Hanne Anette Cameron (Née Thykier)

Hanne Anette Cameron (née Thykier) passed away in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, the morning of December 28, 2024, at the age of 91 years (born July 11, 1933). She is predeceased by her parents Einar Thykier and Kirstine Thykier (née Just), her husband Col. Alastair Craig Cameron, and her son Allan Christian Cameron. Hanne is sadly missed by her daughter Mary and son-in-law John, son Drew, daughter Jennifer and grandson Jacob, and through marriage many nieces and nephews.

Hanne was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, but grew up in Riskov, Aarhus, Denmark – living on Lindevangsvej and spending many of her young days walking down to the beach and swimming in the Bay of Aarhus, the gateway to the North Sea and Baltic Sea. As a young woman she was keen to improve her English and spent a year as a mother’s helper in England. She travelled throughout Europe and was noted as saying she had visited almost all the European countries. She then qualified as a Danish nurse, going on to obtain her degree in nursing administration. Her early training included 6 months working in hospitals in England, where she later returned to complete her training and certification in plastic surgery nursing, and then specializing in plastic surgery back at home in Denmark. It was while training to be a nurse where she started her life-long friendship linking her to Holland and her good friends Minke and Martin van Sleeuwen.

In 1965-1966 she took a one-year leave of absence to serve as a Lieutenant and Assistant Matron in the Danish Army Hospital, which was part of the 5000 United Nations Emergency Force stationed in the Gaza Strip and on the Israel/Egypt border. Here she met her future husband and fellow spy who was with the Canadian Army. In early 1967 she came to Canada and worked at the Ottawa Civic Hospital. Later that year, back in Denmark, she married her Canadian Army sweetheart. For the next sixteen years she moved with her husband and family to locations where her husband was posted – across Canada (Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, British Columbia), Germany, Poland and Egypt.

Hanne returned with her family to the west coast of Canada in 1982 and became involved as a volunteer with the Surrey/Delta Immigration Service, and with Girl Guides of Canada as a Pathfinder Leader, International Advisor, and District Commissioner. From 1982 to 2018, She lived with her husband and family in various communities in British Columbia, Canada – Surrey, Parksville, and Victoria.

She moved to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, in 2018 after her husband passed away, to live with her daughter and son-in-law and take in yet one more great adventure. In the late spring of 2023, she moved in to Whistle Bend Place continuing care and was supported by the amazing team in House 7!

Cremation will take place, then will be followed in the summer of 2025 with a private family spreading of her ashes in the Pacific Ocean to be reunited with her husband and son – free to travel the world and take in grand adventures once again!

Hanne in good Scandinavian style has asked that family and friends ‘Raise a Glass’ (possibly of Sherry, her favourite before dinner treat) in her honour and to make an extra donation this year to their favourite charity (themes that both Hanne and her husband Craig contributed to were: MS Canada, Animal causes, Children causes, Hospital foundations, and support for Veterans). During her life she had a few favourite quotable expressions, most fitting as we celebrate her life is “Sun is Number One” – may the sun rise and shine on all of us as we move through our adventures!