Mrs. Edna Kidd

(nee Clydesdale)

Celebration of Life

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 2:00 p.m.

Knox United Church

With her family by her side, Edna Kidd (nee Clydesdale) passed away peacefully at Birchwood Terrace on May 4, 2011 at age 87 years.

Left to cherish her memory are her loving husband of 65 years, William (Bill); children Irene McCuaig and Dianne Dillabough (Stephen); grandchildren Erin McCuaig, Karen and Ronald Dillabough; sisters Jean Richards of Burlington, Betty Brown of Nuneaton, England and brother Wilf Clydesdale of Rowlands Gill, England.

Also missing Edna are her second family Gerald Decker, Gord and Cheryl Cormack and family, Dennis and Jody Decker of Manitoba; sister-in-law Frances Ruchotzke of B.C. and numerous nieces and nephews.

Edna was predeceased by her parents, Dorothy and Alexander Clydesdale; an infant son, David; siblings, Norman (Florrie), Joseph (Dorothy), Gladys (Tat), Hughie (Hilda) and Ralph; sisters-in-law, Margaret Decker, Zina Kidd and Mary Clydesdale; brothers-in-law William Richards, Bob Brown and Elmer Ruchotzke; niece Patricia Richards and nephew Kerry Ruchotzke.

Edna was born in Chopwell, England in 1923. She served in the WAAF(RAF) as a radar operator during WWII and met her future husband at that time. She moved to Canada as a young war bride in 1945 living first in Winnipeg, then Dryden, and finally Kenora where she enjoyed being out on the lake, with family, as much as possible.

It didn't take Edna long to become involved in the community: she was active as a Brown Owl, Guide Captain, program chair of Kenora District Music Festival, Toastmistress, Legion member, Chairperson of Red Cross Homemaker Service, and was an honorary life member of New Horizons Senior Centre.

She served 28 years on the Kenora Board of Education (14 as chair), was chair of the Board of Referees for Coroner's Council and, throughout it all, bookkeeper for Kidd's Radio and Television Service.

Edna received numerous honours and awards for her achievements: Kenora Woman of the Year in 1974, Distinguished Service Award from Canadian Red Cross, many certificates of appreciation from the Ontario Public School Boards,the OPSTF meritorious award in 1991, and the Bernadine Yackman award for dedication, commitment and outstanding contribution to education in 1990.

To her family, Edna will be always remembered as creator of marvelous treasure hunts, amazing shore and picnic lunches, award-winning bread rolls and brownies, Sunday beef roasts and mile-high Yorkshire puddings. We celebrate her undefeated position as family ping-pong champ, her competitive spirit during games of Crud and Aggravation, her care and organization of the multitude of nieces, nephews and children of family friends who descended on 99 Drewry Drive for summer swimming lessons, the way she made holidays fun for grandchildren and supported them in their activities, hosted Password and Pictionary evenings full of fun and laughter, and was a seamstress extraordinaire.

Family always came first and it was not unusual to see Edna studying with her children, assisting with speeches and

festival entries, helping Irene make hundreds of pancakes for Winter Carnival, or hiding coins in chocolate marble birthday cakes.

As a team, Bill and Edna were frequent crokinole champs, golf enthusiasts, cross-country skiers, hosts and travelers.

A Celebration of Edna's Life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, May 13, 2011 at Knox United Church; reception to

follow in the church hall. A graveside service for family only will take place after the reception.

In her later years, Edna was a frequent visitor and appreciator of the Rotary Way Trail to Rabbit Lake. She loved the quiet, the wildlife, the plants, the peace. She would often sit at the end of the trail, in her electric wheelchair, looking wistfully down the unpaved portion and yearning to go there.

Family is therefore requesting that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made (at any branch of the Copperfin Credit Union) to the fund for extending the trail (Edna Kidd Rotary Trail Memorial Fund) or to the Lake of the Woods Hospital Foundation.

Online condolences may be made at BrownFuneralHomeKenora.com

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