February 2, 1943 – January 11, 2026

On January 11, 2026, Darlene passed away peacefully at Overlander Extender Care in Kamloops at the age of 82.

She was born and raised in Halifax, NS. She married Dave Forbes in 1962. They moved to Edmonton and then settled in Kamloops in 1965 when Dave got a job at Weyerhaeuser and she was so proud to be employed at Woodward’s in the Men’s Department. She often spoke of beautiful memories there.

Darlene was very outgoing and social right till the end. Darlene’s empathic nature made people feel safe and loved in her presence and she could make anyone smile. She loved to travel with Dave, particularly in their motorhome to Harrison Hot Springs. She also loved bingo and crochet and would crochet anything she could.

Her family was one of her biggest passions. She loved animals, especially her beloved dogs. She always looked forward to her daily visit with her son James and his furry pup.

She is survived by her sons James and Michael, her grandchildren, Aurora, Shaina and Liza, great grandchildren and numerous extended family.

She was predeceased by her husband Dave on July 17, 1998.

We would like to say a special thank you to Betty Wood, Charlene Fowler and Cheryl Robinson for their love and support over the years.

We would also like to thank the Overlander family as a whole for the love and care they provided to mom over the last 5.5 years. It would be impossible to put into words how grateful and blessed we are for how much you loved and cared for in her final years. You not only provided love and support to our mom, but to us to and we will always hold you in our hearts.

In lieu of flowers, donations made to a charity of your choice may be made in mom’s memory.

Kamloops Funeral Home is honored to be serving the family.
Condolences may be expressed to the family through their website at:
www.kamloopsfuneralhome.com

It is with deep sadness. We announce the passing of James, Jim, Jimmy, Zim, Dim on January 15th. 2026, in Kamloops British Columbia, with his daughter and son by his side in his final moments.

James was born November 16th, 1956 in Vancouver, British Columbia, the first born of eight to James and Claire Whitmore. Soon after he was born, the family moved to Kamloops to build a big beautiful life.

James will be lovingly remembered as the best Grandpa, father, uncle, brother, cousin, and friend. Growing up in Kamloops his whole life provided the opportunity to create flourishing friendships and memories throughout his years. Many of those memories were made alongside his lifelong best friend, Jim Mobley – thank you to Cheryl for putting up with their shenanigans all these years. James loved driving and a good chunk of his career was long haul trucking. James later began working at Costco where he made even more friendships and very quickly was recognized as the Costco gas bar guy. James was certainly well known here in the loops. He was always cracking many jokes, impersonating Donald Duck for the grandkids and was always a really good time to be around. Thank you to the Kami crew for enriching his life for all these years.

He was pre-deceased by his parents James and Claire Whitmore, son Donald Whitmore, sister Blanche Buchner and brother Patrick Whitmore.

Left to mourn his loss, daughter Leanna Alford (Brett), son Brandon Whitmore (Nikki) grandchildren, Hailey and Elijah Whitmore, Ryder and River Whitmore, Trae and Casey Alford, sisters Ellen Whitmore (Sharon), Suzanne Huber (Brian), Carolyn Bilkey (David), brother Paul and Andrew Whitmore. Also left to mourn James, many nieces and nephews, along with very dear friends and co-workers.

The family would like to thank all of the many visitors who came to see James in his final few days. In keeping with James’ wishes, no memorial service will be held. Family and friends will gather in the spring to spread his ashes at one of the many lakes he and Jim frequented.

The family would also like to extend heartfelt gratitude to the compassionate staff at Royal Inland Hospital Cancer Clinic and the staff at Marjorie Willoughby Hospice for their exceptional care and kindness during James’ final days. Thank you to Dr. Mavis Hollman for taking such good care of James for many years before retiring.

James will be deeply missed and forever held in the hearts of those who loved him.

Condolences may be sent to the family from
www.kamloopsfuneralhome.com

On Thursday, January 8, 2026, Kerrie Kayne, loving wife and mother of two, passed away at home at the age of 63.

Kerrie was born May 1, 1962, in Greymouth, New Zealand, to Maurice and Noala Coleman. Her family moved to Hastings in the late sixties, she was involved in Girl Guides and Rangers while at school. Kerrie trained as a nurse at the Hastings hospital and after graduation moved to Tauranga. Kerrie was a registered nurse for over 20 years, an occupation she felt passionately about. She met her husband, Jeffrey, in Tauranga, NZ, they both moved to Australia for a short time before moving to Canada and married in New Westminster, BC, on February 21, 1987. They raised two sons, Fraser and Gabriel.

