MacKAY, Catherine Mary (nee Wilson)
Catherine Mary (nee Wilson) MacKay, age 97, of the Berkeley Gladstone, Halifax, passed away peacefully on October 26, 2017 in the Halifax Infirmary, QEII. Surviving are her sons, Keith (Mary) and Hugh (Mary Lynne); grandchildren, Laura Rhodes (Mitchell), Kathryn Purcell (Michael), Keith (Tracey Newman), Elizabeth (Tony Hattie), Evan, Sarah (Darren Young), Heather Himmelman (Matthew) and Kevin (Amanda Peters); great-grandchildren, Talis, Keith, Noah, Ryan, Charlie and Joshua, and sister, Florrie Barrett.
Predeceased by husband, Keith; parents, Hugh and Kate (MacDonald) Wilson, and brothers, Donald and John.
Catherine was born at Kennington Cove, Cape Breton and is thought to be the last surviving native of that former community. Moving to Glace Bay at an early age and speaking only Gaelic, she quickly made lifelong friends, just as she did in later life at the Berkeley. She grew up in a close-knit family and after completing high school, went on to graduate from Normal College in 1946. She returned to Glace Bay to teach at Brookside School and went on a two-year teaching exchange in Saskatoon, followed by an adventurous tour across Canada and the United States, with her girlfriends, which was unusual for women of the time. Returning to Glace Bay, her feistiness on the badminton court there won the heart of her future husband. Marriage to Keith in 1950 took her to Dartmouth, Guysborough and back to Dartmouth over the course of his career. She was active in her communities as a CGIT leader and member of Eastern Light Lodge No. 72 (Guysborough) and St. Andrews Presbyterian Church Guild. Her interests included watercolour painting, doll-making and quilting, which produced many treasured mementos. She once attributed her longevity to eating oatmeal every day; and her prescription for life was “Be kind to one another”.
Funeral service will be held Tuesday, October 31 at 2 p.m. in St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, 216 School St., Dartmouth, by Rev. Dr. P. A. (Sandy) MacDonald.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Mental Health Foundation of NS. Online condolences may be viewed or sent to: www.mattatallfuneralhome.com.