MAUREEN MARGARET MACKAY

December 7, 1954 - November 21, 2017

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Maureen MacKay on November 21, 2017.

 

Maureen was a mother of two, a nurse at the Winnipeg Children’s Hospital, and a parishioner of St. Stephen’s Church.

 

From an early age, Maureen’s passion for caregiving and service was evident. Her younger siblings, Gordon and Kathy, were the first objects of her deep compassion. She loved them and made every effort to share with them the good things that she experienced. These talents and gifts, along with the inspiration of her trailblazing mother, Muriel Cummings, guided her into the nursing profession, where she excelled and made a difference in the lives of all she encountered.

 

One example of her benevolence was her influence in the field of pain management in the Children’s Hospital; Maureen spearheaded cutting edge and innovative new techniques for ameliorating the effects of early childhood pain while in the healthcare setting. Maureen devoted a lot of her energy and passion in the last five years of her life to teaching hospital staff and parents how to prevent and relieve pain in babies, children, and teens.  Her work is still making a difference in the hospitals in Winnipeg and time will show that she was more successful than she realized through the lives of the people who pass through them.

 

Maureen’s kindness and generosity reflected upon her daughters, Shona and Meaghan Kusyk, to whom she was a constant support. Whether it was shuttling them to 4 am training, driving them down to California for sporting events, or just being there for support, technical, emotional, or otherwise; Maureen was always there for them. Her kind and compassionate spirit lives on through her daughters.

 

Maureen’s personality was anything but two dimensional, nursing and caregiving were her professional passions, but travel and adventure were her personal ones.

 

For 62 years, Maureen was active in her parish at St. Stephen’s Anglican Church. Maureen loved to sing, combining her faith and talented voice in the choir at St. Stephen’s. She could often be heard practising in her home and she always looked forward to her next chance to sing.

In her passing, Maureen has left a space in many lives, the likes of which can never be replaced.

 

Maureen was predeceased by her husband Donald Kusyk (Click here for his obituary). She is survived by her daughters Shona and Meaghan Julie Kusyk; brother Gordon MacKay (Carla), nephews Luke and Blake MacKay (Jenny), sister Kathy MacKay, niece Jessica Pettinger and her mother Muriel Cummings.

 

According to her wishes, cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, November 27, 2017 in Saint Stephen's Anglican Church, 220 Helmsdale Ave.

 

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions towards St. Stephen’s Anglican Church and or towards continued pain reduction research for the Children's Hospital, care of Meaghan Kusyk, are appreciated by the family and parish.

 

 

Letter from Daughters:

The enormity and fathomless pain you feel is a testament to the love you shared with our mother, Maureen MacKay. We were lucky to be given the gift of life her life and now it is time to give it back.

 

We ask that you cherish the memory of her, and her deep and abiding resiliency to love and care for others. Our mother’s spirit carries on, in how she affected, and will continue to affect the people around her.

 

There are many valuable lessons we learned from her; how she loved to make others happy, or how she would go to the ends of the Earth to help someone. Maureen filled her soul every day with her giving spirit and drew great fulfillment from it. She was never too busy to help others, no matter what social strata they came from. Our mother was truly beautiful both inside and out, who is and will continue to be appreciated for so many reasons.

 

It’s hard to lose her, but as her daughters we were lucky to have been led by a mother who had an infinite loving spirit of giving. We are grateful for this. We are at peace, and hold no regrets about our mother. No one could have lived a deeper and richer life. Mom takes her mortal leave from this Earth that continues to circles the sun even though she is gone, but we know we will walk hand in hand with her soon.

 

We miss you so much Mom,

 

Shona and Meaghan (Julie)

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ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

530 St, Mary Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

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