Obituary of Pamela Jean White

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our mother, grandmother (Umma) and great-grandmother, Pamela White.  Pam was born in Winnipeg, MB, and moved with her family to Vancouver at the age of 5.  She grew up in Kerrisdale, graduated from Magee Secondary, and then the VGH School of Nursing.  After several years in the OR and Community Nursing, Pam took some time, while raising her children, to care for her mother who suffered with Alzheimers Disease.  Once her mother went into care Pam recognized the increasing need for training in dementia care.  She founded ProCare Institute to train Health Care Aides and other health care workers, and to offer specialized training in caring for people with dementia.  She always said that it was her intention to train people so that she could rest assured she would be properly cared for in her old age.  As it happened, in her last days, one of the care attendants looking after her was a proud ProCare graduate.  Many thanks to Dr. Little and the staff at RMH PATH unit for their compassion and wonderful care of Pam in her final days.

While living in Burnaby, Pam had many years of hosting international students most of whom, along with their families, became part of her family.  She spent several weeks every year visiting and spending time with her Mexico family and these opportunities for travel and visits abroad only increased when, in her “retirement”, she joined her daughter and family living in Maple Ridge.

Pam was fiercely independent, fearless, resourceful, adventurous, kind, compassionate, had an enormous heart and was so incredibly proud of her family, especially her grandchildren. 

Pam is survived by her children Tricia (David), Bryan and Karen; grandchildren, Kieran, Connor, Braeden, Alysa, Logan and Jackson; great-grandson Finnley; her brother, Greg (Sharon) and family; and her many friends and family locally, in Mexico and around the world.

A fiesta will be held in May to celebrate Pam’s life.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer Society of British Columbia are greatly appreciated.

 

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