With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Donald Jason Lefebvre, known to all as “Fatz,” on March 6, 2026. Born in Prince George, Donald was a man who lived life at full throttle, leaving a lasting impression on everyone he met.

Donald’s greatest legacy and his deepest pride were his children. He was the devoted father of Theoren and Mckaila (with Dawn Harestad) and Lucas (with Desiree Meade). Everything he did was rooted in his love for them; they were his world, and he carried them in his heart through every high and low.

Known for his fearless spirit, Donald spent years living on the edge. Whether through his work as a rock scaler or his personal pursuit of the next adrenaline rush, he was never one to play it safe. Yet, for all his toughness, Donald was defined by his incredible generosity. He was a man of his word who would truly give you the shirt off his back, always putting others before himself with a selfless, open heart.

Donald is survived by his mother, Lucille Badgley; his sister Brandi (Paul); and brothers Brad and Dennis(Shara). He was predeceased by his brother Bryan. In a final, moving bond, Donald was followed in death just two days later by his father, Bruce Higgins.

A Funeral Service will be held on Sunday May 17, 2026, at 1:00 PM in the Kamloops Funeral Home, 285 Fortune Drive, Kamloops.

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

Leo Dash August 21,1928 – April 25, 2026 Leopold “Leo” Frank Dash, age 97, a 60 year plus resident of Kamloops, passed away peacefully on April 25th,2026 at the Gemstone Care Centre in Kamloops.

Born on August 21st,1928 on the Frank and Anna Dash homestead near Glen Bain, Saskatchewan, he was youngest of 7 sons (Joseph George, Ferdinand, John Leopold, Frank Mathias, George Nicholas, Martin Joseph, Leopold Frank) and the last to pass away. Leo grew up near the homesteads of his Uncles and Aunts: Joseph/Anna Dash and George/Katharina Dash and their kids. Leo attended school with Dash cousins that grew up on these homesteads.

Leo’s parents, ethnic Germans, Frank Tasch and Anna Frank, were both born and grew up in small villages made up mostly of German settlers in Torontal Province, Austria-Hungary (today Vojvodina Province, Serbia). Frank Tasch came to Canada with his parents in May 1902 and settled in Regina. Anna Frank came to Canada with her parents in May 1904 and also settled in Regina.

Frank and Anna were married on September 11th,1906 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Regina. Their first 3 kids (including Ferdinand who died in infancy) were born in Regina, the remainder on the Frank and Anna Dash homestead near Glen Bain on Sec 17 Twp 11 Rge 8 W3M. The last name Tasch was changed to Dash when Frank and his brothers Joseph and George filed for homesteads near Glen Bain and Vanguard, Saskatchewan.

Leo moved with his parents when they retired to Regina in the fall of 1944. They lived in the “cottage” while Frank and Anna’s sons built them a new house. After high school went to Campion College in Regina, and then worked at Eaton’s in Regina, and then selling office equipment (typewriters, adding machines) at Underwood-Olivetti in Regina. Leo met Agnes Dash in Regina while she was enrolled in the Registered Nursing program at the Regina General Hospital. Leo and Agnes were married on 20 Dec 1953 in Frontier, Saskatchewan. They had three kids: Greg, Terry, and Sheila, and they were all born at the Grey Nuns Hospital in Regina.

Leo and Agnes and family moved to Calgary and then Edmonton in 1963, and then to Kamloops in March 1964. Leo continued in sales, working for over ten years at various sign/neon sign companies: Sign-O-Lite, Wallace Neon Signs, and then Neon Products. In the early 1970’s, Leo switched careers and became a member of Labourer unions in B.C. and Alberta and worked on large construction projects: bridges, large oil or gas pipelines. He retired in Dec 1992. After retiring, mom and dad continued to live at their long-time home at 526 Fortune Drive. Aside from one year in Saskatoon (Jul 1969 to Jun 1970) Dad lived in Kamloops from about Mar 1964 to April 2026: 61 years+. For many of those years, he was a member of the Moose Lodge.

Leo curled many years in Regina and Kamloops. He was also a passionate golfer and loved fishing in Stump Lake, Nicola Lake and other nearby lakes with his treasured McCullough aluminum boat and Evinrude outboard motor. Leo also enjoyed playing Whist and Hearts, and especially pinochle with Greg and Terry.

Agnes died in April 2007 after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s. Dad was there for her and looked after her for all but the last couple years of her life. Keeping constant watch was tough on Dad. Leo later moved to the Independent Living Riverbend Seniors Home. With the help of home care, and even though legally blind, he was able to live there for a number of years. He then moved first to Ponderosa Lodge assisted living facility and then Gemstone Care Centre, where he lived until passing away.

Dad was predeceased by his parents, all his Uncles and Aunts on both the Tasch/Dash and Frank sides; his brothers and their wives; his many Siller first cousins; and brothers- and sisters-in-law Normand and Irene Heggestad, and Donna Heggestad. He was also predeceased by several nephews and nieces: Leonard, Helen, Jackie, Larry and Darlene He is survived by his three children: Greg (Gloria) in Cache Creek, Terry (Karen) in Calgary, and Sheila (Brian) in Cloverdale. He is also survived by eight grandchildren: Kenton (Jeanette, Corry), Jarrett (Crystal), Courtney (Riley), Eamonn, Jorel (Nancy), Elyse (Dustin), Hillary (Fraser), and Tanner (Bridgitte), and many, many great-grandchildren. He is also survived by brothers- and sisters-in-law Omar Heggestad, Jerome and Lynn Heggestad, and many Dash cousins. He’s also survived by many Dash and Heggestad nieces and nephews located across the Prairies and into Ontario (Josie, Alice, Gary, Wilma, Ron, Judy, Gloria, Marleen, Lorne, Shirley, Carole, Valen, Tanis, Sharlene, Darwin, Darcey, Troy, Brent, Brad, Doug) and their families. Dad also has many Tasch relatives in Ontario.

