Kelly Lisa Hustwait (Eglington)

Kelly Hustwait was born in Goose Bay, Labrador NL, on February 2nd, 1965. She was the fourth and last daughter of Ken Eglington and Theresa Eglington (Farnham).

Kelly loved being a mother first and foremost. Her love for her children Alicia, Devlin and Nicola was unwavering and unconditional. She always encouraged them to try new things, supported them in every passion and worked incredibly hard to give them every opportunity she could. Whether it was sports, music, or simply a fun class, she was their biggest supporter. Throughout their lives she helped with homework, reading, and school projects — and even continued to lend a hand with research papers when they went off to university. Kelly did everything in her power to make sure her children had the fullest, brightest lives and she shaped them into the people they are today. Her love, guidance and encouragement were constants her children could always rely on.

Kelly and Mark met May 8th, 1989 at the North Shore Fire Fighters Hose Reel dance – a night they always remembered fondly. Mark asked her to dance more than once, and when she finally said yes, it was the beginning of something undeniable. They were immediately taken by one another and quickly fell in love, and to everyone around them, their connection was undeniable. On their six week honeymoon they backpacked through Turkey, Greece and Switzerland and often said it was the best trip of their lives. Kelly and Mark built their life together in Lynn Valley after purchasing Mark’s grandparent’s house in 1990. They married in North Vancouver on May 8th, 1993, and together raised their three kids and made it a home.

Kelly grew up in Fredericton, New Brunswick with her parents and three older sisters (Leslie Eglington, Lori Haley (Eglington) and Stephanie Eglington. Kelly was the baby of the family but also the glue and organizer for occasions and trips with her sisters. Growing up with three older sisters she loved dearly, she learned early the value of sisterhood and closeness to family.

Throughout her life Kelly made many lifelong and loyal friends, connections she maintained from across the country. Many of these friendships began in Fredericton at Garden Creek Elementary School (“once a Creeker, always a Creeker”), George Street Junior High and Fredericton High School, class of 1983, where she was regarded as intelligent, driven and usually at the top of her classes. Kelly went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts and Science from the University of New Brunswick before moving to Montreal with her best friend Nancy to complete her Masters of Science in Audiology at McGill University. After practicums in Vancouver and Saint John, Kelly made the brave decision to move to Vancouver, having met and fallen in love with Mark, and began her career as an Audiologist there in 1990.

As an Audiologist, she provided essential support to children and teens with hearing loss, forming lasting connections with many of them throughout their childhood and adolescence. She was always mindful of the complexities of working within the Deaf community, striving to respect Deaf culture as a rich cultural and linguistic identity rather than simply an “impairment.” Kelly was a dedicated and respected professional who truly loved her work — and was, in turn, loved by the many families she helped.

One of her greatest joys was taking the whole family back east to New Brunswick to visit her loved ones. Over the years, Kelly travelled to many places — Mexico, Turkey, Greece, France, England, Portugal, and Spain, to name just a few. She always hoped to see even more of the world, and her sense of adventure never faded. Kelly passed that love of travel on to her children, who will carry her spirit with them in all of their future journeys.

Although she ultimately lost her life to cancer, she spent every day fighting for more time with the people she loved. Through each treatment and every hardship, she faced her illness with remarkable courage and an inner strength that never wavered. Her bravery during that time will always be remembered.

Kelly will be lovingly remembered and greatly missed by her children Alicia, Devlin and Nicola, and her husband Mark. She will be missed by her sisters, mother and all of her extended family and friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held in Spring 2026. Donations would be greatly appreciated to North Shore Hospice or BC Cancer.