“I met a girl who sang the Blues, and I asked her for some happy news,

But she just smiled and turned away.”

Don McLean
Danielle Leigh Helgason, 53, of New Westminster passed away peacefully February 1 2023, following a 10 month battle with Leukemia. She is predeceased by Joanne Helgason (Mother), Nicole Helgason (Sister), Bob Labossiere (Uncle), Jeannie LaCoste (Aunt), and grandparents Ingolfur and Indlaug Helgason and Hector and Kathleen LaCoste.

Danielle is survived and mourned by Steve Wilson, her husband of 10 years, Sveinn Helgason (Father), Charlene Mael and Signe Thorp (Sisters), her Niece Sabrina (Michael), Nephews Ryan, Evan, and Anders, Stepdaughters Brianna and Amber, her Aunt Michelle Labossiere and Uncle Bill LaCoste, Cousin Vanessa Waterman (Chris) and her treasured Grands, Nieces Willow and Evie and Nephew Jamie. She will be sadly missed by many cousins, long time friends, and many other extended family, friends, and coworkers.

Born in North Vancouver January 28, 1970, Danielle received an early taste of adventure living with her family in Iran in 1976 and then in Argentina in 1980, visiting other exotic locations abroad before returning to Lynn Valley in North Van. During her adult years she worked in Office Administration, Payroll, and Accounting and has maintained friendships with coworkers from various phases of her career. For a time, Danielle was able to combine desk work with adventure, travelling to the Arctic Circle near Iqaluit for weeks at a time to help manage a diamond exploration camp. In recent years she has enjoyed working locally for Global Mining Management. Her contacts there are saddened by her loss.

Following the sudden passing of her Mother Joanne, Danielle easily took on the role of matriarch of her family. She was always available to help anyone in any way. The kids knew that they could always confide in her safely. Danielle was the foundation of her family and will be sorely missed.

Steve and Danielle have been friends since the 1980’s. That friendship turned to romance and the beginning of a great relationship in 2007. According to Steve, “No couple is perfect, but we could see perfect from where we were.”

Danielle loved games, singing, and laughing. Her heart was full when family was around. “The more the merrier” was her motto. Steve and Danielle enjoyed hosting sleepovers, stopovers, and parties of all sizes, especially around the holiday season. The house was always open.

The memorial service will be held Friday June 2 from 1-3:30pm. The venue is full to capacity, but the ceremony will be livestreamed and recorded for those who are unable to attend. If interested please email Steve Barclay at sabarclay@shaw.ca and the link will be sent to you.

The Family would like to thank the doctors, nurses, and support staff at Vancouver General Hospital for their unwavering wonderful care and support during Danielle’s journey with them. Thanks also to all the staff at St. Michael’s Centre who assisted all of us in her final days. In lieu of flowers, Danielle would love a donation to the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation. If possible, she would also love donations of blood or platelets since they were so essential to her for so long. In addition, anyone between the ages of 17 and 35 can register to be a bone marrow donor. If Danielle had made it to that stage of treatment her donor would have literally saved her life. She was and is an inspiration to all of us.