With great sadness we announce the death of Ursula, who passed away on September 11, 2020 in her home, surrounded by her family, at the age of 66.

 

Ursula is survived by her children, Erin Goeres, DPhil (Rob), Patrick Goeres, MD, and Caitlin Goeres, DVM (Chris), as well as her grandchildren, Rosa and Polly.

Ursula was born in Russell, MB, the only child of Margaret and Roy Hassett. She lived on the family farm until the age of 12, when the family moved into town so Ursula could attend Russell High School. Aged 16, Ursula moved to Winnipeg to study at the University of Manitoba, graduating with an LLB in 1976.

Ursula articled with Walsh Micay, studying under Harry Walsh QC and Greg Brodsky QC. She practiced with Walsh Micay for a few years before moving to a solicitor position with the Legal Services Department at the City of Winnipeg. She was appointed City Solicitor in 1995, retiring in 2008. After working for the Nature Conservancy of Canada, she returned to private practice with Brodsky & Co in 2011.

Outside of work, Ursula spent much of her time exploring Manitoba’s parks, lakes, and other wild spaces. She was an active member of the Manitoba Orienteering Association, attending events from Grand Beach to Spruce Woods, and throughout Canada. Closer to home, she could often be found walking, cross-country skiing or snowshoeing through Assiniboine Park, one of her favourite places in the city. She was a keen gardener and lover of animals, sharing her home with many special cats and rabbits over the years.

Ursula and her family also spent many summer holidays driving across Canada and the United States. Later in life she enjoyed travelling with her children all over the world: some of her favourite trips were to France and Italy with Erin, Washington state with Patrick, and Mexico with Caitlin. She loved visiting her kids and grandkids in the UK, Alberta, and Illinois, and even embarked, in 2017, on a solo trip to China. 

Ursula was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2017 and lived bravely with the disease for three years. Special thanks to her friends for their love and support during that time, and special thanks also to the staff at Victoria Hospital, CancerCare Manitoba, and the WRHA Palliative Care Program. 

 

Ursula’s family kindly requests that all of her friends and relatives take a few minutes to honour her memory by watching the photo-biography above. They also encourage the sharing of photos, memories, and stories by making use of the comment section on this page.

In accordance with her wishes, cremation has taken place and her children will host a memorial at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Assiniboine Park Conservancy or to Orienteering Canada.

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ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

530 St, Mary Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

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