Helen McIvor

Helen Mae McIvor was born on April 10, 1939, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and was the only child of Ernie and Laura Barr. Helen passed away on July 17, 2025, after a 12-year decline due to dementia.

A Registered Nurse, Helen toured and worked in Europe in 1959–60 with two RN friends, sparking a lifelong love of travel. This eventually led her to Thompson, Manitoba, in 1960, after she met Jim McIvor at a Winnipeg hospital. They married in 1962.

Upon reporting to the Thompson Hospital as a nurse, she was told, “We only hire single nurses.” In time, however, Helen secured a nursing position at the hospital as a married woman. Years later, she served as Chair of the Hospital Board for a three-year term. She was a strong advocate for organ donation, speaking to many community groups in Thompson.

As the mother of three active boys, Helen became deeply involved in the Thompson community. She found joy and purpose in the Thompson Music Festival, the United Church, and as a longtime member of the Aurora Singers. She represented various local businesses and welcomed newcomers to the community through the Welcome Wagon; helping many families establish roots in their new surroundings.

With her active sons, Helen learned to ski, golf, and curl. She joined a Senior Ladies curling team, which represented northern Manitoba at the Provincial Curling Championships in Winnipeg, for many years.

Helen spent the last 20 years of her working life as a Financial Planner with Mutual Life of Canada, which later became Sun Life. Helen firmly believed that women should be involved in family finances, and she excelled in her profession. She was consistently a top salesperson and one of the few women to attend the Million Dollar Round Table, representing the top tier of the financial industry.

Helen is survived by her husband of 63 years, Jim McIvor, her sons and their families:

– Keith and Alisa (Lauren and Liam)

– Lee and Kim (Scott and Madison)

– Cam and Tammy (Amanda and Aidan)

A celebration of her life will be held on the afternoon of August 30, 2025, around 3:30pm at the McIvor home at Setting Lake.

Sincere thanks to all the staff at Northern Spirit Manor. Your kindness and care for Helen is deeply appreciated, and to Boardman Funeral Home for their compassion and guidance.