Lillian Szpak was the only Langford councillor to be re-elected in 2022 after a new group swept away the mayor and other councillors. She died Saturday at the age of 73.
Lillian Szpak, who served as a Langford councillor for 24 years, is being remembered as a compassionate leader who cared about her community and the wider region.
Szpak, 73, was in her seventh term as councillor when she died suddenly on Saturday.
In recognition of Szpak’s death, flags across the city and at Capital Regional District headquarters were lowered to half-mast.
Born in New Waterford, N.S., Szpak grew up an air force brat, with the family posted around Canada and in Germany. In 1975, she married her high school sweetheart, Bob Szpak, who joined the military. They had two sons and carried on the military family tradition, moving from base to base, including spending three years posted to Lahr, Germany.
The family moved to Langford in 1993, where the Szpaks operated a physiotherapy clinic out of their home.
Lillian Szpak was introduced to public life when she became a member of the chamber of commerce.
Szpak was trained as a medical librarian, taught piano and was a swimming instructor for disabled children.
In 2008, Szpak graduated with a master’s of leadership from Royal Roads University, with a focus on how to engage and empower at-risk adolescent girls.
Colleagues and friends said Szpak spoke up about the environment and championed community safety, parks and trails, and services for youth. An avid hiker and cyclist, Szpak embraced active transportation and favoured Langford’s rapid growth, provided it was hemmed with regulations that satisfied neighbours and adhered to community plans.
Szpak was the only sitting councillor to be elected in 2022 after a new group swept away long-time mayor Stew Young and several councillors.
Szpak said at the time that she ran again to provide mentorship to the new and younger council and to bring change to how Langford operates — including launching a new Official Community Plan, with strategic priorities to improve parks, the environment, transportation and construction in the fast-growing city.
In that election, Szpak was elected to Langford’s first majority-female council, an achievement that her family said made her especially proud.
Szpak said she believed serving on council was a privilege, and that her goal in the public role was to “grow the community in a balanced and thoughtful way to the benefit of generations to come.”
Szpak served on several boards and committees while on council, and represented the city on the Capital Regional District board and its regional housing and hospital boards this term. Szpak also held the CRD chair with the regional water supply board and served on the parks commission.
She was appointed to Langford’s sustainable development advisory committee and served as an alternate representative to the West Shore Parks and Recreation Board.
“Lillian gave so much of herself to Langford,” Mayor Scott Goodmanson said in a statement on Monday.
Goodmanson said Szpak cared deeply about the community.
“She showed up for [Langford] with conviction, compassion and a deep respect for residents. She cared about people being heard, she cared about the future of Langford, and she understood that public service is both a privilege and a responsibility,” he said.
Goodmanson extended condolences to Szpak’s family, friends, colleagues and everyone in the community mourning the loss.
Cliff McNeil-Smith, chair of the CRD board, said Szpak dedicated herself to the region through many leadership roles since 2004, noting she had a passion for the region’s water supplies and parks service.
“Her leadership and steady presence reflected a deep care for community well-being, environmental stewardship and a forward-thinking approach to regional governance and planning,” said McNeil-Smith. “Her contributions helped shape important work that continues to benefit communities across the region.”
Young, the former Langford mayor who served with Szpak for more than 20 years, said he was deeply saddened and offered condolences to family.
“Lillian served our community with dedication and commitment, and I have great respect for her contributions,” Young said in a statement.
A statement from the city said Szpak’s service focused on responsible growth, public input, environmental stewardship, housing affordability, community safety, parks, recreation and regional collaboration.
During the 2022 election campaign, Szpak described her priorities as bringing the community’s voice to the table, listening and helping ensure council chambers remained a respectful place.
Szpak is survived by husband Bob Szpak, siblings Honora Johannesen, John Hugh MacDonald and Ann-Marie MacDonald, sons Michael Sunshine and Patrick Szpak, and grandchildren Charlie and Dallas Sunshine.
Son Patrick Szpak said in a statement that his mother loved her family and her community. “She lived every day to the fullest, and we will miss her forever. She burned bright till the very end,” he said.
Former View Royal mayor David Screech said he was saddened by Szpak’s passing. He and Szpak were both first elected in 2002 and spent several years on boards and committees on the West Shore and CRD.
“She was an exceptional representative for Langford and she was a good friend,” Screech said. “She will be deeply missed.”
Langford-Highlands MLA Ravi Parmar called Szpak “a Langfordian through and through.”
“It was a privilege to work with Coun. Szpak and see her care and passion for community up close,” Parmar said in a statement. “She took this role incredibly seriously and made it her mission to represent the people of Langford well. “
Parmar said his family would miss seeing Szpak walking and biking in their neighbourhood, in particular Parmar’s grandmother, who often would run into Szpak on her morning walk.