Fay Elizabeth Karp was an amazing lady, who pursued a passion for nursing throughout her life. She taught nursing at UBC Okanagan for many years.

Fay started her international work with UBCO by first taking trips to Ghana and facilitating delivering course work to nurses and nursing students there, as well as working with Ghanaian partners and local colleagues to bring over Ghanaian nurses to complete their BScN at Okanagan College and then UBC Okanagan.

She continued her work in Ghana by bringing groups of 4th year nursing students doing their final practicums to Africa. The students had the amazing opportunity to experience hospital settings, rural health clinics, and the opportunity to learn from Ghanaian nurses, midwifes, and health professionals. These trips were really made possible by the relationships and connections Fay and her colleagues made on their initial trips to Ghana.

Fay then worked on building connections with colleagues in Zambia. As a result of that partnership, she was able to bring UBCO students there, to do much of the same work and collaboration she and her team had worked on in Ghana.

Her African colleagues and former students remember Fay’s passion and patience. She fostered critical thinking and helped her students acknowledge, respect, and promote change through building relationships with both local and international colleagues and students.

The second daughter of Don and Alice Hill, Fay was born in Regina following her dad’s return from the war. On the bus a day or two later, a stranger asked Don about his new daughter’s name. “Don’t have one yet,” Don said. “How about Elizabeth, after the royal Princess?” the stranger said. And Fay Elizabeth she became.

The family moved to Saskatoon, Wynyard, and then Herbert as Don’s career took him from teacher to Principal to Superintendent of Schools. By the time their family moved to Regina in 1961, Fay was ready to shine. Going into nurse training at Regina General, Fay was valedictorian of her graduating class three years later.

Winnipeg was her first stop as a nurse. She worked Pediatrics, the beginning of a life-long love and care for children.

Her travels in Europe began after Winnipeg. It was in Europe that she met the gentleman known as Joseph Bernard Karp. This meeting occurred in Villars, Switzerland, which Fay toured after nursing at Canadian Forces Base Lahr in Germany. Fay and Joe’s marriage had officially reached 39 years (from Oct. 15, 1982) by the time of her death, but for Joe and Fay, it was a bond of over 50 years across all manner of side-trips, treks, safaris, seasonal celebrations, holidays and parties, parties, parties. Wherever Joe and Fay went, others would be nearby, ready for good times.

Fay’s nursing career was a mélange of stops and turns. In the 70s and 80s, it consisted of spells nursing on oilrigs in northern British Columbia. There her companion was none other than Bonzer, the Golden Retriever, and the first of several doggy blessings in Fay’s life. Once back in Kelowna in 1979, Fay worked as a Pediatric nurse at Kelowna General, which was just across the street. Along came Allyson Martine Karp on Aug.15, 1983.

In the following years, Fay’s nursing interest turned to teaching. She completed a Nursing degree from University of Victoria in the mid-90s, and a Master’s degree in Nursing at Deakin University in Geelong, Australia, a few years later. Meanwhile, she’d become a valued member of the faculty in Nursing at University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus.

Most recently, after her retirement from UBCO, Fay found the true blend of nursing, travel, mentoring, people, family—things she most loved. She continued to work with UBCO and take student groups to Africa, with colleagues. She also continued NGO work. She was a founding member of OKaZHI,  and she carried on working with Zambian health partners to assess needs and work with colleagues, students and board members locally, to bring educational courses, supplies and mentorship to health professionals and students in Africa. For almost two decades, her leadership—always with a team of like-minded nurses and teachers, and sometimes with Ally and/or Joe—inspired practical service and deep learning experiences for all involved, the benefits of which will continue for years to come.

To honour Fay’s memory, the Fay Karp Memorial Award has been established to support nursing students with a passion for global health. Final decisions on the award description and student eligibility will be made in consultation with the family.