Obituary for Kerstin Ruth Stovel
Kerstin Ruth Stovel known to all of us as Kerstin was born on July 31st, 1968 in Brandon, Manitoba, to Peter and Joyce Stovel. A little sister for Perry (who was 5) and David (who was 3) and just 3 years later Nancy arrived…..the little sister for Kerstin!
Kerstin grew up in Brandon. When Kerstin was two and a half - to three years old, our good friend Joan Kennedy voluntarily offered to help out with Kerstin in her own home. Kerstin wasn't walking or chewing her food at that time. Joan worked with her and taught her to do both! This help by Joan was very much appreciated! After this Kerstin attended the old King George Nursery School, Knox United Pre-School Nursery, Sacred Heart, George Fitton and Neelin High Schools. She graduated in 1989 from Neelin.
When Kerstin was young, she enjoyed watching cartoons such as the Smurfs and Scooby-Doo and of course playing with her Barbie’s just like any little girl. Kerstin’s role play with Barbie’s was perhaps a little different however, as one time when her brothers came home they heard muffled voices coming from Kerstin and then saw her Barbie’s tied up to the legs of the coffee table. This no doubt stemmed from a kidnapping scene on a Scooby-Doo episode. Kerstin loved her CDs, DVDs, Nancy Drew books and jewelry. Her family doted on her with these and as a result she had quite a collection of all of them, more than they realized when they had to dispose of them. Kerstin had many favorite shows she enjoyed watching Hawaii Five-O , The movie JAWS, the movie Halloween, The Price is Right, and The Young and Restless.
Kerstin was especially fond of Michael Damian and loved the song he sang titled “Rock On.” We know that seeing pictures of Michael Damian and eating ice cream continued to be on her list of all-time favorite things as she continued to request or talk about these right up until her last days
Kerstin volunteered at Fairview nursing home assisting people down to the hair dresser. Kerstin then gained employment at The Candlewood Books for several years and enjoyed this very much. In 2006 Kerstin needed to resign due to health and mobility issues. Kerstin also enjoyed her many years at COR, especially spending countless hours making beautiful hooked rugs.
Kerstin participated in the Special Olympics in bowling and other sports but mostly swimming as this is what she loved to do. She went to three nationals: Vancouver, B.C., Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Sudbury, Ontario and has many medals that she won in the competitions. One time Kerstin was invited to attend a Sports Celebrity Auction fundraiser event for Special Olympics that was in Toronto. She got all dressed up and did a short dance with singer, dancer, and actor Michael Danso, as well as meeting Olympian Mark Tewksbury and other celebrities who signed autographs for her. The event was televised on TSN (The Sports Network) so Kerstin got to feel like she was a movie star.
Kerstin was a very polite and thoughtful lady, often giving compliments and praises to those around her. She always thanked her mom and dad for raising her and would tell them how happy she was when she was content in any given situation. Kerstin was also very much a jokester and liked to make people laugh. And an infectious laugh she had!! One time after her mom Joyce had cleaned up the kitchen…..Kerstin told her mom how good the kitchen looked and said…..”now mom….you should keep it that way!!”
Family was very important to Kerstin and she talked of them often: Her brother Perry and sister in-law Kim with their twin girls Kelsey and Lauren (who are in Winnipeg), her brother David from Minneapolis and her sister Nancy from Minneapolis and of course mom and dad (Joyce and Pete) right here in Brandon.
A close family they have been with many memories made along the way.
Kerstin loved to travel. Kerstin enjoyed many camping trips with the family where they would visit relatives, go to restaurants and sightsee. It was on those camping trips that Kerstin was always wanting to go swimming in the lakes. She loved swimming so much that when the family went swimming on a cold day, she would not want to leave even though she was shivering and lips were blue. In fact….during a visit with family this past summer, she told some family members that she wanted to go swimming, and in true-to-Kerstin impish nature added a comedic pause before saying “naked”! Of course, that was followed by her signature laugh!
