Susan Kathleen Hart
1919-2020
Susan Kathleen (Kaye) Hart departed this Earth at age 100 on
Thursday, the 9th of July 2020. She passed away peacefully at her
home, facing the morning sun surrounded by her loving
family.
Kaye was born in Baie Verte, New Brunswick, on Thursday, the
27th of November 1919. She was the daughter of the late Roy and Eunice
(Robinson ) Mitton and received her elementary and high school
education in the village of Port Elgin. Kaye then attended Provincial
Normal School in Fredericton.
During World War II, Kaye worked for the federal government
in Moncton as a censor for Royal Mail Canada, now known as Canada
Post. Following the war, she was transferred to Halifax where she
worked as a payroll clerk at the docks. Fate was steering her in the
right direction because this is where she met Jim, her husband-to-be,
when he came in from one of those long trips at sea in the merchant
navy. Lucky Jim and lucky Kaye! They were married on the 31st of
January 1948. Kaye taught school in the Shannon Park, Greenwood, and
Kentville areas in Nova Scotia for five years while Jim was coming and
going at sea.
In 1960, they decided to return to Moncton where Jim went
into business with his father-in-law while Kaye was appointed as the
chief instructor in the Communications Department at the New Brunswick
Institute of Technology, now known as New Brunswick Community College
or NBCC. Later on, they became the first husband-and-wife duo to be
employed at NBCC. While teaching, Kaye enhanced her curriculum vitae,
with her studies attending night and summer school classes, at Mount
Allison University. She eventually received her Bachelor of Arts in
1971. Kaye retired as the head of the Communications Department at the
Moncton campus of NBCC in 1986.
Kaye was selected by the Department of Education to act in an
advisory capacity in the establishment of a Communications Curriculum
for Business students at the high school level. She, along with the
other members of the committee, had their articles published. Kaye
attributed the successes in her career to her involvement with her
years in Toastmistress, later known as ITC, then
PowerTalk.
She was a life member of ITC, serving at all levels ending as
Colonial Region Council president. The Colonial Region included all
the states from Pennsylvania east and all of the Atlantic provinces.
She was also a life member of the National Association of
Parliamentarians and the Order of Eastern Star. She was also with the
Canadian Federation of University Women for 44 years.
In 1984, Kaye was named a Fellow of the American Business
Communication Association (ABCA) after 20 years of service. She served
two four-year terms as the vice-president of Canada with
ABCA.
When she retired from NBCC, she ran for and was elected to
serve on the Moncton School Board District 2 for nine years from 1986
to 1995.
During Canada’s 125th Anniversary in 1992, Kaye was
awarded the Jubilee Commemorative Medal. This award was presented in
recognition of her outstanding contribution to community life and in
appreciation for her dedicated service over the years to the citizens
of the Greater Moncton area.
Kaye was a voracious reader, and that resulted in her having
a mini-library at home. Her bookshelf is lined with biographies of
Roosevelt, Churchill, Disraeli, Trudeau, Chris Patten, Pearson,
Diefenbaker, Julia Child, and Mulroney, to name a few. She loved the
novels of James Harriet, Agatha Christie, Stephanie Laurens, James
Patterson, and Nora Roberts. In addition, she collected recipe books.
Aside from reading, she enjoyed gardening, travelling, playing bridge,
and stocking her wine cellar.
Besides her parents, Kaye was predeceased by her beloved
husband, Jim Hart, sister Helen Cole, brothers Charles and Grant
Mitton.
She will be deeply missed by her son and daughter-in-law Tom
and Paz Hart of Moncton, her grandchildren Jim and Sid Hart. She will
also be sadly missed by her nieces, nephews, surviving sister-in-law
Beryl Mitton, and many friends.
Honouring her own wishes, there will be no visitation nor a
memorial service. Interment will be held in the Elmwood Cemetery where
she will be buried along with her husband and parents.
Donations in her name to the United Way or charity of the
donor’s choice would be greatly appreciated.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Susan Kathleen Hart 19192020..
Death notice for the town of: Riverview, Province: Nouveau-Brunswick