Nancy Sue Pawlitsky

It is with deep sorrow we announce the passing of Nancy Sue (Woods) Pawlitsky after a well fought, brief battle with cancer on Sunday, March 15, 2026 at age 72.  Nancy passed away peacefully to the soothing music and lyrics of her favourite artist Bob Dylan, with family and friends at her side while in care at Mount Cartier Court Hospice in Revelstoke, BC.

Nancy was born on August 7, 1953 in Toronto. She grew up in Aurora then mostly New Market, Ontario. Nancy started working at the local hospital while still in high school and saved up to embark on a great adventure across Canada. She and her boyfriend at the time, bought a van which they camperized and Nancy affectionately decorated the interior really making it her own. She then left her mother, sister, friends and all that was familiar at the tender age of 18 to head out west and experience the great open road! Once they arrived in Revelstoke, British Columbia, the gorgeous setting of the Columbia River valley nestled in between the Selkirk and Monashee mountain ranges truly stole her heart. They decided this is where they wanted to settle. They rented an old cabin down near the industrial park and she got her first job at Smitty’s Restaurant. Being on the Trans-Canada Highway, she had memorized and up to her last days, could still recite how many ‘miles’ it was to all the towns and cities in the near vicinity. Once that relationship proved unsuccessful, Nancy did some more exploring of BC taking up brief residences in Ruby Creek, Vancouver, then spent some time way up in the North West Territories in Hay River. Something about Revelstoke beckoned her and she ended up moving back. On a visit with friends to Kelowna, Nancy met ‘the one’. They were both completely smitten with each other, like head over heels in love! Very soon after, Nancy moved to Rutland to be with this man and only 8 months later, married Mr. Larry Pawlitsky originally of Revelstoke, on April 13, 1974 at their home ‘The Spot’ in Winfield, BC. They lived there together in newlywed bliss, but after a short time, Larry’s father bought a large swath of land to develop his dream of having a campground. Nancy & Larry packed up and moved back to Revelstoke to join the Pawlitsky clan in the development and construction of Canada West Campground. Nancy was an extremely hard worker and could easily keep up with the men. One of her favourite jobs was working on the building of Blanket Creek Provincial Park & Campground. She took on several housekeeping jobs while her children Ryah and Jared were young so she could make her own hours and still be present for their early years. Nancy got hired on as housekeeper and part-time cook at the long term care home Moberly Manor in the mid-1980’s. She really loved working there and forming relationships with the residents and staff. In the early 2000’s, government cutbacks were looming and Moberly Manor was slotted to become more of an assisted living facility rather than long term care home. Aware that big changes were coming, Nancy took the Care Aid course. Over the next 5 years, Moberly staff and many residents families really protested and fought the good fight to keep the quaint little care home, as it was originally funded and built by local Revelstoke residents, to remain in tact but bureaucracy won over. Nancy then went on to work at the newly built Mount Cartier Court long term care home where she lovingly cared for her residents until she retired in 2013.

Nancy was an active member of the Red Hat Society which in 2009, became the Canadian version ‘The Crown Jewels’. She loved to sport the fancy hats and regal red and purple colours and go on outings with her jewel sisters. She also valued her privacy and enjoyed the peace of a quiet lifestyle with her husband Larry. They grooved on going for car rides with their dogs, mushroom picking, spending time with their grandson Leo, being outside enjoying Larry’s gardens in their beautiful yard and would religiously watch and play Jeopardy! Nancy truly delighted in all things trivia and she was damn good at it! Her grammar, spelling and vocabulary knowledge were exemplary and she was an avid reader. She was an incredible self-taught cook and she knew all about nutrition. Nancy had quite an artistic flair, she was a true creative.

Nancy is survived by stepson Chris (Annette) Pawlitsky and grandson True of Revelstoke, daughter Ryah and grandson Leo Pawlitsky of Calgary, sister Shadow Woods of Celista, sisters-in-law Susan (Frank) Morabito of Langley, Shelley Pawlitsky (Kevin Biden) of Coquitlam, Marilyn Jablonowski of Lumby and Tammy Hascarl of Nakusp, nephews Scott, Justin (Carli), Kelly, Mitchell (Misato), niece Erin and the family’s beloved dog Annie Pearl.

She was predeceased by her father Reginald Woods in 1955, brother Michael in 1959, son Jared in 1989, father-in-law Leo Pawlitsky in 1998, brother-in-law Mark Pawlitsky in 2009, nephew Robin Butler in 2012, mother-in-law Mary Pawlitsky in 2014, mother Lee Woods in 2018, loving husband Larry in 2020 and nephew Jeff Morabito in 2025.

The family genuinely thank Dr. Kate McCarroll, Dr. Wild, Dr. Furk and the nursing staff at QVH.  They would like to express their sincere gratitude to the amazing staff at Mt. Cartier Court, especially Joanne, Megan, Jamie, Shannon and Jeanine. You took such excellent care of Nancy as well as us! A special shoutout to Sandy of the Hospice Society for her compassion and support.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date in the summer.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Revelstoke Hospice Society or BC Cancer.

Cremation arrangements were in the care of Brandon Bowers Funeral Home, Revelstoke.