Paula Jean Ingarfield Harker

It is with great sadness and broken hearts that we announce the sudden passing of Paula Jean Ingarfield Harker, surrounded by family, at the University of Alberta Hospital on Monday April 16 at the age of 48. Paula was born in Oromocto, NB and raised in Truro, NS. Paula married in Yellowknife and was living there happily with her family. Paula was always engaged in her love of sports throughout her years. From junior high, where she participated in many sports to high school, where she focused on her love of volleyball. Paula attended high school at CEC where she began developing her volleyball passion and competitiveness. After high school Paula went on to play varsity volleyball at Mount Saint Vincent University. Her passion and competitive spirit for the sport only grew as they won the conference championship in her rookie year. Paula graduated with her Bachelor of Public Relations Degree from the Mount in 1992. Next was the University of Moncton where she completed a year of French Immersion to prepare for the next stage of her life, a public relations career. Of course, volleyball still ever present, she travelled with the U de M volleyball team that year to play in a tournament in France. After graduation from U de M, Paula headed North to her second home in Yellowknife and began her working career. Paula`s first stop was with the Department of Indigenous and Northern Affairs then on to the Territorial Department of Lands and finally to lead the Territory’s Corporate Communications team last year as Director. It was also here in Yellowknife where she met and married her Kiwi, Brooke and started a family. Throughout her years in the North, Paula continued amassing friends through work and sport. She grew to become part of the close-knit Yellowknife community. Paula touched a lot of people’s lives over the years and in the last few days it has been so evident from everyone’s comments that she was always a positive, fun-loving, helpful, kind and generous influence on everyone she came in contact with, and always with a big smile. So many have expressed the tremendous impact she has had on their lives and what she meant to them. None so much as to her family when she travelled home to be with them every summer at the cottage or just for a surprise visit, like she did this past Christmas. In the last number of years Paula continued her involvement in sport but this time with her children. Paula could be found, along with Brooke, supporting and cheering for Seth playing soccer and coaching and encouraging Dylan in volleyball. Paula is already sadly and profoundly missed by her husband Brooke, children Dylan and Seth (Yellowknife), her mother Marg (Peters) Ingarfield, brothers Wayne (Cindy) Ingarfield, Ed Ingarfield, sister Elaine Davidson (Ritchie) all of Truro and sister Gail Beeler (Jim) in Ottawa, mother-in-law Toni Auge, father-in-law Joe Auge, brother-in-law Jordan (Molly) Harker all in Yellowknife, as well as many nieces and nephews. Paula was pre-deceased by her father, Lorne Ingarfield. Although he will be glad to see PJ, we know for sure he will tell her that she has come way too soon. Paula, you will never leave our hearts and will live on in our memories forever. A special thank you to the staff at Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife and the compassionate care from staff in the Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit at the University of Alberta Hospital. There will be a Celebration of Life for Paula on Thursday, April 26 at 3pm at St. Patrick High School in Yellowknife. A reception will follow from 4-6pm. Online condolences may be sent to [email protected] A fund in Paula’s memory has been created to support Dylan and Seth’s future education. In lieu of flowers donations may be made using either of the following through online banking e-transfers: [email protected] Alternatively, donations may also be made at any branch of the CIBC with the following information: Account# 8305781 Transit# 02099 Account name: Brooke Harker