Carol Cornelia Maria Vandenberg

Surrounded by the love of her family, Carol passed away peacefully after a long illness on October 03, 2023. We would like to thank the beautiful autumn day full of sunshine that welcomed her spirit onto its next journey. Carol is survived by her cherished spouse of over 30 years Terry, her stepson Ian (Mina and their children Alija, Dino & Umi) and stepdaughter Jen (Heather). Carol had many wonderful siblings Hedi (Pat), Fran (late Roy), Henry (Jan), John (Sharon),  Ted (Kerri), and Peter (Angela). Carol was an Aunt and a Great Aunt to James, Brett, Emily, Alyssa, Jane, Luca, Cate, Laine, Matthew, Evan, Ava, Raya, Laura, Taya, Andrew, Karissa and Kayson. 

Carol was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba to Theodorus and Catherine Vandenberg. Her parents immigrated from the Netherlands where many family members still reside and Carol was proud of her Dutch roots.  For the wedding of her step daughter Jen, Carol presented a massive wheel of Edam cheese as a gift, a memory which continues to bring laughter and delight to this day.

Passionate and curious about the world, Carol sought knowledge and experiences in her life, and she was always keen to have interesting and rich conversations about the world, people, culture and politics. She will be remembered for love of books, in particular murder mysteries. Carol loved to travel and her sense of adventure left stories which remind us the beauty of life and the importance of living for every moment. It has been a joy to go through photos of the wonderful places that Carol and Terry have visited during their lifetime together.

Carol lived in Kamloops with Terry and for 20 years she worked as one of the only female engineers at CN Rail, trail blazing for her time. Carol persevered through breast cancer, but she remained positive throughout her treatment and was proud to overcome it. Carol eventually became a Yard Master before retiring.

In 2009 Carol and Terry came to Powell River for vacation and Carol fell in love with her house on the hill and the beautiful qathet region. Carol and Terry quickly become enmeshed into the community and were known as helpful neighbours. One of Carol’s passion projects was renovating their unique home, painting it's signature red colour and it became a landmark in the little community of Cranberry.

Carol believed in service to others and supported many charitable organizations, including the Salvation Army, Powell River Therapeutic Riding Centre, and arts and culture through the Max Cameron Theatre.

Despite some of her obstacles she faced in her life, Carol will be remembered for the gifts she brought as a partner, a sister, an auntie, a step parent and a friend to many. We are grateful to the kind and gentle care team at Powell River Hospital during Carol’s final days.

Carol's family in Winnipeg will hold a celebration of her life on November 20, 2023. Please contact Hedi for details at hedi_cook@hotmail.com. 

In BC there will a future celebration and scattering of her ashes, once the the weather becomes nice. Further details will be shared here. 

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