Obituary of Kathleen Sloan

<h1>Kathleen Sloan</h1> After a long and fabulous life, Kay died on July 26, 2010 at St. Mary’s Hospital. Kay was a perennial 43 year old, although there are some who suspect that she wasn’t being truthful about her age. Kay was predeceased by her parents, Ellen and John Carney; her brother, Jack; her infant daughter, Mary Kathleen; and her husband of 53 years, Jim. Kay leaves behind many happy memories for those who knew her. She was the Matriarch of the Sloan family and although she will be deeply missed, she will be proudly and affectionately remembered by her children, Pat of Vancouver, Sue of Victoria, Jim and his wife, Nadica of Kitchener and grandchildren, Tara Sloan and her husband, Christian Marshall of Toronto, Erin Sloan and her husband, Michael Regan of Vancouver, Megan Sloan and her darling great grandchild, Isabelle Kathleen Marshall. Kay was born and raised in Winnipeg as were all her children. From there she moved several times around the country with her husband, children and dog in tow. Her intelligence and sense of fun made every change an adventure and she was renowned for her jokes, great food and deadly skill at bridge. She was an “Irishwoman” through and through and always wore her ‘Irish Mother Superior’ bright green sweatshirt on St. Paddy’s Day. Kay was always a nature lover and in 35 years of bird feeding managed to raise close to 100 clutches of Cardinals, not to mention mourning doves, jays, finches, sparrows galore and squirrels. An honorary lifetime member of the Garden Club, she holds prizes for her flower arrangements in many amazing atypical containers. The Ontario Cancer Society lost a valuable volunteer when Kay retired after more than 20 years of dedicated service. Almost everyone over 50 in the Waterloo Region will remember the non-smoking speeches she gave at their high-schools. She was always outrageous enough to hold even a teenager’s attention. She survived the Depression, WW2, the loss of her first child in 1944, the Winnipeg Flood of 1950, 8 complete household moves during her adult life, and through it all her glass was always half full. She always found the best in the people and the things around her. Whenever faced with a challenge her strong Roman Catholic faith pulled her through. Kay’s greatest joy in life was her 53 year marriage to her Best Friend, Jim and her loving partnership with him as they raised their family and enjoyed the eventual blessings of their grandchildren in their retirement years. They are now reunited. A special thanks to Drs. Chad Lavallee, Donna Ward, Kiersten Luce, Michael Sehl, Arif Ismaili and the nurses at St. Mary’s Hospital for their compassion and assistance during Kay’s final days. The Funeral Mass will be held at Our Lady of Lourdes RC Church, 173 Lourdes St., Waterloo, on Friday, July 30, 2010 at 10 a.m., the Rev. Edward Sheridan as celebrant. A reception will immediately follow in Parish Hall. A private family interment in Parkview Cemetery, Waterloo will take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society and can be arranged through the Erb &amp; Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King St. S., Waterloo www.erbgood.com or 519-745-8445.