The purpose of this page is to allow us to publish complete obituaries here in months when we do not have room for full obituaries in our paper. All other obituaries are available under the archived tab of the menu going back to 2002.

AUGUST 2023

Alexander Sangster Cowie Jr. of Spryfield passed away on Friday, July 14, 2023, at the age of 81.  He was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather who fought courageously to have one more day with his family and friends, one more song he could sing and play on his guitar, and one more drink with the Captain as he sat in his backyard looking out at the ocean.

At the age of nineteen Alex married the love of his life Dolly (Cox). They would share 61 wonderful years together, raise five children, spoil nine grandchildren, and cherish eight great-grandchildren.  Nothing made Alex happier than to be surrounded by his crew.

A hard-working man who supported his family with his work in the Sheet Metal Trade.  At the age of 27 he was elected to serve the members of his union Local 409 a job he proudly held for 16 years.  Throughout his life, he served as a member of various Boards including the Building Trades Board of Referees for Employment Insurance and the Board of Trustees Pension.  Alex was later appointed by the head office in Washington D.C. as the International Representative to several construction unions for Atlantic Canada, a position he held until his retirement in 2000.

Alex was an honorable man with a grateful heart.  He will be missed beyond words by his wife Dolly; daughters Susan (Lee) Algee, Cathy (Bob) Inglis, Paula (George) MacDonald; sons Stephen (Nida), and Frankie; grandchildren Nicole, Colin (Kailee), Kyle, Justine (Adam), Stephen (Jan), Tiffany (Mason), Cory (Brooke), Lindsay (Craig),  Katelyn; great-grandchildren Brayden, Madison, Dayva, Sky, Jack, Carver, Lily, Finley; brother Eddy; sisters-in-law Dianne, Patsy, Sherry; brother-in-law Terry (Heather); many nieces and nephews; long time buddies Ricky Smith,  Paul Fahie, Doug Parsons.  Apart from his parents Alexander and Mary, Alex was predeceased by brothers Alfred, Jim, and Frankie; sisters-in-law Sandra, and Rowena; daughter-in-law Karen.

Thanks to Dr. Mary O’Neill, Dr. Christina Fraga, nurse Trish, and all the nurses at Medical Day Unit (4th floor Dickson Building) and Palliative Care for their compassion and kindness.  Also many thanks to all the wonderful blood donors who unknowingly helped.

 

 

Jean Ann Yule – Age 80 – of Halifax passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 8, 2023 at the Victoria General Hospital.

Born and raised in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Jean and her husband, Gordon Yule, bravely left their homeland and immigrated to Canada in 1972 with their children Jackie, Gordon, and Pauline. In 1975, a fourth child – Richard – was welcomed and raised by all. They built a wonderful, happy life for themselves and their growing family.

When their seven grandkids came along, Jean and Gordon’s doors were always open for sleepovers and family gatherings. Many fun times were had, and fond memories made that we’ll all cherish forever.

Jean is lovingly survived by her husband Gordon; her daughter, Jackie (Rick); son,  Gordon (Sheila); daughter, Pauline (Michael), and son, Richard (Jill Caldwell); grandchildren, Ryan Toffoli, Alison Toffoli (Justin Clements and son, Kingsley), Tyler Parker, Andrew Yule (Jill), Alex Yule, Matthew Ryan and Lucas Flemming; and great-grandchildren, Ava and Gavin.

She is also survived by many dear family members back in Scotland, including her sister, Phyllis (Maxi), brother, Norman (Audrey); brothers- and sisters-in-law, Edwin Yule (Roseyln); Sheena Buchan, Aileen Ramsay (John), Dennis Yule (Edna) and Phyllis Boyne; along with many cousins, nieces and nephews  She is predeceased by her parents Jimmy and Jeannie Paterson; parents-in-law, Eddie and Jane Yule; and brothers, Jim and Andy Paterson.

Jean lived a full life with much to be celebrated. She worked for over 20 years at Crowell’s Drugstore, where she gained many lifelong friends and became a beloved member of the Spryfield community. She and Gordon loved to travel, taking regular trips back to Scotland, camping with the family, and heading down to the US for NASCAR races and shopping.

