Katherine Leitch

LEITCH, Katherine Diane It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Katherine Diane Leitch (Vaughan, née Sawyer) 85 of Victoria, BC on May 6, 2017 in the presence of friends at a family gathering in Vancouver. Diane was born in Peterborough, Ontario on May 15, 1931 and moved to Victoria with her family where she completed high school. She continued her studies at UBC, receiving a BA (Honors Zoology) in 1952 and her Medical degree in 1956. She married Frank Wilfred Vaughan in 1955 and they had three children together; Struan, Hilary and Alison. Diane and the children left Victoria for Edmonton in 1972 where she continued her studies and earned her speciality in Pathology from the University of Alberta in 1975. Diane married James Leslie Leitch in 1988 after meeting on a safari in Africa. They lived in Edmonton until moving to Victoria in 2002. Diane was an avid member of numerous clubs including birding, hiking and cycling as well as singing with several choirs. She found great joy in pursuing these pastimes with family and friends and lived a life of passion and appreciation for nature, music, art and history. Diane shared a fondness for bird watching and international travel with her late husband Les and they spent many hours together designing and tending to a wonderful garden in Victoria. Whether walking in the woods with friends or family or sharing an opera together with others Diane lived life to the fullest. She kept in regular touch with her family and was always keen to learn what was happening in the lives of her children and grandchildren. Diane is survived by her three children, Struan (Jean) Vaughan, Hilary Vaughan and his partner Maxine Achurch, Alison (Neil) Cockburn, her sister Jacquie Hunt, her sister-in-law Elaine Sawyer, grandchildren Keristan (Adrian) Bonin, Cailin (Johnny) Boldt, Logan Vaughan and fiancé (Candy Alvarez), Kieran, Genna and Samara Cockburn, great-grandchildren Liberty Bonin and Oakley Boldt, her stepson Dale (Karen) Leitch and numerous nieces and nephews. Diane was predeceased by her parents Tom and Gladys Sawyer, her husband Les Leitch, Frank Vaughan, her brother John Sawyer and her niece Julie Stribling. Please join us for a celebration of Diane's life at 1191 Stonington Place, Victoria, B.C. on June 3rd, 2017, from 1:00 to 3:00 pm. In lieu of flowers a memorial donation may be given to the Canadian Red Cross Society. Mum, Diane, sister, granny, great granny and friend you are sadly missed. Your smile and boundless energy will remain forever in our hearts.