The family of Colette Van Patter (née Pelletier) is deeply saddened to announce her passing at the age of ninety. Colette passed away peacefully on the evening of October 21, 2025, in Surrey, BC, surrounded by family.
Born on January 15, 1935, in St. Marcel, Quebec, Colette was the daughter of Auguste Pelletier and Rose-Eva Saint-Laurent. She faced sorrow and responsibility early in life, losing her mother at the age of sixteen and stepping into a caregiver role for her younger siblings.
In her early twenties, Colette met and married her first husband, Robert Boucher. Together they moved west to Dryden, Ontario, where they found work, learned English, built a home, and
raised a loving family. After Robert’s passing in 1978, Colette was fortunate to find love again with Hugh Van Patter. The couple remained in Dryden for many years before eventually settling in Victoria, BC, drawn westward once more to be closer to their children and grandchildren.
Colette’s life was characterized by resourcefulness, duty, and creativity. Her home boasted a vegetable garden that was the envy of the neighborhood, and her skill as a seamstress kept her children dressed in stylish, hand-made clothes. Her artistic flair shone through in her quilting and weaving, and her Christmas gifts were always beautiful creations made with love and care. She had an uncanny ability to make much from little.
Her sense of hospitality was boundless. Once, upon finding two hitchhikers sheltering in the family shed, she brought them inside, fed them, offered showers, and washed their clothes before they continued on their way. She never turned anyone away at mealtime and could always create a hearty meal from whatever she had on hand. Colette was a generous, loving, and wise soul who valued family, connection, harmony, and honesty above all else.
Colette was predeceased by her husbands Robert Boucher and Hugh Van Patter; her parents Auguste Pelletier and Rose-Eva Saint-Laurent; her brothers Maurice, Jean-Guy, and Paul-Yvon; her sisters Marcel, Viviane, Dolores, and Huguette; and her stepson Michael Van Patter.
She is survived by her sister Nicole; her children Michel, Jean, Ghislaine, Joanne, Daniel, and Marc Boucher; and her stepchildren Kim and Andrew Van Patter. She will also be lovingly remembered by her eleven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
The family extends heartfelt thanks to the doctors, nurses, and staff at Sun Creek Village in Surrey, BC, for their compassionate care during Colette’s final years living with Alzheimer’s.
A Celebration of Life for Colette will be held on January 15, 2026. Time and location will be announced at a later date.
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