Patricia Hammond

Pat was a devoted mother, grandmother, sister and dear friend.

She will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by all lives that she touched.

Survived by her brothers Rex, Glen, Pete and Craig. Son Ben (Jaclyn) and daughter Amber. Grandchildren James and Annalyn. Extended family and many friends.

Due to COVID pandemic protocols and limits on gatherings, a decision has been made to not hold a memorial service and instead please share memories and photos on this site.

Plans will be made to have a private ceremony to spread her ashes with immediate family.

Patricia Lynn Hammond or ‘Ma ‘, as she was lovingly referred to by friends, was born on March 18, 1957 in Lethbridge AB to parents Bruce Gordon Hammond and Evelyn Gilchrist (Smith) Hammond, and was the sixth of eight children. Predeceased by her parents, siblings Marion, Don and Vicki. Pat is survived by her brothers Rex, Glen, Pete and Craig. Son Ben (Jaclyn) and daughter Amber, grandchildren James and Annalyn, extended family and many friends.

Pat was raised on the family farm at Big Ranch in Elk Valley and went to the nearby school in Sparwood.

Pat’s first job at the local store paid $1.50 p/hr. She completed her grade 10 at Sparwood Secondary School in 1974 and then moved to Victoria and attended Sprott Shaw College taking a clerk typist course and in 1975 aced the bookkeeping final exam with a score of 99%. Continuing her training at Camosun College, she completed the Accounting Clerk Course in 1977 and landed a job as a Payroll Administrator at Fort Nelson Forest Products from 1977-1978. After that, her career path took her back to the island working for Zaballos Logging as Junior Assistant Accountant from 1980 to 1981. Pat continued in the field of bookkeeping, working independently for some small businesses from 1992-1994 and took a tax preparation course before volunteering with the federal government to help those in need file their taxes.

Pat was an avid traveler. She worked hard to save the money to experience The Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. It was the summer of 1981 that Pat’s love of traveling led her on a season long trip to the United States visiting Oregon, California, Colorado, AZ-Grand Canyon, WY-Yellowstone and Montana. A similar trip took place with lifelong friends the Vivian’s and the pack of their children made their way up one side of BC, Yukon, NWT and Alaska before heading back down the other side. Camping was a common activity throughout her life and was one of the ways she spent so much time with her family. She was particularly happy when she was able share that with her grandchildren. Camping will continue to be way that the family bonds and honors her memory. Family trips to places like Kissinger Lake, which seemed like almost every weekend during the summer. Activities like swimming and fishing in the warm water, going on hikes and then sitting around the campfire flames roasting marshmallows were fond summer memories shared together.

Another hobby enjoyed by ‘Ma’ was gardening and horticulture. Pat had multiple jobs over the years in the industry and always loved plants and flowers up until her final days. There will always be a spot for her in Sara’s Garden. Pat enjoyed seeing beautiful gardens and smelling lovely bouquets of flowers and sharing those with people she loved.

Pat’s calling as a dedicated mother took over when her son Ben was born in Victoria in 1982. Pat moved to Nanaimo where even more great friendships were developed and more lives were touched. 4 years later in 1986 the family was blessed again with the birth a beautiful baby girl Amber. Pat’s children, Ben and Amber, always had fun and were best friends as children but they always had chores that needed to be done. Pat taught her children the basics of how to cook and clean, which prepared them for life out on their own, and is a testament to how hard of a worker and how thoughtful she was.

When the family moved back to Victoria in 1989 Pat was a single mother making ends meet while still giving her children quality of life. She made great sacrifices and continued to better herself by continuing her education, and in 1990 on the day before her birthday, she earned the High School Equivalency Certificate. This opened new doors and opportunities. There was always one constant in her life, friends-and lots of them and always socializing. From this heartbreaking loss we can all take away the one thing that she was great at, making friends, and sharing with your friends not only the good times but the bad times as well.

In 1998 she began working for the then local grocery chain Thrifty Foods as a Financial Administration Clerk. Some of her duties included working with non-profit organizations to purchase/receive Food Gift Certificates. Pat’s patience and never give up attitude led her to receive 5 Smile Pin Recognitions with letters of thanks from groups like the Cordova Bay Coop Preschool and Victoria Curling Club.

Pat then moved to Black Creek in 2006 and began her new career as a first aid attendant that saw her live and work all across the province. Places like Fort St. John, Rose Prairie and finally ending in Taylor in 2015. That’s when her health started deteriorating and she was diagnosed with COPD.

The strong willed, independent women we all knew and loved spent her final years in Nanoose Bay always sharing her caring and fun personality with all the friends she resided with. She spent her time doing puzzles with Pete, making crafts for her grandchildren and friends, and of course tending to gardens. Ma will be deeply missed and the memories she shared with all of us will be cherished.

Pat loved to share inspirational quotes or writings that somehow always found a time to be relevant. Throughout her life she acquired the wisdom to be able to relate to them whether they referred to how to protect yourself, how to love yourself, how to love others and maybe most importantly how to ground yourself. Like most wonderful people she tried to help others through her experiences so that you could maybe progress a little faster or not have to experience those learning pains yourself. Here is one of her favorites that was written by the Dalia Lama:

Instructions for Life

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

3. Follow the three Rs: Respect for self, respect for others, responsibility for all your actions.

4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

6. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

7. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

8. Spend some time alone every day.

9. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a

second time.

12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.

14. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.

15. Be gentle with the earth.

16. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.

17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for

each other.

18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

Please share your memories and or upload a photo on this website of our loved friend, sister and mother.

Also if you’d like a memory card mailed to you please email: [email protected]