Kathleen “Kay”‘s Obituary
Banks, Kathleen “Kay” Martha (Nee: Wallace, Maynard) – days shy of her 95th birthday, peacefully passed away at the Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital, Middleton, Nova Scotia Tuesday August 18th, 2020. Born September 5th 1925 in Bedford, Mass (to Maritime parents as she would point out) she was the only child of Lila Jesse (nee Burke) and John Wallace. She was an adored daughter, a loving wife, wonderful mother, caring friend and wise counsellor to all of us. Who will keep us straight now?
She was predeceased her first husband Stanley Maynard in 1948 and by her second husband of 60 wonderfully loving years, Garnet Robert Banks, in 2013. Mom’s early life was touched by tragedy when at twelve her adored mother died. Then there were more deaths, her father’s and young husband’s Stan. At the age of twenty-three she found herself alone with two little boys, Dan and Tom, to raise. But there were good things too and she always found the good. The main one was that she was living in her beloved Annapolis Valley where she had spent the summers of her youth with her lively adventurous girl cousins. There is a story about Mom at age twelve when she was due to go to Nova Scotia for the summer that pretty much shows her mettle. When the time came to get in the car her father instructed her to take the wheel because she was the driver! So at that young age she drove a model T Ford from Bedford, Mass to Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia because absolutely nothing was going to stop her from spending her summer with her beloved North Mountain. A few years later when Stan (an American) proposed to her she’d said, “Yes, if you are going to live in Nova Scotia because that’s where I’m going to live.” Garnet and Kay, after a whirlwind romance, married in 1953 and began a life-long loving partnership rooted in their joy and wonder at having found each other. Mom was the consummate wife and proudly so, a helpmate in all Dad’s endeavours. For over twenty-five years she was the Square Dance caller’s wife, seeing that things ran smoothly behind the scenes while Dad had the fun on stage. Then when he took up Bluegrass at full tilt she ran the sound board a job she took very seriously. Mom sometimes literally took the back seat to Dad’s stand-up bass particularly in the years he drove a Lada, which after having purchased he discovered that the only way the bass fit was if it was in the front passenger seat with the seat folded down. Mom road in the back! Where Garnet was, he wanted her to be and she could count on her fingers the nights they spent away from each other. The demands of raising four children (Garnet born 1954 and Catherine 1957), and Dad’s many transfers tested Mom’s resolve many times but their love was their touchstone through it all. In the years spent away from her beloved Valley their second home was their log cabin at Trout Lake. Mom was never happier than when she was at the camp swimming, watching the stillness of the water at dawn or simply enjoying the sweetness of a cool breeze off the lake rippling her hair as shown in this recent photo taken at the lake. After Dad died she felt his presence there and it was such a comfort to her. Together, in their motor home, they traveled across Canada and most of the States, up the Alaskan highway three times often travelling with their life-long friends, the late Gerald and Betty Illsey, and Hillie and Elizabeth Bailey. They were never happier than when sharing what they had with other people be it a meal, money, their talents, travel, their vast acknowledge about gardening and, with Mom, her delicious breads and jams she made during their years on Strawberry Hill farm and her rug hooking. And it has to be said they loved Christmas! Everywhere they went they gathered armfuls of friends like flowers and they tended those relationships all their years as lovingly as new seedlings. In the seven years after Dad’s passing, hard though it was without him, Mom took up her life with all the resolve that she had when driving to Nova Scotia 80 years before. We are all so grateful that she continued to live fully and with verve.
Mom often expressed how blessed she felt in her daughters-in-law, her children and grandchildren. Kathleen will be so greatly missed by her much-loved children, sons Daniel (Diana) Banks, Thomas (Lorna) Banks, Garnet (Anita) Banks, and daughter Catherine Banks, special daughters Pattie Hudson and Barbara Bezanson, as well as her cherished grandchildren Denise (Wayne), Donna (Arlen), Rose, Anthony, Rilla (Thomas), Simon, great grandchildren Travis, Jasmine, Gabriella, Harland, Rebecca, Rachelle, Alexander and, great granddaughter Sophia who brought her such joy this last year. She is survived by sisters-in-law Ada, Shirley, Irene, Gerry (Wayne) and brothers-in-law Percy (Audrey) and Leroy and many nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by sisters-in law Patricia. Kathleen held all her many friends close to her heart. She was especially close to her circle in the Emmanuel Church and the family thanks them all for watching over (and laughing with) Mom so lovingly. Thanks to Dr. McLean for his care and attention to Mom and to Dr. Elliott and the nurses in OPD on August 18th. Blessings for your kindness. Due to COVID 19 restrictions there will be no visitation. A graveside service will take place in Fairview Cemetery, Lawrencetown at 2pm, Saturday August 22nd with Reverend Ubels officiating followed by a family only committal service. In consideration for (vulnerable) others, please wear masks / adhere to social distancing. Arrangement have been entrusted to Middleton Funeral Home 398 Main St., Middleton, N.S. toll free 1-855-825-3448. Family flowers only. Donations if you so wish can be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Albany Community Church, the Emmanuel Congregational Christian Church in Middleton or a Charity of your choosing.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Kathleen Kay Martha Banks September 05 1925 August 18 2020..
Death notice for the town of: Middleton, Province: Nova Scotia