Irene Muir Linden

Linden, Irene Muir (nee Purves)

You’ve held my hand; you’ve held my heart. So many blessings so few tears, yet for a moment we must part. ~Unknown

Died at 3pm on September 13, 2026, surrounded by her family with her precious pup upon her lap. Irene lived a full life and died peacefully on her own terms. She was 91 years old.

She is survived by her beloved family: sons, Paul Linden (Shannon) of Victoria BC and Alan Linden (Christine) of Evansville, Indiana; daughters Michelle Linden of Victoria BC and Cathy Linden (Andre) of Edmonton; four grandchildren; Nicolas (Julie), Tayanna, Dryden and Kiri. She was predeceased by her parents; Agnus Muir King and Walter Dryden Purves; her brother George Purves and his twin brother who died at birth; her loving husband of 50 years, Francois Linden; and her sweet two-day old son, Edward.

Born August 1st, 1935, in Edinburgh Scotland, Irene was a spunky and scrappy child, never afraid to speak her mind and roll up her sleeves to fend off the bullies who dared to pick on her little brother, George. She loved the vibrant city culture of Edinburgh and the jagged, dramatic crags that overlooked it; she adored riding her bicycle along the rambling roads to the city limits that stretched to the sea.

Intelligent and ambitious she enrolled in nursing school at the Royal Infirmary, continuing her studies to specialize in midwifery.

Catching babies was her skill and adventure was her calling and so at the age of 25, she and her friend, Margaret, left their homeland to travel around the world. Irene got as far as Nelson BC in Canada before she fell in love with a patient on her ward at Kootenay Lake General Hospital.

She married Francois in 1962 and together they relocated to the tiny community of Trout Lake BC nestled in the Selkirk and Purcell mountains, where they welcomed their first child, Paul. Daughter Michelle soon followed. Next came baby boy Edward, son Alan, and daughter Cathy.

Homesteading was challenging in those remote parts but Irene grew a bountiful garden and joyfully socialized with residents and visitors alike. Francois proudly operated his own logging company for more than 30 years while Irene kept the books but she was always a healthcare provider at heart. She trained as a paramedic and for many years attended accidents and made house calls.

The resident medical expert, she also tutored her children, instilling a love for learning and a respect for wildlife and the environment, not to mention a passion for huckleberry pie and jam.

Never one to accept no for an answer, Irene lobbied BC Tel until they acquiesced and telephones replaced hand receiver communication and once that battle was won, she set her sights on BC Hydro single-handedly bringing power to Trout Lake. How she loved her microwave oven after that!

A health scare in 2009 forced the Lindens’ hand and they moved to Kamloops where Irene could be closer to care. There they resided by another lake: aptly named Paul. Even cancer listened to Irene when she insisted it wasn’t her time and it was discovered her tumor was primary to her liver. She had a resection and went on to live another happy and fulfilling 17 years.

Alan assisted in maintaining the Trout Lake property but eventually Irene and Francois moved to Okanagan Center to be closer to family and to reside by another lake, this time the deep and long Lake Okanagan.

After Francois passed in 2012, Irene took up yoga and enjoyed live theatre with friends. She loved walking the gently meandering path skirting the lake with her beloved dog Gumpy. Always at home near and in the water, she trained to swim across that lake in her 80’s—an ambitious endeavor in keeping with her inaugural parasail at the same age.

When Paul and Shannon came full-circle and left the Okanagan to reside in the place they first met—Victoria, BC—they brought Irene with them so she could live her later years in a lovely condo in Sidney. With Michelle nearby, Irene enjoyed the little seaside town where the briny scent of the surf and the serenade of the seagulls brought back memories of her beloved Scotland.

Ever cheerful, always outgoing, unfailingly kind and generous, eternally the defender of the underdog, no matter where she lived, Irene easily made friends and always won the smiling admiration of all who met her. She and her faithful Pomeranian, Maisie, quickly became feature residents in Sidney.

Her 90th birthday was a highlight, where family and friends from near and far gathered to celebrate the stoic and steadfast; bright and brilliant; loving woman with sparkling blue eyes and a cheeky smile.

A lover of literature, one of Irene’s greatest joys was reading and when macular degeneration compromised her eyesight she turned to audiobooks; when her hearing failed, she sadly struggled with the loss of her favorite pastime.

A walker of the woods and city streets alike—though admittedly never a great driver—when Parkinson’s Disease slowly stole her ability to take herself to all the places she loved and she needed a little more help to navigate her world, she moved to Edmonton for her final year of life. There her youngest daughter, Cathy and her husband Andre, renovated a carriage home for Irene and lovingly took care of her.

Granted her final wish, to leave this world encircled by those she loved most, no doubt Irene is surrounded by the beloved family and friends and a great many dogs and cats who went before her and she is waiting patiently—as she always did—until she is reunited with those who miss her dearly but will see her further on up the road.