Lessons from Mark: On how to live a happy life. Mark was a happy man. He was content with his life, he had an unfailingly sunny nature and he never seemed stressed. How did he do this? What was his secret? I asked him a few times but he always laughed off the question. I’veContinue reading “Maria Coffey’s tribute to Mark”
Category Archives: Marks last journey
Obituary
Markku (Mark) Kullervo Kaarremaa Photo by Wayne Hiebert Passed away peacefully, but far too soon on March 2nd at the Palliative Care unit at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. Predeceased by his parents Keijo and Elsa, he is survived by his loving wife of 34 years Liz (Hammond), his son James (Heidi), brother Ilkka (Barbara) andContinue reading “Obituary”
Last Post
A bit roughMark’s last Facebook post Mark passed away quickly and peacefully this afternoon, with Roger and I holding his hands. -30-
Healing Songs
Northern canoes at Departure Bay, Tribal Journey 2008 Today was a special day for Mark. My Tribal Journey canoe family came to sing a healing song for Mark to honour and thank him for the beautiful photos he has taken of our journeys (click here (2014) and here (2008) to see some of them). Mark meet up withContinue reading “Healing Songs”
Hospital Beds
Beautiful BC Magazine, 1997 My mother asked me what could she do to help around the house while I was at the hospital. I suggested that she phone the Protection Island Lions Club and ask them to pick up the hospital bed and equipment that they had so generously lent us. We had it setContinue reading “Hospital Beds”
Speed of life
Roger They say that the universe is expanding at an increasing rate. I think that means that time, too, is speeding up. That could explain why we wonder where time has gone, why our lives seem to go quicker as we age and ‘what happened to all those years?’ Paul Manu Today Mark’s doctors weighedContinue reading “Speed of life”
A quick update
Puffin 2011 Mark went into hospital today for a couple of procedures. They couldn’t get a stent into his bile duct as it was so compressed and yes, it is cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer). They will try again tomorrow (Thursday) using a different technique and approaching it from a different direction so they kept himContinue reading “A quick update”
Stories
Smoking pipe One thing I have learned these past few days is that everyone has their stories. So obvious but it’s also something we forget. The theory is far removed from deeply knowing and remembering to respect them for their unspoken story. Cougar, 1996 Mark has the creative eye to capture stories visually. ThatContinue reading “Stories”
Memories
Cabbage Island, 2014 This whole week has been filled with family, friends and food. Mark and I are so blessed to have such a large family and so many friends. Today brought the three Tuominen sisters (childhood friends), brothers Eric, Marks godson, and Tim whom Mark has known since they were babies. Their parents PaulContinue reading “Memories”
The Prognosis
Wet Coast (Wickininish Island 2005) On Friday Mark met with the specialist who identified three possible cancers: Colon — possible but it doesn’t act like colon cancer; a liver cancer which has blocked the bile duct; or bile duct cancer– most probable. The later two don’t respond to treatment and given the spread to the lungsContinue reading “The Prognosis”
Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa 