Judith Van Bergen

Judy Van Bergen (nee Groves) passed away on the morning of October 30th, 2020, in Victoria General Hospital. She suffered from a sudden illness on Wednesday October 21 and fought hard to recover. We were given the gift of a few days with her, and although tired, she was her funny and determined self. We had hoped and prayed that she would come home to us, but we were so blessed to be able to tell her how very loved she was. She passed on peacefully surrounded by her closest loved ones, holding her and loving her. Judy was an incredible mother. She dedicated her life to her children. A firm believer in fun and creativity, Judy supported her family, giving them a home filled with laughter and love, games and adventure. She was never afraid to be herself and taught her children the same, encouraging them to follow their passions in life and enjoy every moment. One of her favourite sayings was “happiness is a choice”, and she lived by that. Along with her beloved husband Paul, Judy travelled the world pursuing her passions of photography and the genuine joy of meeting the real people of the country. She was fascinated by the beauty and cultures of each place they visited and always came home with thousands of pictures and many stories of their adventures. Her pursuit of genealogy took her back hundreds of years into her family’s history and she had such fun visiting many of the places of her ancestors. Judy had strong opinions and loved a good debate. She came from strong women, was independent, and never worried about stating her ideas and thoughts. She was also unwaveringly loyal. If you were lucky enough to be one of her people, you had her absolute devotion. She would always stand by you and was forever your friend. Judy was genuine and honest without fail. She loved so many friends and family, from Sooke to Strathmore, and she held her loved ones close. In recent years, Judy became a loving mother-in-law and a grandma to four very lucky children. She continued to be the thoughtful, concerned leader she had been as a mother. She always had a goody with her for each grandchild, usually just a little something she picked up while she was out, but always unique to that child. She was always thinking of her grandbabies and took the time to know and love each one’s quirks and personality. She gave them unwavering love. Her sense of humour, her love, her kindness, will be so sorely missed, but she believed that loved ones are never really gone and therefore her family says goodbye for now. We will never be the same without you here, but you have given us so very much and we will be together again. Judy is survived by her husband of forty-eight years, Paul, son John, daughter-in-law Jennifer, daughter Jill, son-in-law Joe, and four grandchildren. In lieu of a memorial service, to observe social distancing, a celebration of life will held online on Judy’s Facebook page. It will be turned into a memorial page and the family asks that anyone who would like to share a story or memory of Judy, or simply say goodbye, can do so there. It will be ongoing, so there is no time limit and family and friends can visit anytime to remember.