Jean was always ready and willing to lend a hand, whether it was for her own family and friends, or friends of her kids and grandkids. She was an incredibly kind and generous woman, who will remain a cherished friend to so many.

Her family wishes to extend a special thank-you to Dr. Kailee Sutherland; Dr. Lori Wood and nurse Donna; all the kind nurses and staff in the chemo and palliative care centres; and Jean’s many friends who have been so thoughtful over the years.

In lieu of flowers, donations are welcome to be made in Jean’s honour to the Canadian Cancer Society.

 

Helen Smith

 

It is with great sadness that we, the family, announce the passing of Helen Smith at the QEII, on Thursday, July 20, 2023.  Born in Sambro, NS, she was a daughter of the late George and Helen (Jollimore) Gray.  Mom was married young and started a family that grew to four kids.  Mom raised the kids while Dad was fishing, sometimes for weeks at a time.  Out of necessity, Mom became very handy, learning to fix things on her own, and doing it all never driving.  She was so proud when she got her license later in life.  She worked at Sears in the ‘80’s and enjoyed working with “the girls”.  In her younger years, Mom sewed and made dresses for the girls.  She was  a gifted knitter, and her socks and mittens were highly sought after, as were her chocolate chip cookies.  Mom went into everything with a smile and never had a bad word toward anyone.  She kept her sense of humour through it all.  God love her!

Helen is survived by her daughters, Marsha Feltmate, Pat Dempsey (Barry), and Judy McGrath (Steve), her son, Steven “Chippy” (Ellen), grandchildren, Angela, Kelly, Melissa, Christy, Ashley and Steven Jr., 8 great-grandchildren, as well as sisters, Gladys Ashford (Don), and Margaret Gray (Keith), brothers, Marshall (Dolly), Wallace (Winnie), and Glen (Chrystal), as well as many nieces ad nephews.  Helen is predeceased by her husband, Douglas Ralph, her grandson, Matthew, her parents, George and Helen Gray, and her in-laws, Ralph and Minnie Smith.  She was also predeceased by sisters, Dora, Marie Billard, Verna Myatt, and Gloria Stoner, and brothers, Gordon, Arthur and Herman.

Donations may be made in memory of Mom to the Heart and Stroke Foundation or the Kidney Foundation.

 

 

 

Jina Kelly Frank

With immense sadness in our hearts, we announce our beloved baby girl Jina, has passed away at the young age of 23, on June 28, 2023. Her loving parents Scott McLellan and Kelly Frank, her older brother Michael, and twin brother Josh are devastated and filled with sorrow for the loss of our sweet angel girly-girl.

A dearly loved daughter, dedicated sister and loyal friend, Jina was born alongside her twin brother Josh on September 24, 1999 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Jina was so proud to be a twin to her brother Josh. Her big brother Michael was her inspiration and  she adored her mother Kelly and her father Scott, her role models and providers. She was equally a Daddy’s girl as much as her Momma’s babygirl. She desired to be a loving anchor for her entire family and to make us all feel special.

Jina was predeceased by so many loved ones; her grandparents Roland Frank, John-Archie and Jessie McLellan, her aunts Lisa and Lianne Frank, and our many Halifax and Cape Breton aunts and uncles.

Jina is known throughout the community for serving at Tim Horton’s and East Side Mario’s in Halifax, where she exuded her passion of uplifting, caring and making people happy. Jina made people feel accepted, worthy, and always went above and beyond to support others, going all-in to provide help in whatever situation.

One of Jina’s many admirable qualities was her loyalty to her family and friends, ensuring people felt welcomed and appreciated with open arms, as she only wanted the same in return. Jina’s deepest desire in life was to create special bonds with people without judgement – an authentic bond bound by love.

Just like her dad, Jina never wanted to see people down, always looking out for the underdog. She was extremely empathetic, and she fought for her loved ones and truly saw the best in people.

Jina enjoyed watching movies and TV series, especially ‘The Office’, going for drives around the Sambro loop, laughing at funny videos with her friends and being the life of the party. Her vivacious personality drew people in. Most of all, Jina loved to get her hair and nails done that accentuated her beauty. Outward extensions of who she was inside; vibrant, colourful, and perfect.

