Katherine Ann McIntosh

We are sad to announce the death of our mom, stepmom, grandma and great-grandmother, Katie McIntosh. Katie passed just before dawn on Thursday, October 8th, her unexpected departure marked by a dazzling sunrise.

Katherine Ann Finn was born in 1944 in Kimberley, South Africa to parents Patrick and Muriel Finn (nee Roberts). The family returned to the UK and welcomed sister Sally, settling into life in Brighton… ‘Hove actually’.

Katie was lucky and experienced two great loves in her life. The first was Gordon Scott, who Katie met in college and married in 1966. Together, Katie and Gordon emigrated to Vancouver in 1967, and began Canadian life by camping out in a backyard in Norgate, North Vancouver. Their daughter Fiona was born in 1974, and while the marriage didn’t last, they maintained a very fond regard for one another. In the mid-1980s Katie met Ian McIntosh, and the two pursued a mid-life adventure living and working in Montreal for several years. They returned to North Van in 1989, where they married in 1991 at the home of their dear friends Lachlan and Hillary Morrison. Katie and Ian purchased their beloved home on Crystal Court in 1993, where they lived happily for thirty years, until Ian’s death in 2023.

Katie furthered her college teaching qualifications in Manchester to work with deaf children. However, she taught in many capacities and locations such as the remote school of Ootsa Lake, alongside North Vancouver classes at Cleveland, Westover and Vancouver's Sexsmith with the Vancouver Oral Center. She was a patient and beloved teacher, and was still receiving cards and e-messages from former students at the end of her life.

Katie was a Master Gardener, and an accomplished photographer. She was happiest puttering in her garden or in nature and made many dear friends while hiking trails, attending garden clubs or skiing at Mount Baker. Living life large and dancing up a storm wherever possible was her motto. She was a hardy open water swimmer -- even in her eighties -- and rarely encountered a body of water she wouldn’t dive into. She and Ian enjoyed many walking holidays in the UK, amongst other travels to Asia and Africa. Local travels were not excluded as they journeyed from coast to coast in Canada and throughout B.C., and favoured YellowPoint Lodge on Vancouver Island. Katie also had loving connections with her animals; she started with showing her beloved Irish Wolfhounds to cuddling her Burmese lapcat.

As both a teacher and grandmother, Katie was an encouraging and gentle presence in the lives of many children, and she was tickled to become a great-grandmother when granddaughter Evelyn’s son Anthony Ian was born in 2024. Her positivity and support also drove her to the docks to watch daughter Fiona's dragonboat team paddle across the finish line - Katie's cheers and pompoms going wild.

Katie is survived by her daughter Fiona, her sister Sally Broadbridge, her stepchildren Deborah McIntosh (Len) and Douglas McIntosh (Laura), her granddaughter Evelyn McIntosh and her great-grandson Anthony Ian Patterson. The family would also like to acknowledge Katie’s dear friends Joan and Peter Thompson, the Trail Trekkers, the Book Club and caregivers Arlene, Regina, Cynthia, Tanya and Trish.

A Celebration of Life is scheduled for Sunday November 22nd at Pier7 Restaurant in North Vancouver.