Obituary of Kathleen McCurdy

It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Mary Kathleen (Kay) McCurdy in the Mississauga Hospital on October 17, 2020 at the age of 92 years after suffering a stroke. Kay was born in Pembroke, Ontario on June 14, 1928, to the late William Joseph Vondette and Justine “Tena” Madore. She was raised in Rapides des Joachims, Quebec, and went to high school in Pembroke where she studied business. At the age of 16, she moved to Ottawa and worked for J.R. Booth and E.B. Eddy's in Gatineau (then Hull), and eventually for the federal government, retiring in 1978 from Canada Revenue Agency, where she was a senior administrative assistant. Kay was active in many social and recreational clubs in Ottawa. In the mid-1940's she joined the Triangle Club, a social club for Canadian men returning from World War II. It was there that Kay met John P. Miner, a young soldier from Hull, Quebec. Kay and John were married in 1948. The couple separated in 1958 and divorced in 1964. Kay has had a variety of interests and hobbies over the years. At one point she was a majorette for the CFL football team, the Ottawa Roughriders. She continued to be an enthusiastic team supporter and season’s ticket holder for many years. Other interests have included bowling and fencing in the early years, and travelling, golf and bridge in the later years. Kay was a regular golfer into her eighties, and was active on several golf club committees and made many lifetime friends on the links. It was in the club house where she first met her husband, Walter McCurdy, and they were married in 1969. Kay is predeceased by her loving husband Walter, and by her siblings and their spouses, Francis Luke Vondette (Muriel), Margaret Strack (Max), and Arnold Vondette (Donna). Although Kay had no children of her own, she was always very kind and giving to children especially her nieces, nephews, cousins and godchildren. I expect "Auntie Kay" was many a child's favourite aunt. Kay did have an opportunity to get a first-hand experience with a teenager in the 1970's. In 1972 her nephew, Terry Strack, came to stay at the McCurdy’s while attending Carleton University for four years. Kay and Walter lived on Quesnel Drive, not far from Mooney’s Bay in Ottawa. Kay had many friends on the street and continued to live there for a few years after the loss of her dear Walter in 2008. She then settled into a retirement home on Hunt Club Road. After her health declined, Kay moved from Ottawa to a nursing home in Mississauga in 2016 to be closer to Terry, his wife Penny and their family. The family would like to thank the staff at Camilla Care Community for taking good care of Aunt Kay these past years and to the staff at Trillium Health Partners, Mississauga Hospital for their kindness and caring during the last hours of her life. Due to COVID-19, a private funeral service will be held for the immediate family only. Friends and relatives are encouraged to leave online condolence on this website. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Alzheimer Society of Canada using the link on this page.