Her signature, contagious laugh, could turn anyones day around and force you to join with her no matter your disposition. Even if you heard it from across the room, her laugh made you smile.

Jina’s life will forever inspire us to love our hardest, put forth our best efforts, connect with others like family and see the beauty in every situation.

The joy our Jina brought to people’s lives has been expressed in the many messages, tributes, condolences, and sorrow felt by her passing – The loss of Jina is immeasurable. We all feel blessed to have had Jina in our lives.

The torch that Jina lit will be carried on with us throughout our lives. We know Jina has found peace, and that one day we will all reunite again together in Heaven.

We love you Jina until the end of time, as you loved us

 

Lillian Ferguson

76, Halifax, passed away on July 2, 2023 at the QEII, New Halifax Infirmary, Halifax, NS.  Born in Halifax, NS, she was a daughter of the late Stanley and Maria (Scott) Evans.  Lillian worked proudly and was dedicated to the residents of Northwood Enhanced Care, where she was a PCW and CCA.  She loved her family dearly and was a devoted member of Emmanuel Anglican Church in Spryfield, NS.  Lillian is survived by her two treasured sons, Scott (Desiree) and Ethan (Nikki); special friend, Dominique.  She was predeceased by her parents, Stanley and Maria, as well as her former husband and best friend, Roy Ferguson.

Cremation has taken place and a graveside service with be held at Emmanuel Anglican Church Cemetery, Spryfield, NS, on Wednesday, July 12, 2023 at 11 AM.   There will be a small gathering following the service at Lillian’s apartment building beginning at 1 PM.  In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations in memory of Lillian be sent to the Heart and Stroke Foundation or to the Canadian Diabetes Association.

 

 

MCDONALD, Peter Albert- 58 of Spryfield, it is with profound sorrow that we announce the sudden passing of our beloved Peter Albert McDonald on June 23, 2023.  Born in Corner Brook, NF, he was a son of Phoebe (Bishop) McDonald and the late Joseph McDonald.

 

Peter loved the outdoors; especially camping, canoeing, and fishing with family and friends, and was very active with the Halifax ­­­­­Table Tennis community.  He dedicated the last 17 years of his career to his work family at ­Vogue Optical.

 

Peter was a loving and caring soul who was always the first to lend a helping hand where needed and lit up a room with his joyful personality.

 

Peter adored his family, always boasting his greatest accomplishment was his beautiful daughter.  He will be forever missed by his loving wife of 33 years Monahanna (Spence) McDonald; precious daughter, Vivian McDonald; brother, Joseph (Anne) McDonald; sisters, Sophia (George) Mountain, “favorite sister”, Susan (Shawn) West, Annette McDonald, and Mary McDonald; countless nieces, nephews, and extended family; along with his international family.

 

Peter will be forever missed and loved by all.

 

 

 

William Kenneth Oldham Jr. 78, of Spryfield, Nova Scotia, passed away peacefully at home on June 27, 2023.

William, known fondly as Kenny, and was the son of the late Kenneth William Oldham Sr. and Eileen Rita (Keoughan).  Kenny was born on October 16, 1944, in Halifax Nova Scotia.  He was known as the “Mayor” of Bridget Avenue and was mighty neighbourly.  Kenny was always willing to lend a hand to anyone that needed something done.  He could often be found shopping and doing errands for his neighbours.

Kenny was a devoted family man and spent his life caring for his wife and daughter.  He also enjoyed walking the family dog, Teddy.  He worked for the Halifax Regional School Board for 32 years.  Kenny was very proud of his time at Rocking Stone Heights School, with the fabulous staff and students.

Kenny is survived by his wife Clara (McNamara) and their daughter Shauna.  He is also survived by his siblings, Jackie/Cookie (Elizabeth) Oldham, Carl (Joanne) Oldham, Ann (Eddy) McKinley, and Susie (Dan) Wannamaker.  Also surviving are many nieces and nephews.

Kenny was predeceased by his parents Kenneth and Eileen and a younger brother, Ronny.

