November 28, 1933 – May 29, 2023
Hanka Mittelstaedt passed away peacefully on May 29, 2023, in Cairnsmore Place in Duncan, BC, with friends by her side. Hanka was born on November 28, 1933, in Poznan, Poland, to parents Isabelle and Tadeusz. She and her mother fled Poland following the death of her father during the Nazi occupation.
Hanka immigrated to Canada in 1950 and resided in Montreal, Toronto, Victoria, Ladysmith and Chemainus. While travelling, working and living throughout the world, she was often accompanied by one of her two beloved cats, Sheba and Tiffany. Hanka was an engineer and long before travelling with pets became commonplace, Sheba and Tiffany were experienced travelers and became well known to the proprietors of hotels frequented by Hanka on her trips. As a result of her love for these companions, Hanka remained an active supporter of the SPCA throughout her life.
Although many of Hanka’s friends and family passed before her, Hanka will long be remembered by those who knew and loved her independent, intelligent, resilient spirit.