Roberta Ishbel Heenan

Bobbie left us quietly on a cold February night, succumbing to an illness she could no longer fight. She packed a lot of living into 95 years and leaves us with many happy memories.

Bobbie was born in Oak Bay, Victoria, to Herbert and Catherine Murray. She grew up playing on Willows Beach with her sisters and participating in her church CGIT group, choir, drama club and various sport teams. Wanting to do her bit for the WWII effort, she joined the WRENS and was promptly posted to the East Coast. After returning to Victoria she married Maurice Walker, a naval officer, and they were posted to Halifax where their twins Wendy and Rob were born. While the Walkers lived in various parts of Canada, Bobbie’s work outside the home included transcribing Hansard for the Nova Scotia Legislature, working at the University of Toronto Engineering Department, Bob Tamblyn Engineering firm and running her own little secretarial support business in Toronto. 

Returning once again to the West Coast, Bobbie landed the best job of her life: executive assistant to Jack Poole, President of Daon Development in Vancouver. After a busy decade with the company, Bobbie looked forward to retirement with Terry Heenan, her second husband. They had a wonderful life together. They travelled, spent winters in Palm Desert and enjoyed the company of a close circle of friends. Bobbie loved her family deeply and took every opportunity to bring them together. She enjoyed young people and was delighted to mentor, offer advice or help out in any way she could. She was kind and generous and derived great pleasure from giving to others. Bobbie was a remarkably active and independent woman. She took up golfing in her sixties, swam regularly into her late eighties and hopped the bus around the city in her nineties. Bobbie will be greatly missed by her family and friends. She has left a place that will never be filled.

Bobbie was predeceased by her siblings Catherine, Sheila, Peggy, Mickey and Jean; her first husband, Maurice Walker and second husband Terry Heenan. Bobbie leaves behind her beloved twins Wendy Rossiter and Rob (Emily) Walker;  grandchildren David (Sydney) Rossiter and Kristin (Matt) Lynds; great grandchildren Charley, Katie, Ben and Alex. Bobbie is survived by brothers-in-law David, Joe and Peter Heenan; stepchildren Catheigh, Greg (Irene), Robert (Ivy) and Martha, step grandchildren Stephanie, Lindsay, Zoe, Darren, Cameron, Jamie, Geoffrey and several step great grandchildren. The family would like to thank Bobbie’s circle of close friends who enriched her life and, in recent years, the staff at Crofton Manor, caregivers and Dr. Deborah Hocking for her support and guidance. On Wednesday, February 27, at 1:30 pm, there will be a celebration of life service at Shaughnessy Heights United Church (1550 West 33rd Avenue), followed by a  reception.  In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the charity of your choice.