Donations in Kenny’s memory can be made to the Canadian Diabetic Association.

 

 

 

Theresa Young

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Theresa Gertrude Young, age 89, of Halifax on Friday, June 16, 2023 at the Q.E.II Infirmary Site. Theresa was born in Purcells Cove, Nova Scotia and was the youngest daughter of the late Jessie and Clarence Soward.

She was predeceased by her husband, Douglas of sixty-seven years; daughter, Sheila Elizabeth “Beth” in infancy.

Theresa will be lovingly remembered by her children, Kern (Karen); Shelly (Henry) and Pamela; grandchildren, Michelle (Thorsten); Dennis (Navina); Sharlene (Luc); great grandchildren, Maike, Marie, Sophie, Briana, Kaelynn; siblings, Clarence “Bud”; Dorothy “Dot”; Aurrel (Nora); many other family and friends.

The Youngs were a military family having lived in several places in Canada and for three years they lived in Germany. Theresa thrived on meeting people and met many who remained life-long friends.

Camping was a much-loved adventure and the time spent at Rayport in Martins River was very special due to the people there “Gailyn and Russell”, “Betty and Ray”, “Dorothy and Mike” and many others. Theresa loved it there.

Theresa loved her pets and found much pleasure and comfort in their presence through the years. Gardening was a great enjoyment for her and as soon as weather permitted, she was at it. She loved to bake and kept many happy with her treats. Theresa rarely missed baseball and curling on TV. Darts was a much-loved pastime at the Purcells Cove Club.

Theresa’s family would like to say a special thanks to Dr. Jock Murray and team for their support and attention to their mom’s needs. To the staff at the Q.E.II, Dr. Gu, Dr. Dunn, Dr. Joudrey, nurse Chelsea for their wonderful care and compassion and also to the paramedics who are in such great demand but who remain caring and professional.

 

ANDERSON, Reginald (Reggie) Fabian – 62, of Upper Hammonds Plains – It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our loving brother, father, uncle, cousin and friend, who, after a courageous battle with cancer, went home to be with his Lord and Saviour on July 1, 2023 at the QEII Health Sciences Centre – Halifax Infirmary site.

Reg was predeceased by his parents Donald and Stella Anderson and many loved ones. He will be deeply missed by his loving partner and soulmate, Lori Gardiner. He is survived by his three daughters, Niesha Martell, Raytesha Martell and Raytell Martell; brothers, Robert (Linda), Terry (Charleen), Arnold (Stella), Eugene (Andrea), Patrick (Kathy); sister Julie Smith (Cyril) and several nieces and nephews.

He was employed with Wilson’s Fuels in Spryfield as a gas station attendant for over 20 years. Even though he had many opportunities to transfer to a location closer to home, he never did because his heart was with the Spryfield community. He was known as the “Mayor of Spryfield” because he touched so many lives with his big smile and kind demeanor. He had a way of making everyone in his presence feel his love and light. The joy that Reg brought to people’s lives has been expressed in the many messages, tributes, condolences, and sorrow felt by his passing. We all feel blessed to have had Reg in our lives.

He lived a very simple life, and it didn’t take much to make him happy. He was a man of his word; you could count on him to keep his promise. Reg had a heart of gold; he would give you the shirt off his back. He was a selfless guy and a hard worker.

Reg loved his family; he cherished those moments of many family barbeques and parties. He would be the first one to show up and the first one to leave. He had a special relationship and bond with his niece, Cyrelle, who was his favourite roommate, singing partner, sounding board and best friend. If you had the honour to have Reg as a friend, you had a friend forever.

For those who knew him, he was known as the “vehicle” guy, and he drove the cleanest one in HRM. His happiest moments were cleaning his truck and cleaning his friends and family vehicles. He enjoyed watching television and his favorite programs were BET and TLC.

He was a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church, Upper Hammonds Plains for many years. It was his faith and trust in God that carried him through the last 18 months of his illness. Reg has now found peace and is dancing with his dad and mom in heaven.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Reg’s memory to Emmanuel Baptist Church. Online condolences may be sent by visiting www.atlanticfuneralhomes.com