Kimberley Joan Hominchuk

HOMINCHUK, Kimberley Joan – 46, passed away suddenly, but peacefully, at QEII Hospital, on June 2, 2012. Kim was born in Welland, Ont., and spent her child and young adulthood in nearby St. Catharine’s, Ont., a city rich in its cultural diversity which she was blessed to be a part of with her parents being of Ukrainian and Scottish decent and her large extended and very close family throughout the region. Her exposure to people from faraway lands gave her the travel bug which she indulged most notably by spending a year in Australia after completing her education. When it came time to settle down, we were fortunate that she chose Nova Scotia, her mother’s family ancestral home, and became a “bluenoser” with all the passion that she brought to every other aspect of her life. She started out her career with the Halifax Police Dept. and was instrumental in policy development at the Department during the years that policing here and elsewhere was undergoing important changes. Kim loved the camaraderie of the police community which allowed her to hone her people skills. So equipped, she progressed naturally into Human Resources with the City of Halifax when it was transitioning to HRM rising eventually to the Assistant to the CAO. Kim, always humble, attributed her success to luck, but we who knew her knew that it was because of plain hard work and an abundance of skill. A cousin of Kim’s once said of her that she arrived here with nothing, but would become the Mayor one day! Kim placed great value on her years with HRM feeling privileged to have learned from and worked with a group of dedicated professionals. Her experience in government and her entrepreneurial drive lead her and a partner to form a company called “Integrated People Solutions” which emphasized the need for organizations to recognize that people were the solution, not the cause of many of their staff and managerial problems. The success of this approach and their company can be attested to by many government organizations and businesses throughout the Maritimes. She felt honoured to serve on the Board of Directors for the Credit Union Atlantic and take part in the Big Sisters program mentoring girls. Kim’s dedication to and belief in the importance of her work did not detract from her fully engaging in a rich social life. She was an amazing woman who revelled in every moment spent with her family and her wide circle of friends, most specially the “Sisterhood”, a free spirited group of ladies and honorary gentlemen members who were true friends indeed during Kim’s time of need. Kim was never just a member of her social group, but the very heart of it. She could walk into a room and light it up with laughter, turn a get-together into a party, and change a mere conversation into an intimate one-on-one. This was a woman who delighted in the squeal of a joyful child, squealed like a child herself at the sight of a floppy dog, particularly a black lab, and glowed with the sense of accomplishment at closing a deal and delivering the goods. For all of us who knew her there were simply no contradictions in these various aspects of her personality. Kim loved unconditionally and was wise beyond her years. Each day she opened her heart to recognize the rainbows in her life. She communicated honestly, effectively and courageously and sought to understand others. She spoke without blame and listened without judgment. She was a woman of strong faith. If her life is thought of as a flower, she bloomed, even in difficult situations, and though her bodily red rose may now have wilted and died the iridescent white rose of her spirit will live on in our hearts. Kimberley was the loving and beloved daughter of William and Caroline (Glencross) Hominchuk and granddaughter to her “Gram”, Albena Grey Glencross (Hallett), now deceased. She is survived by a very large extended family of beloved aunts, uncles and cousins living throughout North America who will dearly miss her. Cremation has taken place under the direction of the J.A. Snow Funeral Home, 339 Lacewood Drive, Halifax, N.S. B3S 0E1. Visitations will be on Sunday, June 10, from 2 to 4pm and 7 to 9pm. The funeral will take place on Monday, June 11 at 10:30am with a reception to follow at Saint Benedict Parish, 45 Radcliffe Drive, Halifax, N.S. At a date to be determined, a memorial service for Kimberley will be held in St. Catharines, Ont., for her many friends and family there to be followed by an internment of her ashes with her Gram. Family flowers only, please, to be delivered to the Funeral Home. If desired, as an expression of sympathy, donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society. Kim’s family and friends wish to extend their deepest gratitude to the staff of the QEII Hospital in general and the Cancer Chemotherapy Dept. in particular for their part in her care during her illness. Thank you also to the staff at the J.A. Funeral Home for making a difficult time a little bit easier.

“We are who we are today because we knew you, our lives have been changed for the better”.