Thanks to the caregivers at Ponderosa Lodge and Gemstone Care Center “assisted living facilities” in Kamloops for caring for Dad the last several years of his life.

A private, graveside service is being held at Hillside Cemetery in Kamloops. Dad is being buried alongside Agnes. A Celebration of Leo’s life to be organized later in the summer.

Rest in peace dad.

The family of Sylvia van der Woning is saddened by the loss of their wife, mother, Oma, and great-grandmother on Sunday, April 19, 2026.

Sylvia is predeceased by her mother Iris Nunes, her five brothers (Cornelis, Johnny, Arthur, Brian, and Neville), and her grandson Karsten Huth.

She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Frans van der Woning, her daughter Carmen Huth (Joerg), her son Ramon van der Woning (Pamela), her grandchildren Jakob, Kyla, and Koehl, her great-grandchild Hayden, and her sister Maryyke Archold Hession.

Sylvia was born on January 29, 1944 and raised in Paramaribo, Suriname. She met Frans while he was stationed in the army in Suriname. She qualified to go to the Netherlands in 1963 for nursing school. They married in 1965 and lived in the Netherlands until 1973. With two kids in tow, they moved to Kamloops, BC, and have lived in British Columbia ever since.

Sylvia was an avid fiber artist, everything from macramé to many forms of needlework. She belonged to and taught with the Embroidery Association of Canada and SNAG (Shuswap Needlework Arts Guild). Sylvia loved to collect antiques and could be found antique hunting and thrifting at every opportunity. She belonged to the Red Hat Society and taught Christopher Leadership. Sylvia loved to entertain and host her family and friends, especially at her beloved lake house on the Shuswap.

A funeral mass will be held for Sylvia van der Woning on May 19, 2026, at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Kamloops, BC. The service will begin at 1 pm with refreshments to follow in the basement room. There will be a prayer vigil at the church on May 18, 2026, at 8 pm. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to Ronald McDonald Charities Vancouver for the Kamloops family room.

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

October 7, 1928 – April 22, 2026

Persis Marcella Massey passed away peacefully into the arms of her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, at the age of 97 in West Kelowna, with her son Dan and his wife Bobbi by her side.

Persis was born in Indore, India, to Prem and Lily Das, the second of two daughters. She shared an especially close bond with her sister, Patience. A gifted student, Persis completed her schooling early and enrolled in teacher’s college at just 14. By age 16, she had returned to her own high school in Indore as a teacher.

A few years later, she met Thomas Massey, who was visiting from New Delhi and was the uncle of a close friend. After a year of correspondence, they were married in 1953. Although both were raised in Christian homes, it was through the ministry of American missionary John Dorsey that Persis and Tom came to a personal and abiding faith in Jesus Christ. From that point on, their lives were marked by a deep love for the Lord and a desire to serve Him faithfully.

Together, they began a small gathering in their home in 1961, which later grew into Faith Bible Presbyterian Church. At Persis’s encouragement, a Christian school was also established, and in 1962 she became one of the first teachers at Faith Academy, starting with only a handful of students. Over the years, the school has grown significantly and is now recognized as a leading English-speaking school in New Delhi, with more than 200 teachers and 3,500 students.

In 1963, Persis and Tom immigrated to Canada with their two young sons, Sunil (Don) and Dan, arriving in Kamloops with only a few suitcases and $14, due to currency restrictions in India at the time. Persis continued her teaching career while furthering her education through summer studies at UBC in Vancouver. She went on to teach at Bert Edwards Elementary for 23 years, where she was fondly remembered for her dedication and for the beautiful saris she wore each day, until her retirement in 1989.

In retirement, Persis devoted more time to her many creative pursuits, including oil painting, paper tole, flower arranging, gardening, knitting, crocheting, sewing, and reading. She also loved cooking and, together with Tom, regularly opened their home to family and friends, generously hosting gatherings filled with warmth, fellowship, and abundant food. Their faith remained central to their lives, and they were active members of First Baptist Church.

Persis was predeceased by her parents, her sister, and her beloved husband, Tom. She is lovingly remembered by her sons, Dr. Sunil (Dr. Valerie) of Edmonton and Daniel (Roberta) of West Kelowna; her grandchildren Ashleigh, Jarrett, Danica, and Isaac (Rebecca); and by many relatives, friends, neighbours, and former students whose lives she touched.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to the incredible staff at Lakeview Lodge in West Kelowna for their compassionate care over the past three years.

A Celebration of Persis’s life will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2026, in Kamloops:
10:00 a.m. – Viewing at Kamloops Funeral Home, 285 Fortune Drive
11:00 a.m. – Chapel service, followed by a light lunch
1:00 p.m. – Graveside service at Hillside Cemetery, 750 Notre Dame Drive

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Gideons International (ShareWord Global), a ministry dear to Persis and Tom’s hearts, dedicated to sharing the Word of God around the world.

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

George Szilagyi passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 in Kamloops, BC, at 79 years of age.

George is survived by his loving wife, Peggy; his three children, Cindy, Cheri-Anne (Jamie) and Daniel; and two grandchildren, Cheridan and Shayla.  He is also survived by his sister, Edith (Gerry) Birmingham, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.  George was predeceased by his parents, an older brother and a twin brother.

A Funeral Service will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, April 30th, 2026, at the Kamloops Funeral Home, 285 Fortune Dr.  Kamloops.

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