, and the nurses with the palliative care team.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the BC Cancer Foundation https://donate.bccancerfoundation.com/site/Donation2?df_id=8204&mfc_pref=T&8204.donation=form1 or the Kelowna General Hospital Foundation https://www.kghfoundation.com/

To extend condolences to Jim’s family, please visit www.firstmemorialfuneralkelowna.com.

Arrangements entrusted to First Memorial Funeral Services, Kelowna, BC. 250-762-2299