Darren Lawrence Kopetsky

It is with profound grief and much love that we announce the peaceful passing of Darren Lawrence Kopetsky on November 17, 2023, at the age of 58. Darren lived a full and vibrant life from beginning to end and touched the lives of many people along the way.

Darren will be greatly missed by his Dad, Harold, his sister, Lauree and her partner Bill Kearns, along with relatives of both the Scott and Kopetsky families, work colleagues, a dear group of friends and his cherished cat Puss Puss.  He was predeceased by his dear Mom, Lorrene, infant brother, and beloved grandparents and aunts and uncles.

Darren was born on January 4, 1965 and grew up in Inglis, MB where his lifelong love of the prairies, blue skies, sunsets and northern lights was formed. Growing up on a farm and the chores that came with that life led to Darren’s understanding of the importance of responsibility and commitment to one’s work. Family life included camping trips, card games, Scrabble, time with extended family and always fun and laughter.  From a very young age, Darren demonstrated the ability to organize and manage tasks with precision and attention to detail. Those qualities, combined with his interest in people, helped to build a successful career and create a strong community around him.  

After graduating from Russell Major Pratt High School, he completed his Bachelor of Sciences at the University of Manitoba and attained his Master of Health Services Administration at the University of Alberta. Darren worked in Health Services Administration for 31 years at the following organizations:  Juan de Fuca Hospitals in Victoria, BC, British Columbia Health Association, Vancouver Coastal Health, and following his cancer diagnoses, ended his career as Executive Director: Risk Management and Patient Care Quality with the Provincial Health Services Authority in Vancouver, BC.  His work over the years included collaboration with government, community individuals and advocacy groups with a focus on a variety of areas such as clinical risk management, health policy development, and system improvement initiatives. His career also included time as an Instructor at the University (College) of the Fraser Valley and as Tutor and Health Policy course designer for the Burnaby, BC based Open University.  He enjoyed his work and the many friends he made over the years within those organizations.

Darren was also committed to community involvement and enjoyed volunteering with a number of organizations including the Fillmore Family Foundation, Planned Parenthood, and the McLaren Housing Society.

Time with family and friends was always a priority for Darren. This included trips home to Inglis and Winnipeg to see Dad, Lauree and Bill and attending family events in Manitoba.  Visits to see family and friends in Strathclair, Morden, Saltcoats and Regina were regularly made.  Solo travel or travel with friends and family were regular occurrences. Brazil, Jordan, Ireland, France, Italy, UK, Poland, Czech Republic, Mexico, Norfolk Island, Australia and US spots were bucket list destinations.  A 12-day cruise on the Baltic with his Dad and Lauree to celebrate his Dad’s 75th was a highlight.

Darren loved his life in Vancouver and BC. Dinners with friends, picnics on the beach, theatre and dance performances, curling on Sundays, quarterly meetings with friends, concerts, time on Vancouver Island with family and friends, creating his special garden space and even a couple of Canucks hockey games were all part of Darren’s social calendar. In the last few months, his home became a social hub as he welcomed and enjoyed time with friends and family from near and far who showed up with every kind of home-cooked menu option or locally sourced baked goods. 

Darren embraced each day with positivity, and this was never more evident than after his cancer diagnosis. We were all in awe of his outlook on life and his ability to address each setback with dignity and grace. He lived the last two and a half years with added passion.  A trip to Spain, celebrating a special event for his 58th birthday, hosting his 2nd “Cancerversary – Mon Deux!”, walks that turned into wheelchair ‘rolls’ on False Creek, getting involved in the annual Movember Campaign and always spending as much time with friends and family were just a few examples of his desire to make the most of the time remaining. All of these activities were captured in photographs… “Just one more group photo” that will provide reminders for all of us of the good times shared. Strong and loving memories were made that will bring comfort to those who knew him and loved him.  

Gratitude and appreciation are extended to Three Bridges Community Health Centre, Vancouver Coastal Health, Vancouver General Hospital, BC Cancer, ABC, St. John’s Hospice and his ever-supportive roster of 24/7 friends.   

Donations in Darren’s memory can be made to BC SPCA, Movember or BC Cancer. 

Celebration of Life

The celebration will take place on Friday, January 12, 2024 from 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM at the ARRAS Banquet & Event Space (1464 West 7th Avenue, 4th Floor, Vancouver, BC). The venue will be open at 1:15 pm with the program starting at 2:00 pm and a reception to follow.

Those who are unable to attend in person can join via the video streaming link below.

Amherst Funeral Home

When viewing on your computer, do NOT view the service with either “Internet Explorer” or “Microsoft Edge”. Choose Chrome, Safari or Firefox. The archived service will be viewable several hours after the live stream.

Tribute videos from the Celebration of Life may be viewed at:

Tribute Video (45 Minutes) or Tribute Video (180 Minutes)