On June 20, 2008, while driving from Montreal to the west coast to visit her family and friends, and accompanied by her friend Bri, Darcy Jane Hughes died in a motor vehicle accident east of Regina, Saskatchewan.
Darcy was the cherished daughter of Mary Harkema and Lawrence Hughes and the very loved sister of Noah, Blake and Tom. She was the niece of Ellen and Hans Hazenboom, Harold and Sandy Harkema, Louise Harkema, Andrea Bavis, Jan Mark and Dawn Harkema, and Derek Harkema, all of whom are broken hearted. Her first cousins are Petra, Melissa, Jocelyn, Jared, and Julian Hazenboom; Jackie, Valerie, Jessica, Adrian, and Haley Harkema; Elisha and Jocelyn Harkema-Noyes; Christopher, Nathan, and Jonathan Bavis; Aleah and Joshua Harkema; Sara and Sasha Harkema who are all very close and will greatly miss her. Her little cousins are Lauren, Sarah, and Anna Mollin; Owen, Riley, and Emma Bavis; Morgan, Ciaren and Teagan McAteer. Also in Maryland are Darcy’s great aunts Eleanor Haley and Doris Culver who were very fond of her. Darcy was predeceased by her grandparents Jan and Louise Harkema, and Jacqueline Roeck.
Darcy was born on Salt Spring Island on March 27,1983, grew up here graduating from GISS in 2001. She moved to Montreal to attend McGill University and received her BA in English Cultural Studies and Religious Studies in 2006.
She then worked for Eastman Systems which publishes course packages for McGill and Concordia. She saved her money and set off in January 2007 for a five month journey through Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, visiting Salt Spring on her way back to Montreal. She enrolled at Concordia, studying psychology and ended her school year recently.
Darcy was an exceptional young woman and was destined to do good things. She had great social, environmental, and political awareness and lived her daily life accordingly. She always voted and having duel citizenship, was a member of Democrats Abroad and had her Obama T-shirt.
She was a loyal and compassionate friend to so many. She was poised, completely unaffected, direct and had a somewhat somewhat skewed sense of humour. Darcy had great beauty and was a gift to all who knew her. We were blessed to have her in our lives.
A memorial for Darcy will be held at the home of Ellen and Hans Hazenboom, 138 Acheson Rd, Saturday, July 5 at 2 pm. This will be an informal celebration and all are welcome. On Sunday, July 13th from 11am-1 pm. there is a memorial for Darcy at the Birks Chapel at McGill University in Montreal.