Vivian Kennedy

Vivian Donalda Muriel Kennedy (Banns)

Mum was born on March 10, 1928 in Ottawa to her loving parents Flora (nee: Perrier) and Harold Banns. She died peacefully on October 01, 2020, 33,808 days or 92 and a half years later having led a full and beautiful life. She is pre-deceased by her siblings Myrtle and Norm and was the last of her immediate family. She was also the last of her generation on our maternal side. She was a warm and wonderful mother and an outstanding grandmother. She will be missed greatly by her children David (Claude), Michael (deceased 2018) (Gabi), Stephen (Karen), Carolyn (Rob), Tim (Juanita) and her grandchildren Katarina, James, Charlotte, Christopher, Lara, Emily and Adam.

Mum grew up in Ottawa and attended Hopewell Public School and Glebe High School. She was an amazing dancer in her younger years having the tiniest of pointe shoes. She aspired to be a doctor but as she had a heart murmur was told this would be too stressful so gave up this dream. She married her sweetheart David James Laurie Kennedy and instead raised five rambunctious and challenging children. A formidable feat! Their family life took them from Ottawa to Illinois, Montreal, Toronto and Windsor. But mum’s heart was always in Ottawa and that is where she returned after our parents divorced. She loved the canal, the tulip festival, the Parliament buildings and even the snow.

She tackled her life with unbridled strength but to all who knew her she was a generous, kind and gentle soul. She studied to be a stenographer and later in her life as an interior designer. Family was everything to mum and especially during the holidays. At Christmas she would turn out pies and shortbread cookies like there was no tomorrow! She sewed and knitted with voracity. Holding skeins of wool to be rolled into balls and the clack of knitting needles was an evening event. She knitted countless sweaters for soldiers during the war and we would all get a new toque and mitts every winter. Who knows where she found the time!

She loved music and playing the piano – Fur Elise and Chopsticks being her favourites. She would spend hours playing board games with us and developed us all into cunning cribbage players - her personal favourite! Grandchildren (and for that matter any children) were her number one priority. For her it was a labour of love to pick the perfect gift or sew them something special or just to simply be with them. She loved travelling and followed her children all over the world to pay them visits in England, France, the United States, Holland, Sweden, Thailand and across Canada.

She had a bit of a sweet tooth and loved chocolate and ice cream. We all knew to serve her a gin and tonic as her favourite drink. Sunday roast beef dinners and red wine were mealtime favorites. In her retirement she volunteered helping stroke patients with their exercise programs, tap danced her way into her 80’s entertaining "seniors" and was a member of the Red Hat Society. She even started to dabble in poetry!

In her later years she bravely battled dementia. Her family and all children continued to bring her great joy through this time. Many thanks to all who assisted her in her last few years.

How do you put someone’s life in a single page? There are so many more memories. We hope this gives you the essence of what a wonderful woman she was.

Forever loved, cherished and missed.