WILLGREN, Synnove Willgren

Passed from this world in the comfort of her home on January 27th, 2026. She leaves behind a legacy of DIY experiments and a kind of joyful chaos that somehow always worked out in the end – eventually.

She could turn an empty plot into a garden bed bursting with life, nourishment, and vibrant colour, a perfectly calm afternoon into a whirlwind of activity filled with enthusiasm and creativity, or a decrepit farmhouse into a place of love, warmth, and magic.

She was an animal lover on a mission, blasting eclectic rock, alternative, and country music as the soundtrack to her life, or, if not music, episodes of Destination Truth or Expedition Unknown playing in the background. A paintbrush in one hand and a power tool in the other, often with a Yorkie swaddled in a baby carrier, she tended to her chickens or her property on her John Deere.

She taught those around her that mistakes are just another form of learning, and that creation is often loud, messy, and deeply human.

She is survived by the many things she built, fixed, and fearlessly attempted, and by the people who learned from her that it’s okay to start before you’re ready and that it’s never too late to try. She leaves behind her children, Kyle, Cory, and Tara (Brett), her cherished grandchildren Alexa and Justin, her mother Karin, her siblings Laila and Eric (Amanda), her nieces and nephews Cobee, Sovai, Brodie, and Sheena, and all of the friends of her children whom she welcomed and loved as her own. She was predeceased by her father, Börje, and her cherished pets Benji, Candy, Jesse, Chenise, and grand-dog, Magnus, whom she was looking forward to reuniting with.

Her family will carry her memories forward, keeping her traditions alive through hands-on projects, curiosity, laughter, and the joyful belief that anything can be figured out along the way, even when the walls are crumbling, because “it is what it is.”

A private family gathering will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Canadian Cancer Society or a local Humane Society are appreciated.

The family would like to thank the staff and doctors at the Verspeeten Cancer Centre, Dr. Phillips, Dr. Kuruvilla, Dr. Read, Dr. MacNeil, and Dr. Malik, as well as the Victorian Order of Nurses, Andrea, Mary Beth, and Tricia, for their excellent support and supreme compassionate care.