Theresa Ann MacAdam

MacADAM, Theresa Ann – 99, Halifax, passed away on Sunday, March 5, 2017 in Camp Hill Veterans Memorial Building. Born in the family home in Margaree Forks on November 6, 1917, she was the twelfth of thirteen children of the late Patrick A. and Cassie (Chisholm) Gillis.

For Grade 12, Theresa moved to Antigonish to attend Mt. St. Bernard Ladies College. She then joined several siblings in Boston, finding work as an upstairs maid for a Back Bay family that summered on Cape Cod. With her savings, she enrolled at St. Martha’s School of Nursing, Antigonish, graduating in 1942.

Immediately upon receiving her RN designation in March 1943, she joined four of her brothers in the Canadian Army, enlisting as a Nursing Sister. In June 1944 she sailed to Europe, serving with the 12th and 21st General Field Hospitals in England, and later during the Allied advance across France, Belgium, and The Netherlands. Discharged in January 1946, she did private duty nursing in Sydney and Boston, and later joined some of her war comrades at hospitals in Texas, Chicago & Detroit. Between positions, she would always return home to help care for her aging parents. Amongst her favourite experiences was a week at the Kentucky Derby in 1956, as she loved horses.

Following her 1958 marriage to Chisholm MacAdam of Margaree Harbour, they settled in Halifax and raised their family. While she lived in many locations, her only “home” was the family homestead in Margaree, preferably reading or gardening with a dog at her side.

She is survived by son Tony (Laurena), Halifax; daughter Cathy Watson (Sean), Abbotsford, B.C.; grandchildren Sìne, Colin, Eilidh and Màiri MacAdam, Chris and David Watson, two great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews . She was predeceased by her husband, parents, all of her siblings: Jimmy, Alex, Annie, John F., Mary Cassie, Hugh John, Jean, Archie, Donald, Roddie, Colin, and Agnes, and all 26 of her in-laws.

Many thanks to the staff on V6E Camp Hill for their care since July 2014, and especially Theresa’s favourite caregiver, Sarah.

Visitation will be 6-8 pm Thursday, March 9 at J A Snow Funeral Home 339 Lacewood, Halifax. Funeral mass will be held at 10am Friday, March 10 at St. Agnes Parish, Halifax, with a reception to follow in the Parish Hall. Interment at a later date in St. Michael’s Cemetery, East Margaree.

Please consider a memorial donation to Chalice, chalice.ca, the charity through which Theresa sponsored several children in Ukraine during the past 15 years.