Val Boswell

Valetta June Boswell was born in Winnipeg, the only child of her beloved parents Nellie and Clarence. Her fondest memories are of the camping and canoeing trips they took together on the unspoiled lakes of eastern Manitoba and Ontario.

She began singing at an early age, and as a young adult was out most nights of the week at rehearsals and choir practices. It was at a church choir that she met her future husband, Garth Gislason (deceased 2013), where they were both soloists. They eventually settled in Victoria in 1968, after spending an adventurous few years in England and Scotland. In later years Val also enjoyed living in the smaller communities of Port Alberni, Mill Bay, and Mayne Island.

From an early age she was an ardent animal lover and a lifelong vegetarian. She abhorred animal cruelty and volunteered for many years with animal welfare groups such as the FurBearers Association, the Animal Crusaders, and Deer Safe.

Her love of nature and wildlife took her and her children to places such as the beautiful shorelines of the Gulf Islands, to remote lakes on Vancouver Island, to the Khutzeymateen Inlet to see the grizzlies, and to the coastal areas of Scotland, to name just a few. After her divorce she became even more of a free spirit, and made several trips across Canada in her cherished VW van. She loved to explore and roam where her heart took her, proud of the gypsy blood she inherited from her father.

A voracious reader, she enjoyed sharing her “findings” with friends and family, and always kept a world atlas and a dictionary by her bedside. After an early bout with breast cancer, she read widely on health and nutrition, and urged us all to look after our bodies, as “our health is the most important thing.”

We will remember her for: quiet forest walks, intrepid wilderness camping trips, communing with the birds and trees, leisurely trips to the library, stories and words of wisdom from “the old country” (Scotland), and so much more, all punctuated by her unique sense of humour and disarming directness.

We will also remember Val for her relentless thriftiness and her vehement opposition to rampant materialism. She reduced, recycled, and reused long before the 3Rs became mainstream, and was an early adopter of the “buy nothing” movement.

In addition to her animal welfare work, she supported many environmental organizations. She especially admired the work of Jane Goddall, whose Book of hope was one of the last books she read. It is our wish that Val took with her its message of optimism and joy as she set off in her precious canoe “Little Redwing” for her final trip on that peaceful lake with the little fox sitting witness at the water’s edge.

Val was predeceased by her son Samuel, her husband Garth, and son-in- law Manny. She leaves behind her two loving daughters Joanna (Dirk) and Thora along with grandsons Matthew (Kiara) and Jamie (Tetiana), great grandson Kaiden, her Scottish cousins, and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, those wishing to make a donation in her name are asked to consider the Furbearers Association or the Ancient Rainforest Alliance.