Rosa Kisoun nee Cockney was born on March 5, 1956, to Walter and Winnie Cockney at Herschel Island, Yukon Territory. She grew up amongst several DEW line sites, as well as in Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik, Northwest Territories. She attended Samuel Hearne Secondary School, Sir Alexander Mckenzie School in Inuvik and graduated in 1974. She met the love of her life, Gerry Kisoun, in early 1972/73. Rosa and Gerry were married on November 28, 1975, at the Igloo Church. And this was one of the first ecumenical weddings to happen in Inuvik.
Gerry was a Royal Canadian Mounted Police member, and they were stationed in Calgary, Alberta; Manning, Alberta; Whitehorse, Yukon; Pelly Crossing, Yukon; Watson Lake, Yukon; Tuktoyaktuk, and finally back home in Inuvik, Northwest Territories, where they raised their family together. They have four children Claudine, Patricia, Caroline, and Gerald Andrew.
Gerry was also the deputy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories from 2011 to 2017. Rosa always stood by and supported her husband in his working career as well as his personal life as he has volunteered for so many committees and organizations throughout Inuvik; as well as his tourism company where Rosa was always baking him bannock for his tourists.
Rosa worked as an accountant for the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation for over 20 years until her retirement. She took great pride in her work. She was also an avid seamstress and sewer that made many homemade Halloween costumes, dresses, fur mitts, slippers, beaded cardholders, and crossstitched hangings, just to name a few, for all for her family, friends, and especially her special friends.
Rosa was diagnosed with cancer in 2011. She fought a long courageous battle and she was not ready to leave her family just yet. Rosa passed away peacefully on April 22nd, 2023, with family by her side.
She will be fondly remembered for the outpouring love she had for her family, friends, her baking, her sewing, cooking shows, an avid sports and music lover, especially the love for her husband of 47 years Gerry, their children Claudine, Dennis, Noah, Haili, Carmella and Winnie Blake, Tricia and KK Hansen, Carey and Autty Kisoun, and her only son Drew Kisoun, as well as her great granddaughters Aaliyah and Makena Vittrekwa. Quyananni, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Boot Lake. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and community.
