Karen Gerda Hnatyshyn ( ; ; August 14, 1935 – July 14, 2023) was a

viceregal consort of Canada The viceregal consort of Canada is the spouse of the serving governor general of Canada, assisting the viceroy with ceremonial and charitable work, accompanying him or her to official state occasions, and occasionally undertaking philanthropic wo ...

, who held the role from 1990 to 1995 during her husband Ray Hnatyshyn's term as

Governor General of Canada The governor general of Canada () is the federal representative of the . The monarch of Canada is also sovereign and head of state of 14 other Commonwealth realms and resides in the United Kingdom. The monarch, on the Advice (constitutional la ...

. From 2002 to 2023, she served as President of The Hnatyshyn Foundation, a private charity dedicated to promoting and funding emerging, developing and mid-career artists and curators in Canada through scholarships and prizes totalling over $200,000 annually. She died on July 14, 2023, in Ottawa. Born in

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...

Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...

, she attended the University of Saskatchewan and graduated with a bachelor of science degree in dietetics and nutrition. After an internship at the Royal Victoria Hospital in

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

, she worked as a hospital dietitian in

Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...

and

Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

. She married Hnatyshyn in January 1960. The couple had two sons, John Georg Hnatyshyn and Carl Andrew Nygaard Hnatyshyn. As the spouse of a Governor General, she was also invested as a Companion of the

Order of Canada The Order of Canada () is a Canadian state order, national order and the second-highest Award, honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the Canadian Centennial, ce ...

upon Ray Hnatyshyn's swearing-in. In 1993, she hosted the premiere of an educational video promoting the importance of a healthy diet for people living with

HIV/AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

. Hnatyshyn co-authored ''Rideau Hall: Canada's Living Heritage'', a book about the history of Rideau Hall, in 1995, with the proceeds going to make purchases of art and furnishings for the official residence. She also worked with the Canadian Heritage Garden Foundation to develop a heritage garden in the grounds of Rideau Hall. Gerda Hnatyshyn died on July 14, 2023, at the age of 87.

References

1935 births 2023 deaths Canadian viceregal consorts Canadian philanthropists 20th-century Canadian non-fiction writers Companions of the Order of Canada Dietitians Canadian people of Danish descent Writers from Winnipeg Canadian women non-fiction writers Canadian women philanthropists 20th-century Canadian women writers {{Canada-activist-stub