Judith (Judy) Laureen Pope died on March 28, 2013 in the Vancouver General Hospital after losing a debilitating twelve month battle with advanced metastatic lung cancer.

Judy was born in Kindersley, SK on May 25, 1948, but spent her childhood in Kelowna, BC. She was educated in Fine Arts at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver and at Carleton University, Ottawa. Judy exploited her skills as a fluent writer and a tigerish editor to build a successful freelance career in Ottawa. A short assignment at Ottawa software company Cognos turned into a decade-long career as a writer, editor and software interface designer. It was also where she met and fell in love with Bob Minns, her constant companion for the rest of her life. In 1992 Judy ended her working career, spending the next decade turning the family home, a 19th century log cabin, into a heritage showplace. In 2004, the family retired to Vancouver to reunite Judy with the sea, the forests, the mountains and the eagles that were always in her thoughts.

Judy was a passionate and determined collector of antique furniture and works of art. She built a spectacular collection of early Canadian furniture and ceramics, after many hours scouring country auctions and flea markets throughout the Ottawa valley. In recent years, stimulated by a second home in Southampton, England, her collection expanded to include early English oak furniture and artworks. In her retirement, she was finally set free to see with her own eyes the architecture and art of Italy, during inspirational trips to Florence, Venice, Ravenna and Rome.

Judy is survived by her husband Robert (Bob) Minns; by her brother James (Jim) Dale Pope and his wife Barbara; by Bob's son Christopher Minns, his wife Delphine Bénézet and their children Lucy and Colin; and by Bob's son Nicholas Minns, his wife Liette Bettez and their son Dorian. She will be sorely missed by many friends, colleagues and neighbours in Vancouver, Kelowna, Ottawa and Southampton.

The family thanks the doctors and nurses of the BC Cancer Agency for their efforts to treat and to mitigate Judy's cancer. We also applaud the nurses of Ward 7A, Vancouver General Hospital, for making Judy's final days as comfortable as possible. Our very special thanks go to family physician Dr Kara Solmundson, always tireless and unrelenting in her efforts to secure the best possible care for Judy.

At Judy’s request, cremation took place without a Funeral or Memorial Service. In Judy’s memory, please consider making a donation towards cancer research. Donations to Cancer Research UK may be made at http://donateinmemory.cancerresearchuk.org/0003842.