KATHLEEN DOROTHY MCMILLAN

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KATHLEEN DOROTHY MCMILLAN Kathleen Dorothy McMillan, aged 85, passed away peacefully in Vancouver on March 24, 2005 after a recent illness. Kay was born Dorothy Ewdukia Melnichuk in Narol, MB, the fourth child of nine children to George Melnichuk and Vasilina (Wilma) Maksymchuk Sloan of Farner and Gabun, Austria, respectively. She was predeceased by her husband Earl Kitchener in 1992, her son John in 1969, her daughter-in-law Marty in 1989, and her granddaughter, Lorelei in 1993. Kay and Earl were married in 1937 in Winnipeg. During the Second World War, Earl was a sergeant in the Air Force and Kay was a nurse in the Red Cross. After the war, Earl joined CPR, Special Investigations which moved the family back and forth between Winnipeg and the West Coast (living in both Victoria and Vancouver) several times. During this period, Kay focused on raising their young family and supporting Earl's career efforts. Kay held various positions during her working life including apartment complex management, an Avon lady, and her most rewarding project was working along side her husband and children in a family owned and operated business for years in Kelowna. Upon her retirement in 1982, Kay suffered a massive stroke and was told she had several days, maybe weeks, to live as a result of her illness. As she approached all of her activities in her life, she was determined to prove the doctors wrong, and lived in Vancouver for another 23 years devoting most of her time to family endeavours and particular focus on her grandchildren. She is survived by her daughter Joan (Don) Mattrick; two sons, Ronald and Bruce (Milena); and nine grandchildren, Shawn, Donald, Justin, William, James, Sarah, Alexander, Jessica, and Matthew; three great-grandchildren, Brooke, Aidan and Tatiana; a sister Lena Phelps of Los Angeles, CA; and many nieces and nephews. Know to many as Mrs., she will be lovingly remembered, and never forgotten. A private family service was held on Friday, April 1 at Forest Lawn Chapel, 3789 Royal Oak Ave., where she was laid to rest in Forest Lawn Memorial Park between her son John and her husband Earl. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the B.C. Heart Foundation.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 04, 2005