Whaletown, British Columbia, Canada - Kristen Scholfield-Sweet, PhD, 76, passed away on December 13, 2025, following a lengthy battle with cancer. Born February 4, 1948, in Seaside, Oregon, to Vernon and LaDean (Sweet) Cook, Kristen was raised in the coastal community and graduated from Seaside High School in 1966.

A lifelong scholar and educator, Kristen earned her degree in literature from the University of Oregon in 1971, later returning to complete her PhD in Philosophy and Art Education in 1978. From 1978 to 1990, she served as a distinguished professor at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in Halifax, Canada, where she and her husband, John Shook, became Canadian citizens.

In 1992, Kristen and John moved to the West Coast to establish their homestead on Cortes Island, British Columbia. Kristen became a pillar of the local art community over the next three decades. Her legacy lives on through her paintings, native drums, educational programs, and books, many of which can be viewed at journeyoracle.com.

Kristen was preceded in death by her parents, Vernon and LaDean Cook; her husband, John Shook; and her sister, Lanetta Ann Gaskill. She is survived by her brother, Dallas Cook, of Seaside, Oregon.

A "green" funeral-memorial was held on December 16, 2025, in Whaletown, placing Kristen among the coastal giants she so dearly loved.