It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Queenie. She leaves us just shy of her 89th birthday.
She is predeceased by her brothers Elijah Commanda and Francis Commanda and her sister Anne Keon.
She is survived by her four children Frances Todd (Andrew), Douglas Archibald (Tracey), Paul Archibald and Lauralee Archibald. She was loved and celebrated by her grandchildren Stephen (Sonja), Michael (Tamie), David, Leah, William (Kira) and Manfred (Julia). She is blessed with great-grandchildren Ethan (16), Madison (7) and Ellie (4).
Queenie was beloved by the Indigenous community and will be remembered for her unwavering support for the Aboriginal Mothers Centre, the Pacific Association of First Nations Women including the Urban Butterflies, the Aboriginal Family Court in New Westminster, and the Spirit of the Children.
Queenie was a member of the Nipissing First Nation and a residential school survivor. She was a registered nurse trained in North Bay, Ontario at St. Joseph College. She worked at various hospitals on Vancouver Island and the lower mainland. She spent most of her career working at the Riverview Hospital until her retirement in 2000. She spent many holidays visiting her grandchildren in Ottawa. And in her retirement, she travelled to Alaska, Hawaii, Cuba, New York, Los Angeles, Nevada, France, Switzerland, and across Canada (coast to coast) with her children.
We will miss her and honour her as a loving, kind and thoughtful mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, Indigenous Elder and loyal friend.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Queenie’s name to the Pacific Association of First Nations Women - Urban Butterflies. https://pafnw.ca/urban-butterflies/
Queenie’s family would like to thank the doctors, nurses, technicians and staff of the Royal Columbian Hospital who provided Queenie the care necessary and kindness over these last three months to ensure Queenie was comfortable.
Service details for the Celebration of Life:
Friday, December 29th at 11:00 am at Kearney Columbia-Bowell Chapel
219 6th Street
New Westminster, BC
For those unable to attend in person, please follow the link below to view via LiveStream: