Obituary of Katherine Campbell

Katherine "Kaye" Campbell

Katherine “Kaye” Campbell, 89, of Judique, Inverness Co., passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, December 31, 2023.  Born in Port Hood, Inverness Co., she was the daughter of the late Alex S. and Annie Cassie (Cameron) MacDonald of Colindale.  

Kaye, like many Cape Bretoners, relocated to Halifax for work in the 1950s. Employed with the Maritime Telegraph & Telephone Company Limited, she loved Halifax and her large network of friends.  It was in Halifax where she met her love, Ambrose.  They married in 1960 and went on to enjoy over 63 years of marriage.  They shared a deep love and friendship.  After working and raising their family, they settled into a routine -- in summer, you could find them in the morning at the community garden tending to their potatoes and string beans and, in the afternoon, at Baxter’s Beach enjoying the sun.  In winter, they continued to walk, read, and attend weekly card games and music sessions. Mom loved to watch Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune.  Thomas and Dougald knew not to call her when her shows were on – when they forgot, she politely answered her phone, told them she was watching Jeopardy, and hung up on them.  

Kaye took great joy in raising her seven children.  As a mom, she recognized very early the power of learning through books and reading, and the family book collection of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew garnered admiration from everyone in the neighbourhood.  She had boundless energy – she fed a family of nine, baked, pickled and preserved anything in her reach.  In the early lean years, she always found money for books, sleds, skates and put family needs above all else. When later she found herself an empty nester, with a lot of energy on her hands, she lovingly helped other families in Judique with raising their children.  They too got the benefit of Mom’s unwavering patience, sense of humour and love.  Many of these children, now adults, were given coveted picture spots on her fridge as they graduated, got married and had their own children.

Kaye’s life experiences included being a child of both the Great Depression and the 1940s Tuberculosis era in which her dad died -- and it was through this lens that she developed a very pragmatic view of life with its realities and hardships.  But, this also gave her an incredible sense of optimism regarding the joy and beauty that life offered. When the global pandemic hit, she soldiered on and knew inherently that this too, would pass.  That didn’t stop calls from across the globe telling her not to go to Walmart.  Our mission was to keep her safe, her mission was to “pick up a few things.” We learned a lot from her grounded view of the world.  As someone said, she was one of a kind.

Kaye was a devout member of St. Andrew’s Catholic Parish Church.  She prayed to Saint Therese de Lisieux and practiced the “little way” of Saint Theresa as the foundation for her own spirituality.  Mom did small deeds every day that improved the lives of those around her.  She was a member of the Kildonan Seniors’ Club and, for many years, was a mainstay at many fundraising events in support of the community of Judique.

Kaye would want to give a special shout out to her “walking group” – Betty Ann Campbell, Marion Graham, Alice Campbell, Donna MacLellan, Margie King, Brenda MacDonald, Yvonne MacDonnell, Marion MacIsaac, Anita Gillis and Virginia MacInnis.  She was the captain of their group and the love, laughter and friendship they offered to her on a daily basis will never be forgotten.  A special thanks to Mary Donald R. for her love and support of Mom.  We don’t think they went a day without a telephone call or a walk across the yard.

Kaye was pre-deceased by her brothers, Johnny and Sandy, sisters, Margaret, Marie, and Alexina.  She is survived by her sister-in-law, Helen MacDonald, Port Hood and several nieces and nephews who adored her.  She will be sadly missed by her husband, Ambrose and her family: Kevin, Halifax; Carly (John Traves), Halifax; Arlene (late Wayne MacEachern), Judique; Louise (Adam Carroll), Brisbane, Australia; Allan, Halifax; Paula (Paul Rogers), Yellowknife; and Mark (Thea Gillis), Yellowknife.  She will be especially missed by her grandchildren, Ross and Katharine Traves, Halifax; Thomas and Dougald MacEachern, Judique; Tess, Dane and Sam Campbell-Carroll, Brisbane, Australia; Cassie, James and Isabel Rogers, Yellowknife; and Mairin Campbell, Yellowknife.  Grandma loved each of them in her own special way and reveled in all their accomplishments.   

Mom was our North Star.  We would have wanted more time with Mom, but we are content in the knowledge that God has called her home and she will be with family and friends that went before her.  

Funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 6, 2024, in St. Andrew’s Catholic Parish Church, Judique. Funeral arrangements are under the care and direction of Dennis Haverstock Funeral Home, Port Hawkesbury. Words of comfort may be forwarded to the family at: www.haverstocks.com  

“I will let fall from Heaven….a Shower of Roses.”  St. Therese