Gerard Kenney

Gerard "Gerry" Kenney

1931-2014

Gerry Kenney passed away peacefully at the CivicHospital on Sunday, December 7. Although born in St. Remi d'Amherst, Quebec, Gerry was brought up in New York City where he spent the first sixteen years of his life except for the summer months of every year when he lived at his grandparent's country inn in St. Remi. It was his early summers in St. Remi that defined who Gerry became as an adult. His grandfather and six sons introduced Gerry to the natural world to be experienced in the surrounding Laurentian mountains and lakes. Thoreau became his hero. Gerry built a small log cabin which still sits on the shores of a wild pond in the Little Nation Valley where he spent many happy hours.

Beloved husband to Elaine Randall, loving father to Amanda (Chris) and Jessica, grandfather to Cara, Maya and Elsa and loving friend and partner to Claire. Predeceased by parents Nason Cass Kenney and Jeanne (Thomas) Kenney, and his brother Jacques.

Graduating from McGill University in 1954 as a professional engineer, Gerry worked 21 years with BellCanada in Montreal and Quebec City, and 18 years with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) in Hull, Quebec. Between these two jobs, Gerry and his wife Elaine spent 10 years as subsistence farmers on a hundred acres in the rural municipality of Ripon, Quebec. After Gerry retired from CIDA in 2002 he devoted his time to his passion - writing. He published three books on the arctic and one that recounted the highlights of his life's journey and the building of a cabin on the Lake of the Old Uncles. He wrote numerous newspaper and magazine articles, for the Globe and Mail, Harrowsmith and Above and Beyond.

Friends may pay their respects at the Tubman Funeral Home Westboro Chapel at 403 Richmond Road at Roosevelt on Friday, December 12 ^th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. A Celebration of Life will be held in the chapel on Saturday, December 13th at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers donations to the Alzheimer Society would be appreciated.