The Harwood name is well known in Vernon with Harwood neighbourhood and Harwood Elementary school.

Joe Harwood moved to Canada in the late 1800’s and eventually landed in Vernon. He served on the School District board for 28 consecutive years, and Harwood school opened in 1950 was named in his honour.

Relatives of Joe, Vic and Bev Harwood moved to Vernon from North Vancouver and settled in East Hill in the 1970’s and spent the next 40 plus years here raising their children and later contributing to nonprofits including Community Futures and the Okanagan Film Commission.

Vic passed at Hospice House, His wife Bev later became a Volunteer at hospice contributing her time and empathy to help others while also contributing as a regular financial donor to the charity. Bev spoke highly of her time with her husband at Hospice House.

“I was so glad to get him into Hospice House, he had been in the hospital for a week, or ten days and he was not getting better. It was marvelous an ambulance brought him in, and these two beautiful guys, and the gave him a beautiful bath and got him in clean pajama’s and he was better just for that,” Harwood said. “I thought it was like being in a nice hotel in a way, nice room, nice people taking care of everything, it was great.”

We thank Bev, and all our volunteers and supporters for their contributions to the North Okanagan Hospice Society.