Cheryl Dianne Entwistle was born in Lampman Saskatchewan and raised in nearby Estevan. After high school, she obtained a Registered Nurse diploma from the Regina General Hospital School of Nursing in 1965. After working a few years at Riverview General Hospital in Calgary and the Misericordia Hospital in Winnipeg, some European travel and additional education, Cheryl headed west to Vancouver in 1978 to take up a teaching position at the UBC School of Nursing.
January 28, 2025
During her years at the UBC School of Nursing, Cheryl was actively involved with what was at the time known as the Canadian Association for University Schools of Nursing (CAUSN) (now CASN), serving as the School’s representative to the Western Region, and held an executive position with the BC History of Nursing Society, where her contributions have been documented among the nurses honoured: https://bcnursinghistory.ca/cheryl-entwistle/ In 2002, she co-authored with Glennis Zilm the second edition of a book on writing for nurses entitled The Smart Way: An Introduction to Writing for Nurses.
Cheryl was also a founding member in 2000 of a group originally known as the “BC Lab Educators,” established to ‘find solutions to the everyday issues of educating nurses. Over the years, this group has evolved into the Western Canadian Collaborative of Health Science Educators Society, a collaborative of educators from all health science programs, whose website attributes its origins to Cheryl’s visionary leadership.
Although Cheryl retired in 2009, she remained actively engaged with School. As an ongoing member of the BC History of Nursing Society, she would turn up in period costume at various events of historical interest, including the presentation of the opera Florence Nightingale, The Lady with the Lamp in 2006, and the unveiling of the plaque commemorating Ethel Johns (1879-1968), first Director of the UBC School of Nursing.
Read Cheryl's full In Memoriam
Cheryl died in Kelowna, BC, where she had recently located to be close to family. She was predeceased by her longtime partner, Kerry Smith, a BC Court judge, who died Oct 25, 2024. She leaves behind a nephew Peter John (Sarah) Soroka of London, England, niece Laurie (Peter) Taurianen of Texas, and nephew Greg (Jessie) Soroka of Kelowna, and several great-nephews and great-neices. She will be remembered with a memorial service and celebration of life this coming summer in the tiny church in Cannington Manor, Saskatchewan, where her parents and grandparents were buried and at the cottages where the family has traditionally gathered together.
Notes and messages for the family may be sent c/o Greg Soroka, 1598 Lindsay Drive, Kelowna, BC V1V 1T5
Because Cheryl was a strong advocate of nursing education, an option for donation in her memory might include the UBC Class of 58 Emergency Fund (endowed) that allows the School Director to give monetary assistance to any undergrad who needs emergency funds. Although these are not large amounts, they often provide a student in financial distress with a bit of breathing space. To donate, go to the Give UBC site. When offered a choice of funds for donation, select ‘other’ and then type in “UBC Class of 58 Emergency Fund.”
