Obituary of Sina Jenny Goy

Sina Jenny Goy 1957 – 2010 Surrounded by her loving family, Sina Jenny Goy (nee Koersen) passed away peacefully after a long and courageous fight with cancer on Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at the Dawson Creek Memorial Hospital. Sina was born June 5, 1957 in Penticton, British Columbia. She was the fourth child, and first daughter, born to Willem and Willempje Koersen who had immigrated to Canada from the Netherlands in 1952. A younger sister and brother followed to make for a family of eight. At the age of three months, Sina’s family moved to a farm on Deep Creek Road north of Armstrong, British Columbia. It was in Armstrong where Sina received all of her elementary and high school education. At her high school graduation, Sina received the Citizen of the Year award from a class of about 80 graduates. Throughout her life Sina continued to give so much to many individuals and organizations. From a very young age, Sina determined that she wanted to be an elementary school teacher. She attended the University of Victoria to pursue her career dream. Her final teaching practicum brought her to Dawson Creek in the spring of 1980. Sina lived the next 30 years of her life in the Dawson Creek/Pouce Coupe area. Sina’s first teaching position was in Rolla during which time she met her husband-to-be, Brian Goy. They were married on April 7, 1982. Sina became a mother to three wonderful children, Steven in 1985, Joanna in 1987 and Erica in 1989. For many years Sina balanced motherhood with her teaching career, while at the same time holding various positions with the South Peace United Church. In her later years of teaching, she was an early literacy/reading recovery specialist. She found it extremely rewarding to help young children learn to read. In 2001, Sina was diagnosed with breast cancer. Since that time, Sina taught her family, friends, colleagues, neighbours and community acquaintances the meaning of courage and optimism. Sina’s philosophy was that life was for the living, and she lived life to its fullest in the years following her first cancer diagnosis. Sina had many hobbies including gardening, canning, baking, crocheting, reading and in more recent years quilting and travelling. In 2007 and 2008, Sina and Brian travelled with friends to the Barbados. In 2009, they travelled to the Maritimes. In late March 2010, Sina journeyed to Mexico to visit some friends. Sina’s lifelong priorities were family, faith and friends. She will be deeply missed by her loving husband, Brian; her children, Steven (Laura Wickware), Joanna and Erica; her siblings, John (Susan) Koersen, Henry Koersen (Kathy Mydske), Wilma Koersen (Gerry deBoer), and Ben Koersen; her nieces and nephew, Robert, Kristen, Brookelyn, Tessa, Katrina, Tricia, Katelyn, Kristina, Aleesha and Michelle; her sisters-in-law, Liz Koersen (Scott Caldwell) and Suzanne Pederson. Sina is also survived by numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins, most of which reside in the Netherlands. Sina was predeceased by her parents Willem and Willempje Koersen, her oldest brother, Will and a nephew, Michael Koersen. A Celebration of Sina’s life was held on Saturday, May 1, 2010 at the South Peace United Church with Reverend Marilyn Carroll and Reverend Judy Hare officiating. Sina’s cremated remains will be inurned at a later date in Armstrong, British Columbia.