@rapropos - that is a great solution! Thanks a lot!
How dumb of me not to come up with something similar. Maybe because I was thinking there has to be some cleaner and Ionic specific way. 
This is not to say your way is not cleaner, it’s just more work, so to say.
Apparently, after reading through forums and tutorial websites and documentation, Ionic doesn’t have a pop() method, like push(), in which we can pass objects/values. And nothing in the plans too, it looks like.
From a best practices perspective, what do you think of this solution?
Your input will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks again!