Other family trips …to name a few Florida, Disney World, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, Hawaii, Norway cruise, and England. Kerstin especially enjoyed getting pictures taken with the characters at Disney….and the pictures tell it all!! Kerstin enjoyed and went on many road trips too, including to Minnesota, Winnipeg and the cottage in Matlock.
Not only did Kerstin spend time with family but with friends too. Many BCO/ COR and Special Olympic events held over the years and Kerstin was always the life of the party. She loved to dance, sing, give compliments and make people laugh…..and that she did very well!
Kerstin was born with Down Syndrome, which presented some challenges along the way such as eye surgery, hip repair, hip replacement, two- foot surgeries, a pace maker insertion…..and a few others…. however through all these trials Kerstin rarely complained and they certainly didn’t hold her back any. She would always bounce back and have that spark….she always knew how to light up a room.
Kerstin passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 1st, 2022 at the Brandon Regional Health Centre. We will miss her immensely but we are glad she is now at peace. She has been a “shining light” and blessing to her family and friends. We will remember her smile and laugh forever.
The family wants to especially thank Lori Anne for being a great roommate and buddy for Kerstin for many years. They were family. They both even attended the same nursery school many years ago and then ended up living together later in life. The family was elated that in Kerstin’s final years with BCO and with Lori Anne that she had such a happy and comforting environment to live in.
The family would like to thank the workers at BCO (Brandon Community Options), COR Enterprises Inc. and the volunteers at the Brandon Special Olympics for all of the many years of dedicated care of Kerstin. They would also like to thank all the medical staff at the various Brandon hospitals that looked after Kerstin during her final days.
Kerstin will be lovingly remembered by her parents Peter and Joyce; brother Perry (Kim), nieces Kelsey and Lauren; brother David; and sister Nancy. The Celebration of Kerstin’s Life was held at Memories Chapel on Friday, October 7, 2022 with Pastor Laurel Seyfert of Redeemer Lutheran Church officiating.
Donations in memory of Kerstin may be made to Brandon Community Options, Unit A 759 – 1st Street, Brandon, MB R7A 2X5 or Special Olympics Westman, Box 20149, Brandon, MB R7A 6Y8.
Kerstin grew up in Brandon. When Kerstin was two and a half - to three years old, our good friend Joan Kennedy voluntarily offered to help out with Kerstin in her own home. Kerstin wasn't walking or chewing her food at that time. Joan worked with her and taught her to do both! This help by Joan was very much appreciated! After this Kerstin attended the old King George Nursery School, Knox United Pre-School Nursery, Sacred Heart, George Fitton and Neelin High Schools. She graduated in 1989 from Neelin.
When Kerstin was young, she enjoyed watching cartoons such as the Smurfs and Scooby-Doo and of course playing with her Barbie’s just like any little girl. Kerstin’s role play with Barbie’s was perhaps a little different however, as one time when her brothers came home they heard muffled voices coming from Kerstin and then saw her Barbie’s tied up to the legs of the coffee table. This no doubt stemmed from a kidnapping scene on a Scooby-Doo episode. Kerstin loved her CDs, DVDs, Nancy Drew books and jewelry. Her family doted on her with these and as a result she had quite a collection of all of them, more than they realized when they had to dispose of them. Kerstin had many favorite shows she enjoyed watching Hawaii Five-O , The movie JAWS, the movie Halloween, The Price is Right, and The Young and Restless.
Kerstin was especially fond of Michael Damian and loved the song he sang titled “Rock On.” We know that seeing pictures of Michael Damian and eating ice cream continued to be on her list of all-time favorite things as she continued to request or talk about these right up until her last days
Kerstin volunteered at Fairview nursing home assisting people down to the hair dresser. Kerstin then gained employment at The Candlewood Books for several years and enjoyed this very much. In 2006 Kerstin needed to resign due to health and mobility issues. Kerstin also enjoyed her many years at COR, especially spending countless hours making beautiful hooked rugs.
