Alice Verity Caskey

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear mother Verity Caskey on 15th February 2018 at Maplestone Enhanced Care, Halifax, Nova Scotia. She was known as V to her friends and Amah or Ahmy to her grandchildren. She was born in Mukden (now called Shenyang), Manchuria, China and was the youngest of 4 children of Clara M. (Candlin) Young and Dr. William A. Young, a medical missionary establishing western medicine in China.

She grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland where she met her husband Dr. John Alastair (‘Jock’) Caskey. They married March 8, 1949, and emigrated from the UK to Saint John, New Brunswick in 1951 where Jock was a radiotherapist in the early years of cancer treatment, later becoming the Medical Director of the Saint John General Hospital. Verity volunteered with the Red Cross and on the UCW at St. David’s United Church, Rothesay.

They raised their family in ‘Craigleith’, Rothesay, NB; enjoyed sailing on the Kennebecasis River; gardening; curling; walking their golden retrievers and spending time on the Washademoak Lake at ‘Acorns’, a summer/duck hunting camp that would later become Verity’s home. There, she entertained friends, family and many ‘dog’ friends. Breeding and training Golden Retrievers was a passion as was her outstanding ability to landscape beautiful gardens. She travelled back to Scotland often and kept in touch with all the family.

She was predeceased by her husband in 1981, brother Wilfred Young (WW II), sister Hazle (Young) Macmichael (Scotland, 2008), brother Bruce Young (Scotland, 2008), nephew David Young (Scotland, 2016) and long-time partner John Hunter (Cambridge Narrows, NB, 2008) and is survived by her three children Caroline Caskey (Tom Emodi) Halifax NS; Clare Caskey (John Lind) Hampton NB; and Graeme Caskey (Mary McKervill) Halifax NS and nine grandchildren: Alicia Miller (Martin Giroux), St. Sauveur PQ; Jennifer (Kenneth) Burke, Lethbridge AB; Jana Miller (Joel Neynens), Halifax NS; Andrew Furlong (Elaine Mota), Yellowknife NT; Allen Furlong (Allura MacKenzie), Coquitlam BC; Michael Miller (Helen Yin), Vancouver BC; Sarah Miller (Clément Guigou), Aix En Provence, France; Christopher Caskey (Tracy Sode), Brampton ON; Alexander Caskey, Halifax NS; six great grand children (with two more on the way) and several nieces and nephews in the UK and South Africa.

Verity’s family would like to express sincere thanks and appreciation to the staff at Maplestone Enhanced Care, Halifax NS, where she spent her final year. Their kindness will always be remembered.

A private family gathering will be held at Cruikshank’s Funeral Home, Windsor St. Halifax NS. Feb. 22.

Anyone wishing to make a donation in Verity’s name, please consider:

• Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA)

• Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB)

• Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation

• Canadian Cancer Society

• Diabetes Canada