Patricia Irene Lysyk

Patricia Irene Lysyk (Pat) was born in Eston, Saskatchewan on August 12, 1936. When she was still small, Pat and her mother Irene (a schoolteacher) spent several years at various teaching posts in western Canada, including at Massett on Haida Gwai. Eventually, Irene met and married Pat’s stepfather, Russell Kinnon. The new family eventually returned to Saskatchewan where Russ farmed near the town of Lumsden.

Pat attended high school at Luther College in Regina, Saskatchewan, where she made many lifelong friends. Academic achievement came easily to Pat, and she always stood at or near the top of her class. She studied nursing at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, obtaining her Bachelor of Science in 1958. At university, Pat met Kenneth Lysyk (Ken), her future husband, who was a law student there at the time. He was the love of her life, and she his. They married in 1959.

Pat practiced nursing briefly before travelling with Ken to Oxford, England for the furtherance of Ken’s studies. In 1960, Pat and Ken returned to Canada and set up house in Vancouver, where their three daughters were born. Between 1966 and 1977, the family relocated several times for Ken’s career, living in New York, Ottawa, Toronto and Regina, before returning to Vancouver where Ken and Pat resided for the rest of their lives. While in Regina, Pat returned to university, obtaining her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Saskatchewan. She later earned her master’s degree in library science from the University of British Columbia, graduating as the gold medallist. She worked as a medical librarian at Woodward Library (UBC) and Eric Hamber Library (UBC/VGH) until her retirement in 2001.

Pat is survived by her daughters Joanne and Stephanie, her son-in-law Will Spat and her grandson Theo Spat. She is predeceased by her daughter Karen and her husband Ken. Tragically, Ken was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer not long after Pat’s retirement. Pat’s incredible strength and dedication to Ken’s care during his illness were remarkable. His loss, in 2003, was devastating to her. Had Ken not been taken from her, Pat would no doubt have spent many more happy years with him pursuing their mutual interests in travel and the arts.

During the final decade of her life, Pat was increasingly incapacitated by dementia, but her personality remained as sweet, kind and considerate as ever. She was a favourite of the staff at Sunrise of Vancouver, where she resided from 2018 onwards. The Lysyk family wishes to thank staff members for the excellent care that Pat received at Sunrise, particularly in the final stages of her illness.