Tribute

Viki Inskip

On August 6, 2021 Victoria (Viki) Inskip passed away peacefully in her sleep. She was 95 years old. Born in Vienna in 1925 to Jewish parents, she and her mother fled Austria in 1939. Viki arrived in England as a 14-year-old, speaking very little English and spent the war years in high school, ultimately graduating at the top of her class. Following high school, she studied at the Royal Veterinary College at the University of London and became a Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (MRCVS). Following graduation, she moved to New York with her mother and after working six months as a veterinarian, pursued her dream of travelling to the west coast. She hitchhiked, bicycled and camped her way across Canada and the U.S. Upon arrival in Seattle, Viki took a job as a veterinarian. While living in Washington, she was an avid mountaineer, often venturing out with the Mazamas Mountaineering Club. She moved to British Columbia and in 1952, while delivering calves, met and subsequently married a willowy rancher near Kamloops, BC. Viki and her husband, Oliver, had five children. Oliver died in 1967 and she never remarried. Her son Perry predeceased her in 1997. She is survived by four children: Rose Desrochers, Cliff (Brenda), Stuart, and Carol, a dozen grandchildren and many great grandchildren.

Viki is remembered as a free-spirited person who valued experiences over possessions. She was a hiker, skier, camper and traveler who loved the mountains. She orchestrated frequent outdoor adventures, camping throughout North America, skiing, swimming, hiking, and even skydiving. In 1969, she took four of her young children camping around Europe and shared her love of mountaineering – together walking on glaciers and trekking in icy and arduous conditions to an alpine hut on the slopes of the highest mountain in the Austrian Alps. She loved animals and had a soft spot for strays. She spoke five languages.

Viki was a community activist and volunteer. She was a strong advocate and prolific writer to prime ministers, premiers, mayors and editors on social justice, human rights and wilderness preservation issues. She was especially dedicated to supporting refugees – a lifelong pursuit.

The family thanks the staff at the Mayfair Senior Living and Care facility for their care and kindness. Memorial donations to a refugee support organization of your choice are appreciated.

“May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” Ruth 2:12