Anni's bench offers visitors a spot of repose in Royal Roads University's Italian Garden. From there, visitors can sit and enjoy the quiet beauty of the garden.
Anni Rochon often spent time on Vancouver Island visiting one of her daughters, Ira Hoffecker and her family. The Hoffecker family made a donation to have a commemorative bench in Anni's name placed in the Italian garden as part of A Vision in Bloom, the university's fundraising campaign to restore and maintain its gardens.
"We would like to commemorate our dear mom and grandmother, Anni Rochon, who died on June 1, 2021," her daughter Ira wrote in explaining the donation.
"Anni was born in 1938 in Hof, Germany just before the beginning of world war two. She spent many days of her childhood in a bunker until their liberation by American soldiers in 1945. Her terrible memories of war made her a peace-loving person.
"Anni loved plants and flowers and was a lifelong supporter of her local botanical garden," Ira continued. We always had beautiful plants and fresh flowers in our house growing up, and her children share her passion in our lives. My mom and I had travelled a lot together over the years and always made sure to visit botanical gardens and look at people's gardens.
"She loved to come and visit us here in Victoria. We felt we wanted to have a place where we can go and dedicate time to her. A bench in the Royal Roads garden seems like the perfect place for us to go and sit and remember her. We can admire all the beautiful plants while we think of her."
Rochon's bench is part of the RRU Commemorative Bench Program, which numbers 29 benches to date, located throughout the gardens. Donations to the program are fully tax deductible and are recognized with a commemorative plaque installed on a bench within RRU's gardens for a period of 10 years, with an option to renew. The program is a meaningful way to celebrate and honour loved ones.
Families can select from available bench locations in the gardens, located next to RRU's iconic Hatley Castle.
The view from Anni Rochon's bench provides peace in the shade, where a gentle breeze and a clear view of the colourful gardens beckons visitors to stop, enjoy, and remember Anni.
Celebrate a friend or loved one in your life with a commemorative bench.