For Kerrie, curling up in her favourite chair and reading a novel was what she loved most. There was always a character she wanted to discuss, or plot twist to reveal. Other pursuits she enjoyed were travelling, catching up with friends, gardening, crafting, interior design, and knitting. She also enjoyed making sculptures, adding a bit of whimsy to the home with fantastical creatures. She valued making memories with her family and preserving them through photography and scrapbooking. Kerrie was proud of her New Zealand heritage; she would periodically return to her homeland to visit family and sightsee. Kerrie was known for her caring nature, pragmatism, and sense of humour.

Kerrie was predeceased by her husband, Jeffrey. She is survived by her two children, Fraser and Gabriel; her sister, Fiona; and husband Alasdair.

Condolences may be sent to the family from
www.kamloopsfuneralhome.com

In Loving Memory of John Ede Beecher

On January 5, 2026, our dad, husband, grandpa, and brother, John Beecher, passed away unexpectedly.

John was predeceased by his infant daughter, Michelle Suzanne; his grandparents, Victor and Daisy Beecher and Walter and Minerva Ede; his parents, Jack and Muriel Beecher; and his brother-in-law, John Gowans.

He will be missed by Melanie, wife #2; Annette, wife #1 (how John referred to them); his sister, Mary; and his three daughters: Theresa (Gregg), Cheri (Peter), and Michelle (Scott). John was a proud grandpa to Natalie, Holly, Ryan, Megan, Katie, and Stella. He will also be remembered by David (Lia), Jen (Garth), Chris, his nephew Darren (Megan), and many family and friends.

John was born on April 6, 1950, in Kamloops, British Columbia. The lumber business was in his blood and started when he worked with his father at Irly Bird Building Supply. John later shared his passion at West Fraser, Windsor Plywood, and Rona, before retiring in 2018. His knowledge earned him the respect of colleagues, contractors, and friends alike.

John grew up skiing and could be found on the slopes with his buddies when he wasn’t working. This passion led him to volunteer with the ski patrol at Harper Mountain and later at Sun Peaks. As he got older, he found a love for curling. He enjoyed the game and socializing at the rink, where he could have fun and a bit of friendly competition. Summers were first spent camping, at the Vicars’ cabin, and playing softball, but then morphed into relaxing at the Oldham cabin on the Little Shuswap. 

John found happiness in life’s simple pleasures. A hot cup of coffee in the morning, watching T.V., especially Lifetime Christmas movies, and he never said no to popcorn, cookies or a Nanaimo bar…or 2!  Let’s not forget John’s love of four legged animals. There wasn’t a time that he wasn’t surrounded by pets. He’ll be missed by Freckles, Raven, Bandit, and Niki. 

Travelling wasn’t really John’s thing, but Melanie always managed to persuade him to go. They explored Hawaii (where they got married), Greece and Italy, Turks and Caicos, Antigua, and they even went on an Alaskan cruise together. All of which he ended up enjoying as he always came home with a tan and full of stories. Travelling wasn’t the only thing Mel was able to get John to enjoy. There was “HOTMEL”, the Miata that Mel bought, that John was not on board with. But guess who was always the one driving it with a big smile…John!

Nothing was more important to John than family, especially watching his grandchildren pursue the activities they loved. Whether it was curling, football, barrel racing or dance, John could always be seen cheering from the sidelines. The lake was where he was happiest. The days that meant the most to him were when the whole family gathered there to enjoy waterskiing, tubing, and ending the day with a bbq and a game of cards. In John’s eyes family meant that everyone was welcome, whether you were a former partner, a new one, or any friend of the family. Few blended families can say that they got along so well.  

John lived a full life and leaves behind countless memories, well-worn skis, lake days, and a family who will hear his voice cheering them on. Those who knew him will picture him with a grin that said he was exactly where he wanted to be.

A celebration of John’s life will be held on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. at Kamloops Funeral Home, 285 Fortune Drive.

For those who are not able to attend, you can join John’s Celebration of Life online: https://www.ipcamlive.com/5f98c1fdc1e47
PIN: 2520

In lieu of flowers please donate to a charity of your choice.

Condolences may be sent to the family from
www.kamloopsfuneralhome.com

Condolences may be sent to the family from
www.kamloopsfuneralhome.com