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PENN, Olive Elizabeth (nee: Higgs).

January 31, 1938 - April 3, 2014. Passed away with family by her side at Abbotsford Regional Hospital, in Abbotsford, BC. Olive was born in Sumas, Washington to Adora and Thomas Higgs. Her father was a farmer on Sumas Prairie & her mother was a full partner in farm work & was a devoted housewife & raised Olive, her sisters, Mabel and Christina, and her brother Stephen, in typical rustic farm-life fashion.

Olive graduated from Abbotsford Senior Secondary School in 1952 and proceeded to spend her early life trail riding on her horses. She travelled to many exotic locations and after having her fill of excitement, she returned to Canada and met and married Ivan Charles Penn at a local dance in 1974, married him, and proceeded to have a daughter, Madison, in 1978. Olive worked as a lab technician at M.S.A. Hospital for over 30 years before embarking on a plethora of moves to various B.C. locations.

She was a loving mother, a supportive wife and one of the most polite people you could meet. Kind to all, and careful to always be considerate of the needs of others, she managed to live a nice life raising her daughter and walking her dogs. She loved nature and took as many long walks in wooded trails as she could – and took every opportunity to observe and appreciate beautiful scenes and birds. Olive had a perpetual “green thumb” and always kept her garden alive and pristine when she had her own house. She had an uncanny ability to attract dogs, horses and other pets to her – we can only figure it must be the unconditional love they felt from her. It was quite amazing.

Olive is survived by her husband, Ivan, daughter Madison, sister Mabel, her brother, Stephen, & his wife Bonnie, her deceased sister’s husband, Alan, as well as 9 nieces & nephews & 22 grand nieces & nephews. Her sister, Christina, predeceased her. Services were held on April 8th at Cascade Court. It was a beautiful service. Many thanks to all the extended family and friends who made Olive’s Memorial so special.



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