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KATHLEEN SHANNON WARD (KATHY)
Born: Dec 31, 1962
Date of Passing: Sep 16, 2024
Send Flowers to the Family Offer Condolences or MemoryKATHLEEN SHANNON WARD (KATHY)
A beautiful person left us on Monday morning. Kathy was a best friend and daughter of Adaire Connelly Ward.
Also left to mourn her passing are her niece, Shannon; nephew Shawn; brother Randy and his wife Amy, brother Doug; her wonderful friends Donna and Lea; her cousins in the Ward family whose friendship she cherished, and other friends and family members.
Kathy was predeceased by her dad Allen Ward; both grandmothers Nell Connelly and Mandy Ward; grandpa Ernie Connelly; great grandma Josephine Lindsay; Mom’s friend Ken Fraser; and many aunts and uncles.
Kathy had stage four lung cancer and was on treatment for cancer for two years. She went through two years of treatment and hospital emergency visits with a smile and gratitude to everyone who helped her in any way. Her last chemo treatment was September 6th and on September 7th she drove to Dominion City to visit her friend Donna who was in the hospital. Kathy had a house in Dominion City on a park like piece of property. She was the postmaster there and loved her job and the many people who went to the post office in all kinds of weather.
During this past year she rented a nice apartment in Winnipeg on the Assiniboine River to be closer to cancer treatments. She lived in both locations. She had worked in health care before working as a postmaster and loved that work as well. After a heart attack she moved to the post office which was closer to home. Kathy had many hobbies and enjoyed every one of them. She remodeled her first house and did a wonderful job of it. She moved walls and rebuilt rooms to suit her. She built a sunroom on her Dominion City house. She made crochet blankets, pillows, toys and clothing, then moved onto patchwork blankets, toys, place mats and other beautiful items. Every time she had a hobby, she would give beautiful handmade items. She took a clock making course in the evenings and then built a wood clock with pictures of all our pets on it.
She got her first puppy when she was five years old and was never without a dog for the rest of her life. She gave away a beautiful Irish Settler and an adorable, sweet cat when she was diagnosed with cancer so that they could have a better life with healthy people. One of the most unselfish acts ever seen. Kathy loved giving gifts. They would just arrive at the door from Amazon or Canada Post as a surprise. Cards were sent for every occasion to those she loved. Kathy loved to travel and see new countries. She spent three weeks in Ireland touring with friends; many trips to Florida to visit her brother and his family, Mexico, Nanaimo, Vancouver, Nashville, the Black Hills, Niagara Falls and other places.
A year after her cancer diagnosis she met with her brother and his family in Nova Scotia where they toured and visited PEI together and had a wonderful time. Kathy was happy and had a healthy curiosity about life, books, gardening, craft sales and all good things, including animals. She was not finished living. There was so much she wanted to do during retirement. She never missed a Jets game on TV. We will miss her and her sense of humor and joy with life. She passed away at home in Winnipeg with her little dog Bruno and her little cat Dusty beside her. They will live with her mom now.
Thank you to the medical staff, her brother Randy and his wife Amy; her niece Shannon; nephew Shawn and her friends and cousins for being part of her life and happiness. Bruno and Dusty will miss Kathy.
To the two police officers who assisted paramedics the day she left us, Halle and Spencer, there are no words to express the gratitude to you both for your understanding, assistance and kindness to a grieving and devastated mom.
According to her wishes, cremation has taken place, and no service will be held.
The family requests that friends visit Kathleen Ward's tribute wall at www.bardal.ca where condolences, photos and stories may be placed for all to see.
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Sep 21, 2024, Sep 21, 2024
Condolences & Memories (1 entries)
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I believe this lovely lady must be the same Kathy Ward with whom I served in the Army Reserves in the early 1980s: Kathy in the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada and I in the Royal Winnipeg Rifles. Kathy was a true friend with a delightfully dry sense of humour, a warm, kind heart and a real concern for her fellow soldiers’ wellbeing. I wish that our paths had not diverged when I left the Reserves. - Posted by: Jocelyn Smith (Friend) on: Mar 08, 2025