Mrs. Bernice Jean MacDonell

Lovingly supported by her family, Bernice Jean MacDonell (Gilmour), resident of Birchwood Terrace, went home wrapped in the arms of God on Saturday November 27th, 2010, 3 weeks prior to her 86th birthday.

Bernice is survived by and will live on through her legacy of love and in the lives of her children - Ian & wife Nancy (Kenora), Janet (Grande Prairie, AB), Judy & husband Jim (Kenora), Alexis (Grande Prairie), Donald and wife Bonnie (Calgary, AB), Gordon and wife Leeanne (Kenora), and Marion and husband Robin (Calgary). She is joyously celebrated by her grandchildren Teresa and Morgan, Murray and Cherice, Olivia and Alexandra, Crystal and Daryl, James and Tarina, Danny, Scott and Reilly, Veronica and Candace. Mom’s legacy will be carried on in the lives of her great grandchildren Alexis and Jack, Paige and Leah, Mackenzye, and Robert and Audrey. She is also survived by her brother Robert Gilmour of Stewart, FL.

Mom was predeceased by infant son Robert, her husband James Thomas MacDonell, parents Alec and Beatrice Gilmour, and sister-in-law Elaine Gilmour who receive her with open arms.

Bernice Jean Gilmour was born December 21st, 1924 on a farm near Dubuc, SK, eventually moving with her parents to Winnipeg where she attended high school and the school of nursing at St Boniface Hospital. On her graduation from the nursing program she moved to Kenora where she met the love of her life, James MacDonell. Her complete joy and happiness in life came from family … her husband, parents and sibling, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Through her involvement with Knox United Church, Can Save, international children organizations, the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario, she taught us the capacity and importance for sharing of one's self.

Mom loved the water and was never far from it; she truly enjoyed being on and in the water. She loved living in Kenora, had a summer home on Bigstone Bay, and eventually spent some time at Clearwater West near Atikokan. At the tender age of 50 Mom decided to yet again accept a new challenge and attended the University of Manitoba graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. She was also very proud to have bought her own boat and motor and after completing the Canadian Power Squadron course, in true Bernice style, was charting her own course. Mom was an avid swimmer, enjoyed fishing, gardening, reading, volunteering, music, travel, perpetual learning and let’s not forget, politics. Mom will be remembered as a person ahead of her time, deeply spiritual, patient and kind, always demonstrating her huge capacity for love and forgiveness.

Mom nursed for many years at the former St Joseph’s Hospital and the Lake of the Woods District Hospital and will be remembered with affection by the many families in Kenora and area for bringing life in to the world.

The family is very appreciative of the multiple kindnesses and depth of caring our mother received from the staff at the Lake of the Woods District Hospital, Birchwood Terrace, Eric and Cheryl Matheson and the congregation of Knox United Church.

A Memorial Celebration of Bernice’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday December 1st, 2010 at the Knox United Church, Kenora with a reception following in the church hall. In honour of Bernice the family asks that donations be made to the Knox United Church Memorial Fund or Lake of the Woods District Hospital Foundation.

Online condolences may be made at www.brownfuneralhomekenora.com

Arrangements under the direction of Brown Funeral Home & Cremation Centre, Kenora, ON.