Obituary of Rannveig Havig Yeatman

Rannveig Havig Yeatman, née Omang, recently of Bedford, Nova Scotia, passed away peacefully at Melville Gardens Nursing Home, Halifax, on February 23rd, 2024, aged 87.
Rannveig is survived by her three children, Kristin, Eric ( & Toni), and Paul (& Regan), her grandchildren Christopher, Stanley, Morgan, and Théa, and her brother Frode (& Gro) Rannveig Omang was born in Oslo, Norway on February 7, 1937, to Reidar and Vigdis (née Havig) Omang. Both her parents were librarians. She had two brothers - her twin brother Sverre, and older brother Frode. Rannveig was a gifted pupil and began studies at the University of Oslo upon graduation from high school, but these studies were to be interrupted by her marriage in 1958 to the Englishman Martin Yeatman. Rannveig and Martin lived briefly in the UK, then returned to Oslo. In 1959 they emigrated to Canada, living in Montreal, where their first child Kristin was born. They returned to Oslo in 1962, and had their second child Eric there in 1963, but soon after they returned to Canada, this time permanently. Initially, they lived in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, where their third child Paul was born. They then moved to Bedford, Nova Scotia, where Rannveig lived until moving into nursing care in 2023.

After her children were grown, Rannveig returned to her studies, obtaining a Master’s degree in French literature from Dalhousie University in 1986 after successful studies at the University of Toronto, St. Pierre & Miquelon (1981), Laval (1982), La Sorbonne (1983), and an undergraduate degree from Mount St. Vincent (1984). She obtained a position on the faculty at Mount St. Vincent and taught in the French Department until her retirement. She continued to work part-time as an interpreter in both French and Norwegian, including real-time interpretation, even after having a massive stroke.

Rannveig was separated in 1987. She maintained a very active social life, and greatly enjoyed her time with her coffee group. She had many friends in the Halifax area, but also kept in close contact with her extended family, and old friends, in Norway, and visited Norway regularly throughout her life. She was proud that all her children maintained their fluency in her native language into adulthood. Rannveig suffered a serious stroke in 2018, which greatly restricted her mobility and physical capacity. However, she showed remarkable determination in her recovery and rehabilitation, greatly exceeding expectations to the extent that she was able to resume independent life in her Bedford apartment for many years. This is in part due to the wonderful support she had from her friends, and neighbors at Parker Brook Estates.

A memorial service is being planned for Saturday, June 15, 2024. Details will be posted on social media. Those wishing to make a gift in her memory could consider a donation to the Heart and Stroke Foundation (https://www.heartandstroke.ca/).