Heather Marie MacKenzie
May 22, 1951 – March 08, 2021
Send Sympathy Gifts
View Guestbook Entries
Memorial Donation
The family is heartbroken to announce the sudden passing of their sister, Heather Marie MacKenzie, of 1-647 Bernard Place, Port Hawkesbury, Cape Breton. Heather passed away at home on Monday, 8th March 2021.
Born in Sydney at St. Rita’s Hospital on 22nd May 1951, Heather Marie was the second daughter of the late Peter R. MacKenzie of Christmas Island and Mary Ann “Marion” MacNeil of Piper’s Cove, Cape Breton. Heather was predeceased by her maternal grandparents Rory Joseph MacNeil of Piper’s Cove and Annie MacNeil of Barra Glen, and her paternal grandparents John N MacKenzie of Christmas Island and Theresa MacKinnon of Benacadie Glen.
Heather loved to spend the summers at Piper’s Cove with our grandfather, Rory Joe MacNeil. Heather and her sister, Valerie Ann, would take turns going down to be with their Papie, Rory Joe.
Heather graduated from the Canso Regional Vocation School in June of 1970 from the Secretarial Program. Heather graduated from St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia in 1977 with a BA majoring in Celtic Studies followed by her B.Ed. in 1978.
Heather worked in Fort McMurray, Alberta and then came back home to Port Hawkesbury. You can take the girl off the island but you can’t take the island out of the girl!
Heather worked at the Port Hawkesbury Nursing Home and retired 31st May 2016 after 26 years of service.
Heather enjoyed reading, listening to music, doing cross-word puzzles and teaching Colleen how to pronounce the Gaelic. Heather enjoyed talking Gaelic to her great-nephew, Thoreau! Heather was the keeper of a vast number of family stories which she loved sharing with a smile, a chuckle and the nod of her head. Heather was a member of Father John Angus Rankin’s Gaelic group performing in Gaelic gatherings around Cape Breton. Heather loved her Boston Bruins and her Red Socks. Heather and Colleen loved going for long drives and especially going down to Piper’s Cove and Christmas Island.
Heather is survived by her devoted sister, Colleen Theresa. They were so close that everybody thought that they were twins! Heather is also survived by her sister, Valerie Ann MacKenzie, Port Hawkesbury, her brother, Peter MacKenzie and his wife Janet Ann [MacConnell of Durham], Port Hood, and her brother Daniel Patrick MacNeil of Antigonish, her niece, Dr. Erin MacKenzie ND, her husband Seth Fraser and their son Thoreau MacKenzie-Fraser of North Lake Ainslie, Cape Breton, her niece Lauren MacKenzie, her husband Robin Izzard and their son Aubrey Douglas of Lower Sackville.
Heather will be waked at Green’s Funeral Home, 507 Bernard Street, Port Hawkesbury, on Friday 12th March 2021. From 3:00 to 7:00 PM.
Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, seating is limited and social distancing measures will be in place at both the funeral home and at the church. Funeral Mass will be held from St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, 138 Granville Street, Port Hawkesbury on Saturday, 13th March 2021 at 10:00 AM with Father Conrad Edwards officiating, assisted by Deacon Berkley Guthro. Burial will follow at St. Barra’s cemetery in Christmas Island, Cape Breton. Seating is limited and social distancing measures will be in place at the church and face masks are required at all times.
Family flowers only please and donations to your choice of charity in Heather’s memory.
The family expresses sincere thanks to Curtis Doucet for all his assistance, Father Conrad Edwards, Deacon Berkley Guthro, Father Andrew M Boyd, Msgr. Everett MacNeil and to Green’s Funeral Home.
“Thig crìoch air an t-saoghal, ach mairidh gaol is ceòl”
The world will end, but love and music will endure.
To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Heather Marie MacKenzie, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.
May 22 1951 March 08 2021
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Heather Marie MacKenzie May 22 1951 March 08 2021..
Décès pour la Ville: Port-Hawkesbury, Province: Nova Scotia