CFUW Saanich Peninsula Myrna Holden Scholarship
Myrna Claudette Holden (1938-2023) was born in Saskatoon and grew up in Esquimalt, BC where her father served in the Navy. Her mother returned to work when Myrna was young, which meant as the eldest of three girls, Myrna took on considerable household responsibilities. Between chores, she could always be found with her nose in a book. She skipped several grades in school and while excelling academically, she also participated in numerous clubs during high school.
After attending Victoria College for two years (before it became the University of Victoria), Myrna went on to earn an Honours degree in Mathematics at the University of British Columbia, one of the few women in the math program. Her math skills lead to an internship at the Ministry of Defense in Ottawa and then a full-time position as a Technical Officer with the Defense Research Board. Working on such projects as missile trajectories, she became an early adopter of emerging computing technologies.
While in Ottawa she met Mike Holden but her zest for travel took her rambling until Mike caught up with her in Gibraltar where they were married and family life began. They moved frequently, going as far afield as Tehran for two years. While in Canada, to stay intellectually engaged and informed, Myrna became an active member of the Canadian Federation of University Women in every city where she lived. In 1979, the family settled in Vancouver where Myrna restarted her career, going back to school to update her system analyst skills. Later, when she was ready for a career change, she took a real estate course and became a real estate agent.
Myrna was a keen and energetic traveler, ready to learn about the world and take in new perspectives. She thought women were equal to men and acted accordingly. As an avid reader, she read broadly and readily engaged other readers to expand her understanding. She was never reluctant to go back to school, discuss the pros and cons of any issue, or to assume the management of a challenging project. Throughout her life she emphasized the importance of education. Her values were reflected in the Registered Education Savings Plans she started for her grandchildren, and upon her death, her children recognized Myrna’s enduring commitment to learning and empowerment through education with the establishment of the CFUW Saanich Peninsula Myrna Holden Award for young women like herself.