Anne Louise (Hayward) Cairns

Anne arrived in the world as a long anticipated gift to her parents Mary (Sullivan) and Bill Hayward on February 15, 1965. Throughout her life she continued to bring love, friendship, and care to those lucky to know her. She was a loving protector and friend to her sister Maureen and brother Mark. With her generous and caring spirit she nurtured us all.

In 1997 Anne married Mike Cairns joining the Cairns and Hayward families, which grew with the addition of their two sons Patrick in 2000 and Will in 2002. They spent many happy visits in Stanley Bridge, PEI, with Mike’s parents Nancy and Harold, younger sister Julia and her husband Dennis Brown, and older sister Jennifer.

Anne created connections with people and animals wherever she went. She opened her heart and home making her family and friends feel welcome and special. We are privileged to share a large and loving extended family with many aunts, uncles and so many cousins. Anne has special relationships with her cousin Sheila (Griffin) Swett and Sue (Hayward) Steeves who were sisters of her heart. In 2019 Mark married Janel (Fisher) giving Anne the precious gift of another sister.

In recent years she and Mike renovated their home and created an oasis in their back yard. Anne filled the space with plants and flowers. Mike filled it with custom wooden furniture, lights and music. Their partnership created an idyllic space that was representative of the beautiful life they created together. Their partnership was strong and lifelong.

They approached cancer the same way, fighting it together with research, planning and loving care. They had the support of family throughout. Anne gained four years during which she was able to enjoy life with Mike and her family, raise her beloved black Labrador Tilley, travel to visit extended family, and celebrate the graduation of their two sons from Dalhousie University.

Anne had a successful career in IT, combining her degrees in psychology and records management, she worked in systems training, testing, and implementation. In her career working at the QEII, Keene, and CGI, she combined her intelligence with her ability to understand and connect to people making her appreciated by her clients and co-workers. She made strong friendships at CGI including Matthew Singer, James Burry, and Denise Steeves.

Love and care were her greatest talents. She approached life with enthusiasm and careful preparation. She is loved and we are privileged to have shared our lives with her. Anne passed away on October 31, 2025, embraced by her loving family. We are grateful for the care she received at the QEII, particularly from the nurses and doctors at the VG on 7A and the HI on 8.2. Thank you for your compassion and care.

A beautiful person and a beautiful life. We are all better for having known her. We will carry her in our hearts and memories forever. We will celebrate Anne’s beautiful life on Saturday November 22, 2025, at 2:00 at J.A. Snow’s Funeral Home located at 339 Lacewood Drive, Halifax, NS. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the SPCA, QEII Foundation, or the charity of your choice.