Annabelle MacKenzie

We are saddened to announce that Annabelle (Campbell) MacKenzie, 89, died peacefully on November 27, 2020 at the Cove Guest Home in Sydney, NS. Born in Glencoe, Inverness Co., Cape Breton, she was one of 12 children born to the late Samuel Thomas and Mary Kate (MacEachern) Campbell.

In her early twenties, Annabelle lived and worked for several years in Toronto before returning to Cape Breton to care for her mom. Annabelle cherished this chapter as a young woman, which included Cape Breton parties with family and friends, where she was known to accompany her fiddle-playing brothers on piano. In Sydney for most of her adult life, she worked at a number of firms, especially the Cape Breton Post, where she felt most at home and remained until her retirement. She was also an active member of Immaculate Heart Parish for many years and enjoyed her time in the C.W.L.

Mom always had a pot of tea on in the kitchen and a bakery’s worth of homemade sweets ready for any visitor. Throughout her life, she enjoyed Celtic music immensely, making it a point to attend summer ceilidhs all over the island, and have regular step-dancing sessions in the kitchen with her kids. She was also a big proponent of education; she said her proudest moments were the university graduations of her 3 children. She was enormously proud of her grandchildren Alex, Bhreagh and Josh. Mom was never at a loss for words and was the social glue of the family, always keeping everyone up to date on the lives of our relatives and making sure we never missed a birthday. She had a terrific memory for faces and names.

Annabelle was predeceased by Steve, her husband of 60 years, in 2018, and is survived by daughters Lisa of St. Catharines, ON and Charlene (Cliff Billesberger) of Calgary, AB, and son Greg (Andre Jobe) of Quispamsis, NB; grandchildren Alexandra Brisbin (Raef) and Bhreagh (Dan Forte) of Toronto, ON, and Josh of Calgary, AB. Annabelle was the youngest and last surviving sibling in her family, predeceased by sisters Mary MacDonald, Christy Ann ‘Tena’ Richard and Jessie MacLean, and brothers John Norman, Donald, John Willie, Alec Hughie, Dougald, John Dan, Angus and Joe.

Our heartfelt thanks are extended to the caregivers at the Cove Guest Home (especially Orchard Unit) who made Annabelle feel loved and at home for the past 8 years.

Cremation has taken place and there will be no public visitation at this time. The family will have a celebration of her life at a later date.

For those who wish, donations can be made, in memory of Annabelle, to The Cove Guest Home Foundation, Parkinson Canada or to a charity of your choice. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family by visiting www.twcurry.com.

*If my time could end perfectly, I know where I’d want it to be, God’s gift of heaven would be made up of three, My love, Cape Breton and me*