Kerstin participated in the Special Olympics in bowling and other sports but mostly swimming as this is what she loved to do. She went to three nationals: Vancouver, B.C., Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Sudbury, Ontario and has many medals that she won in the competitions. One time Kerstin was invited to attend a Sports Celebrity Auction fundraiser event for Special Olympics that was in Toronto. She got all dressed up and did a short dance with singer, dancer, and actor Michael Danso, as well as meeting Olympian Mark Tewksbury and other celebrities who signed autographs for her. The event was televised on TSN (The Sports Network) so Kerstin got to feel like she was a movie star.
Kerstin was a very polite and thoughtful lady, often giving compliments and praises to those around her. She always thanked her mom and dad for raising her and would tell them how happy she was when she was content in any given situation. Kerstin was also very much a jokester and liked to make people laugh. And an infectious laugh she had!! One time after her mom Joyce had cleaned up the kitchen…..Kerstin told her mom how good the kitchen looked and said…..”now mom….you should keep it that way!!”
Family was very important to Kerstin and she talked of them often: Her brother Perry and sister in-law Kim with their twin girls Kelsey and Lauren (who are in Winnipeg), her brother David from Minneapolis and her sister Nancy from Minneapolis and of course mom and dad (Joyce and Pete) right here in Brandon.
A close family they have been with many memories made along the way.
Kerstin loved to travel. Kerstin enjoyed many camping trips with the family where they would visit relatives, go to restaurants and sightsee. It was on those camping trips that Kerstin was always wanting to go swimming in the lakes. She loved swimming so much that when the family went swimming on a cold day, she would not want to leave even though she was shivering and lips were blue. In fact….during a visit with family this past summer, she told some family members that she wanted to go swimming, and in true-to-Kerstin impish nature added a comedic pause before saying “naked”! Of course, that was followed by her signature laugh!
Other family trips …to name a few Florida, Disney World, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, Hawaii, Norway cruise, and England. Kerstin especially enjoyed getting pictures taken with the characters at Disney….and the pictures tell it all!! Kerstin enjoyed and went on many road trips too, including to Minnesota, Winnipeg and the cottage in Matlock.
Not only did Kerstin spend time with family but with friends too. Many BCO/ COR and Special Olympic events held over the years and Kerstin was always the life of the party. She loved to dance, sing, give compliments and make people laugh…..and that she did very well!
Kerstin was born with Down Syndrome, which presented some challenges along the way such as eye surgery, hip repair, hip replacement, two- foot surgeries, a pace maker insertion…..and a few others…. however through all these trials Kerstin rarely complained and they certainly didn’t hold her back any. She would always bounce back and have that spark….she always knew how to light up a room.
Kerstin passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 1st, 2022 at the Brandon Regional Health Centre. We will miss her immensely but we are glad she is now at peace. She has been a “shining light” and blessing to her family and friends. We will remember her smile and laugh forever.
The family wants to especially thank Lori Anne for being a great roommate and buddy for Kerstin for many years. They were family. They both even attended the same nursery school many years ago and then ended up living together later in life. The family was elated that in Kerstin’s final years with BCO and with Lori Anne that she had such a happy and comforting environment to live in.
The family would like to thank the workers at BCO (Brandon Community Options), COR Enterprises Inc. and the volunteers at the Brandon Special Olympics for all of the many years of dedicated care of Kerstin. They would also like to thank all the medical staff at the various Brandon hospitals that looked after Kerstin during her final days.
Kerstin will be lovingly remembered by her parents Peter and Joyce; brother Perry (Kim), nieces Kelsey and Lauren; brother David; and sister Nancy. The Celebration of Kerstin’s Life was held at Memories Chapel on Friday, October 7, 2022 with Pastor Laurel Seyfert of Redeemer Lutheran Church officiating.
Donations in memory of Kerstin may be made to Brandon Community Options, Unit A 759 – 1st Street, Brandon, MB R7A 2X5 or Special Olympics Westman, Box 20149, Brandon, MB R7A 6Y8.