Inger Marie Thu

July 31, 1931 - October 23, 2019
We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved mother and grandmother INGER MARIE THU (NEE ERIKSEN) on October 23, 2019 in Abbotsford, British Columbia following a stroke. Born July 31, 1931 in Orkanger, Norway, Mom grew up skiing and hiking in the Norwegian mountains.
During the war, she witnessed the Nazi occupation of her hometown. In 1946, at 14, she was confirmed at the Orkdal Kirkegard (church) and in the same year lost her mother to cancer. Indomitable in spirit, she went on to earn her nursing degree at the Rode Kors Nursing School (1952-55) in Trondheim, Norway. While en route to study in Africa at the Albert Schweitzer hospital, she met and married, Alf Thu and had three children. She resided in PoCo until moving to Mission in 1981.
In her career, she worked an OR nurse at St. Mary's Hospital in New West for over twenty years and then as a RN in the psychiatric ward in Valleyview Hospital in Port Coquitlam, retiring in 1991.
After retirement, Mom worked part-time at Waddell Care Home in Mission, volunteered at the hospital and joined the Mission Lawn Bowling Club where she enjoyed socializing with "the gang". Mom possessed an incredible spirit with a lifelong love of adventure and travel. Mom (GG) was always "itching" to go somewhere and loved taking her children and grandchildren on trips in her camping van.
She traveled throughout BC and the United States, making regular trips back home to Norway where she attended her 80th birthday celebration in 2011 and her 60th nursing reunion in 2015. Mom loved to garden, was famous for her Norwegian hamburgers and waffles, and would rather fix something than throw it away. At the age of 83, she even built her own sundeck. Mom was a unique and lively spirit who maintained a fierce independence to the very end.
Mom is predeceased by her parents, Karoline Marie Eriksen (mother) in 1946, Soren Ingemann Eriksen (father) in 1968. Her siblings, Petrine (Mokka) (Olaf) Gjolmesli, Ole (Gerd) Eriksen, Ragnvald (Gerd) Eriksen, Anna (Thomas) Johansen, John Eriksen, and Rolf Eriksen, her niece Britt Eriksen and nephews Arne Eriksen and Inge Eriksen. Mom is survived by one sister Anne Serine Nergard and sister-in-law Astrid Eriksen and by her children Arild (Shirley), Anita and Kristin, her eight grandchildren, Marcia (Dennis), Delacey (Kenny), Stacey (Mike), Kelsie, Thomas, Lauren (Jevan), Georgia-Blue, Savannagh (Mike) and her beloved great grandchildren Preston, Brayden, Brooklynn, Ariel and many nieces, nephews and cousins in Norway.
She lived as she died, with a great perseverance of will rarely seen. We were blessed to share her last days with her before her passing. Mom's wishes were to be brought "home" to rest with her family in Orkdal Kirkegard, Norway. We will all miss her dearly and forever. Love you Mom. "Vi elsker deg."
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, December 7, 2019 at Mom's home, in Mission. If you wish to attend, please contact Arild at arild@shaw.ca or call 604-820-1044