October 18, 1936 - August 1, 2025
On Friday, August 1, 2025, Ejvind “Ivan” Hansen of Prince George, BC, passed away peacefully at home at the age of 88.
The day before, he did what he had done almost daily for over two decades: met friends at 9 a.m. sharp at Caledonia Nordic for a morning hike, followed by coffee, homemade treats, and warm conversation, a tradition that in winter months became cross-country skiing. It was a ritual of friendship and joy, reflecting the active life he loved.
Ejvind never stopped loving his wife, Ruth. They met in 1961 on a muddy street in Prince George, married a year later, and shared a rich life until her passing in 2021. His heart never left her side.
Born October 18, 1936, in Denmark, as one of seven siblings, Ejvind grew up with a strong sense of adventure and a bit of mischief. He attended forestry school and at 21, he worked logging in Sweden to save for a dream. Then in May 1958, with just $105 in his pocket, he crossed the Atlantic alongside his lifelong friend Fred Host aboard the Norwegian freighter Stavanger Fjord SS. They landed in Halifax and by train, made their way west to Vancouver. Life in Vancouver was a patchwork of jobs—bottling, blacksmithing, farm work—each a step toward his future. With enough saved, they bought a 1939 Nash and headed north, finding work fighting fires at Summit Lake. Their earnings bought a .22 rifle and power saw; and they headed further north into the Peace Country only to find that work was scarce. They lived in an old barn, eating grouse and foraging berries and when winter came, they found steady work falling trees. In 1959, Ejvind joined the Industrial Forest Service, and later founded Hansen and Dyer Logging Planning, before finishing his career with The Pas Lumber.
If you’ve ever traveled the forestry roads of Northern British Columbia, chances are you’ve driven on routes Ejvind laid out, roads that stand as a testament to his hard work and lasting impact on the land he loved.
He was a man of deep convictions – ones shaped by WWII and the Nazi occupation of Denmark. Ejvind never took freedom for granted and he passionately loved his chosen country of Canada not only for its wilderness and beauty, but for its values: social justice, democracy, and rule of law.
He is survived by his siblings in Denmark, Birthe, Vagn, and Aage; by his children Annette (Greg), Mark (Laura), and Tanya (Jason); his grandchildren Griffin, Justin, Ryan, Gemma, Dannika, and Nathan; and great-grandchildren Sidney, Kai, Cheyenne, Halle and one more on the way. He was predeceased by his beautiful wife Ruth and his siblings Kristine, Ejgil, and Gerda.
His was a life fully lived; honest, adventurous, grounded in love and generosity.
“We will miss you Ejvind, Dad, brother, Bestefar, and friend. We will carry your legacy of integrity, compassion, and that joyful reminder you always gave us, ‘Enjoy life.’