It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear mother, Virginia Alice (Ginny) Stewart McLean, who passed away on November 27, 2014 at the age of 87.
Ginny was born on March 30, 1927 in Wainwright, Alberta, the second eldest of four daughters, to Charles and Ethel Harvey. The family eventually settled in Summerland, B.C., where Ginny met Robert (Bob) Stewart in the sixth grade. They were married shortly after Bob returned from WWII.
Son Rob was born the following year, followed by Bonnie, Wendy, Duncan, Eleanor and Donna.
Ginny and Bob started Stewart’s Lodge and Camps, a summer fishing resort at Nimpo Lake in the Chilcotin in 1949 and operated it until son Duncan took over in the 1980’s.
The family moved back to the Okanagan and took up skiing when Ginny was 40 years old.
Ginny and Bob went on many ski trips to the U.S. and Europe, also heli-skiing in the Canadian Rockies.
Her favorite mountain was Silver Star, which she skied every winter until her 80’s, volunteering with the Ski Host Program.
Over the course of her life Ginny travelled to Europe, Africa, South America and the South Pacific.
Ginny loved nature and spent many happy hours hiking, birding and exploring with the North Okanagan Naturalists’ Association.
In recent years she joined the Red Hat Rebels with her daughter Bonnie and enjoyed their group outings very much.
Ginny was predeceased by her husband Bob in 2001 and her second husband Don McLean in 2013.
She is survived by her sisters, Eunice Walton, Marian (Percy) Sims and Shirley Nilsson and by her children Rob (Pegge) Stewart of Bella Coola, Bonnie (Walt) Kantymir of Enderby, Wendy (Doug) Clarke of Williams Lake, Duncan (Angela) Stewart of Nimpo Lake, Eleanor (Darryl) Pengelly of Caroline, Alberta and Donna (Ralph) Saunders of Telkwa. She was beloved Grandma and Nana to 18 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.
Ginny was a loving wife, mother and grandmother, steadfast sister and intrepid adventurer. She will be missed by all who knew her.
Services for the late Ginny Stewart McLean will be held at Pleasant Valley Funeral Home in Vernon on Saturday,
January 3 at 1:30 p.m.