Lizzie Orr McCoid Obituary

Lizzie Orr McCoid passed away November 5, 2026, at Ponderosa Lodge. She is lovingly remembered by her three children, Ingelise Beckett, Kenneth Orr (Lisa), and Christopher Orr (Barbara); granddaughters Samantha (Jonah) and Sarah (Cam), sister-in-law Catherine Frier, and Frances Bennie, a much-loved member of her extended family, as well as many dear nieces, nephews, and their children in both Denmark and Scotland. Lizzie Hallingskov was born December 13, 1931, in Copenhagen, Denmark, to Vibeke Petersen and Einer Hallingskov, the youngest of three, and sister to John and Gurli.

Her childhood was a happy one, though memories of bouts of illness and lengthy hospital stays remained with her. She studied languages at N. Zahles School in Copenhagen and subsequently trained and worked as a medical laboratory technician. It was on a blind double date in 1954 that Lizzie met Alfred Orr, a young Scottish medical student visiting Copenhagen.

They married two years later and began their life together in Scotland. In May 1959, they emigrated to Canada, settling first in Calgary, Alberta, and then in Smithers, British Columbia, where Alfred joined his cousin, Dr. Kenneth Leighton, in medical practice. The family subsequently moved to Kamloops, where Alfred practised at the Burris Clinic.

Sadly, Alfred died suddenly at the age of forty-two. Though stricken with grief, rather than return to her home in Denmark, Lizzie chose to remain in Kamloops to raise her three children on her own. Lizzie did her best to be two parents in one.

With the help of the community – schoolteachers, Cub Scout leaders, ministers, and friends – she managed admirably at a time when single-parent homes were not commonplace. A second life: In 1988, Lizzie married family friend and neighbour, Bill McCoid. With the children all grown up and moved away, she and Bill shared many happy years together birdwatching, fishing, grouse hunting, and travelling, until Bill's death in 2010.

Throughout her life, Lizzie was interested in history, geography, archaeology, and art. Endlessly curious, her reading covered many areas. Languages held a lifelong fascination.

With a remarkable memory, she shared stories of her childhood in Denmark, the difficult war years, and her beloved parents, brother John, and sister Gurli. She loved animals of all kinds, especially owls. For many years, Lizzie was a regular blood donor and a longtime supporter of the Canadian Red Cross, the Nature Conservancy of Canada, and other humanitarian, environmental, and animal-welfare non-profits.

Lizzie was quiet and reserved but cared deeply for her friends and family, showing her affection through letters and cards, and later through email and Facebook. She seldom forgot an important birthday or other special occasion. She was generous, financially astute, and a tough negotiator in financial matters.

She was strong-willed and could be very stubborn – and was often right in being so. With support from St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Kamloops, her spiritual home since 1962, and help from friends, close neighbours and the Tunstall Crescent community, Lizzie was able to remain in the home she loved until a few months ago. Special thanks go to the staff of both Royal Inland Hospital and Ponderosa Lodge for their dedication and kindness.

A memorial service will be held at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Kamloops, at 10 a.m. on Friday, November 27, 2026. Tea reception to follow.