Byland's matriarch dies

Photo: Contributed

A Central Okanagan matriarch died this week after a long battle with cancer.

Katherine “Katie” Brigitta Byland, co-founder of Byland’s Nurseries, died Feb. 7 at Kelowna Hospice House, surrounded by family.

“She had been battling cancer for a few years and finally lost the battle,” said her son, John Byland. “She died at the hospice, and I want to praise the people that work at the hospice. They were really wonderful to her in her last days.”

The 79 year old lived a long and successful life in the Okanagan after a fleeing Europe as a child after the Second World War.

Byland was born in Palanka, Yugoslavia, on Sept. 18, 1935. The war took both her parents by the time she was 10, and in 1949 she immigrated to Canada with her sister.

They chose to move to Kelowna, where they had other family and began their new lives.

“She was very strong willed, she was a very strong woman. If you look at how she came through the war and how she came to Canada, that type of adversity does build a lot character and strength, and she was certainly that,” shares John.

In 1956, she married Adrian Byland and they started Byland’s Nurseries.

“I think they really showed what hard work and determination can do in Canada. They both essentially came over with nothing and through hard work, perseverance, saving and diligence, they were able to build a very good life and a very good business. So, when I think of their legacy, it is really to show that Canada still is a land of opportunity, and if you work hard you can accomplish something,” said John.

Since Adrian's death in 1982, John has been running the business.

“We have existed as a business for 60 years, and she was a big part of that business. My father and her started the business on the original 12 acres where we still exist, and it has grown since then. She was very proud of what we have accomplished, and it was good to see that we as a family were able to continue to build on her legacy and hard work," said John.

Byland’s Nurseries has remained a family business since day one, and he aims to keep it that way.

“My son is in the business right now. He is our sales and marketing manager, so he is involved and my wife Maria manages and owns the garden centre, so we are still very much a family business, absolutely. And hopefully it will continue on for another 60 years.”

Katie Byland is survived by son John and his wife Maria, daughter Anita Thorsen and her husband Rico, sister Anna Brown and her husband Dennis, and her grandchildren Michael, Melanie, Venessa and Jordan.

For information on Katie Byland's service please click here.