September 20, 1934 - August 17, 2022
Bea passed away on August 17 at Penticton Regional Hospital with family gathered at her side. She was five weeks short of her 88th birthday and had lived in Summerland for almost 54 years.
Bea was born Sept. 20, 1934 in Olds, Alberta. Eldest daughter of Vera McConnell and Eric Kjos, she grew up in Bearberry in the Alberta foothills, and during her teen years lived near the northeast boundary of Jasper National Park. She liked to say her first job was accompanying tourist expeditions in the Tonquin Valley. She also lived, studied and worked in Vancouver and Horsefly B.C., as well as Sundre and Calgary, before marrying William (Bill) Ralph Hodgson in Sundre in 1955.
Work in the grocery industry took Bea, Bill and their young family to Calgary, Winnipeg, Fort Francis, Ont., and Red Deer before they finally settled in Summerland in 1968. They ran Bill's Shopping Basket on Victoria Road South until they sold the business in 1990.
Bea was involved in many community activities: the Summerland Figure Skating Club; the B.C. Council for the Family; the municipal recreation commission in the 1970s during the construction of the arena and aquatic centre; and more recently, quilting clubs in Penticton and Summerland. She also taught accounting at Okanagan College and worked as an assistant returning officer in the Okanagan-Coquihalla federal riding.
She is survived by her son Jim, daughters Sharry and Patty, three grandchildren (Dallas, Eric and Stephanie), three great-grandchildren (Eva, Bill and Bria), her sister Belle, her two cousins Joan and Joy, and many nieces and nephews. She was pre-deceased by her husband in 2012 and her brother Bob in 2021.
Bea's family is grateful for assistance from paramedics and hospital staff. Family will plan a gathering for friends later in the fall.