Mary (MacIsaac) Kernick

KERNICK (MacIsaac), MARY GERTRUDE - Ottawa/Little Bras d’Or 

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, grandma, and great-grandma Mary Gertrude Kernick (nee MacIsaac), 91, on Thursday, February 16, 2023, in Ottawa, Ontario. 

A devout Catholic, Mary was born and raised in Giant’s Lake, Nova Scotia. After completing high school, she went on to Nursing School in North Sydney, where she not only made lifelong friends but met her future husband David Kernick. From there, they moved to Toronto to start their careers and their family. Mary began working at Toronto General Hospital and was a role model on how to balance work and family. She continued to work part-time while raising four sons, unheard of at that time, predominately in the operating room. 

Life drew Mary and David back to Nova Scotia. This time for good. They spent some time in Dartmouth, where she ended her nursing career at the Dartmouth General Hospital, before heading back to Giants Lake and then on to Sydney Mines and Little Bras d’Or. In every place she resided, Mary’s kind and caring nature allowed her to make wonderful friends from all walks of life. 

Mary raised four boys, Richard, Michael, David, and John, always being an unwavering support for them. Her quiet strength and calming nature helped them immensely, yet she never accepted any of the praise. Her daughters-in-law, Susan, Angela, Debbie, and Joan, became the daughters she always wanted, and she cherished the time they spent together. While she loved her children, her grandchildren held special places in her heart. Matthew, Nicole, Daniel, Ashley, Alexander, and Riley brought unending happiness to her. The great-grandchildren brought even more joy to her. Though poor health kept her from spending a lot of time with Lincoln, Vada, Quinn, Henely, Reeve, and Camryn, she enjoyed every phone call and video chat immensely. 

After losing her beloved David in 2021, Mary packed her bags yet again and headed to Ottawa to live with her son John and his family. There she suffered several health setbacks but found happiness and peace in both her family and her faith. She enjoyed her new home and loved answering questions about her life, especially those about when she was growing up.

Mary was the last surviving member of her family. She is predeceased by her parents, Michael and Mary MacIsaac, her husband David, siblings Neri, Angus, Bobby, Ronny, Colin, Doris, Eunice, Jeannette, and her daughter-in-law Joan. 

The family would like to thank the Palliative Care Team who made it possible for Mary to be surrounded by her family in her final days, and the staff at Queenswood Villas, especially Kim Jones, for the respite care they provided. Also, a very special thank you to Dr. Keith Lane for giving Mary exceptional care these past eighteen months. Your kindness to Mary, and to her family, will never be forgotten. 

 Visitation for Mary will be held on Friday, May 19, 2023, from 7-9 pm in JM Jobes Funeral Home. A funeral mass to celebrate her life will be held on Saturday, May 20, 2023, at 11 am in Holy Family Hall, Sydney Mines, with Fr. Fabian officiating. A reception will follow at the North Sydney Legion. Words of comfort may be forwarded to her family at www.jmjobesfuneralhome.com