WILLIAM (PETE) COULTER KENNEDY

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WILLIAM (PETE) COULTER KENNEDY Sadly, at the Riverview Health Centre in Winnipeg, William Coulter Kennedy passed away at the age of 86 years. This is another love story. His wife of 64 years, Margaret Dale Kennedy (nee McKelvie) passed away by his side only weeks ago. William Coulter (Pete) will be deeply missed by his children, Gary (Sue), Bill (Janet), Dale (Don Bedard) and Rob (Claudette Leclerc). His memory will continue with his grandchildren and great-grandchild, Bryan, Lisa, Kameron, Rob, Leeam; Daniel, Megan, Christian (Jennifer), Camille, Cara, Zoë and his many nieces and nephews. Pete's family came to Canada in 1833 from Dublin, Ireland. His forefathers were builders, family men and military people, participating in several campaigns including the Fenian Raids and the Nile Expedition in Egypt. His father, William Newman, was an architect for the railways, marrying Edna May Millar on September 25, 1901 and being the project architect for, among other projects, the Bessborough Hotel in Saskatoon. Pete was born in Winnipeg on December 29, 1919. He was educated, at Greenway, General Wolfe and Daniel McIntyre Schools. He later went on to United College, where he graduated as a chartered accountant in August, 1950. In 1942, he married an extraordinary woman by the name of Margaret Dale McKelvie (1917-2006) in Winnipeg. Together, they had four children, Garnet Coulter, Gary William Charles, Elizabeth Dale and Robert Allan. As a young professional, Pete worked at Richardson Securities, Riddell Stead Graham Hutcheson and Revenue Canada. Later, he ran his own successful practice as a Chartered Accountant. For many years as a young person, Pete lived in his family home, built by his father, on Banning Street. His father's friend and business partner, Garnet Coulter, a Mayor of Winnipeg, was a boarder at the family home on Banning and became a surrogate father for the aspiring young accountant. Pete moved the family from Arlington Street to Norwood in 1951. With his wife Margaret, they raised four children within the close community of home, school and church. They cherished many close relationships with friends from the West End, Norwood, White Lake and abroad. Pete was an active member at Norwood United Church for many years. There, he both coached and managed basketball and in later years was a Church Elder. Like his wife Margaret, he continued to practice his faith in the Lord and to serve for many years. Pete was an avid sports fan and a participant; teaching his children how to curl, play baseball and basketball. In his spare time he was also a skilled carpenter and passed those skills along. It was done in a way so effortlessly one might not have even noticed he had one arm. Pete retired in the early 1980s. Margaret and Pete used that time to reflect, travel and enjoy life to the fullest. They spent much time at the family cottage at White Lake, which Dad designed and built in 1960. In recent years, Dad loved his view of the forested bank of the Red River, overlooking Lyndale Drive at the Riverview Health Centre, where he spent the remaining years of his life. Pete and Margaret have left many lasting gifts including faith, hope and charity, which we hope to practice and to pass on. A private family interment ceremony was held at Chapel Lawn Memorial Gardens on Portage Avenue West near the Old Rugged Cross. A memorial service for William Coulter (Pete) will be held at St. Mary's Road United Church, 613 St. Mary's Rd. on Saturday, December 16 at 12:00 p.m. with reception to follow. Our family would like to extend thanks to the staff at Riverview for their special care and concern. In William Coulter (Pete's) memory, please make donations to the Riverview Health Centre Foundation, 1 Morley Avenue, R3L 1Z9. Chapel Lawn Funeral Home and Reception Centre 885 - 9715

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 14, 2006