VEDA MARION CAROL HOTEL

(nee Cook) After a brief stay at Lions Gate Hospital, Veda died peacefully on February 18, 2026, with loving family members at her side. Veda was born in 1939 in a small farmhouse in Bowsman, Manitoba, to Mae (nee Beals) and Carl Cook. Before graduating high school, Veda took a teaching contract at the age of 16 with only six weeks of training. She taught students from grade 1-9 and lived by herself in adjoining teacherage without electricity or running water. A year later, she left for Teacher's College in Winnipeg, where she met and fell in love with her first husband, Brian Hotel. Veda married Brian in 1964 and moved to Vancouver, BC, where they put down roots raising their two children (Carla and Charles); ultimately making their home in North Delta. In 1980, Veda completed her BA at UBC and returned to teaching elementary school in North Delta. In 1987, she completed her MA in Counselling Psychology. The latter part of her career, she worked as a counsellor and mediator. Some highlights also included teaching at UBC and in Prague, delivering in-service training, and mediating workplace disputes throughout the province. In 1997, Veda met and later married George Shipley. They had many adventures and did not leave each other's side until George's death in 2023. Their large extended family was truly her greatest joy ... Carla and Pius (Oscar, Madeline, Henry), Charles and Karina (Tessa, Graydon, Ella), Katharine and Murray (Juliette, Ruby, Miles), and Sarah and Mike (Alefa, Kai). Veda LIVED her life fully and spectacularly. She read voraciously, played bridge competitively, travelled the world with abundant curiosity, nourished many with culinary prowess, and celebrated family and friends enthusiastically. Veda was a patron of the arts, regularly holding season tickets for the Opera and Symphony. She was an outdoor enthusiast who enjoyed hiking and exploring nature. Veda skied Whistler regularly and volunteered at the Sliding Centre in Whistler during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games. She even, without much training, cycled from Calgary to Vancouver on a ten-speed bicycle. She loved her many trips to Yellow Point Lodge with friends and more recently at Black Rock Resort with her grandkids. She had recently moved to North Vancouver to be closer to her family. Veda will always be remembered for her warmth, generosity, optimism, and her irrepressible joy for life. Her loving spirit filled every room she entered. Above all, her love and devotion to her large family was unsurpassed. Veda was incredibly philanthropic and donated widely to many causes. She would be pleased if your favourite charity received a donation in her memory, in lieu of flowers. A celebration of life will be held for Veda in North Vancouver at St. Andrews United Church, on April 25, 2026, 1 - 5 p.m.