Obituary of Kelly MacPhee, Glace Bay/Halifax

It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of our beloved husband and father, Kelly MacPhee, at his home in Halifax on Tuesday, September 29, 2020 at the age of 79 years. Kelly will be lovingly remembered and deeply missed by his wife and best friend of 33 years, Anne (Stewart); daughter Denise (Bobbie Cochrane), Penticton, BC; sons Walter, Halifax, NS; and Paul (Josh) Lai, Toronto, ON; grandson Mark Nickerson and Mark’s Mom, Beverley, Halifax; sisters Joan (Eric) Parsons, Sydney; Maureen Robertson, Sydney; many nieces and nephews, including special niece Cathy (Michael) Maroun, Sydney. Born in Glace Bay in 1941, Kelly was the seventh of nine children of the late Walter and Catherine (MacDonald) MacPhee. Kelly was predeceased by his first wife of sixteen years, Karen (Mills), and their first son in infancy. He is also predeceased by brothers, Walter and Garfield; sisters, Shirley, Florence, Cleo and Bernice; brothers-in-law, Mickey, Tommy, John, Peter and Jack; sisters-in-law, Greta and Collette. Kelly was a school teacher for his entire 32 year career in his hometown of Glace Bay, predominantly at St. Anthony’s in Number 11 where he later became the school’s principal up until his retirement in 1994. For twenty years, he was also an instructor at the Army Cadets in Glace Bay. In his free time, Kelly was an avid golfer, a lover of music with a passion for singing, and a voracious reader of history and politics. He was a man of deep faith, which was one of his guiding principles throughout his lifetime. Kelly was the very definition of kindness, he was always willing to help anyone in need without question, and was known to family and friends for his easy-going nature, along with his infectious, signature laugh. Cremation has taken place. Visitation will be held at V.J. McGillivray Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 16 Reserve Street, Glace Bay on Friday, October 16th, 2020 from 7 PM to 9 PM. Masks are required on funeral home facilities. The funeral mass (a celebration of his life) will be held at Holy Cross Church, Glace Bay on Saturday, October 17th at 10am with Father Norman MacPhee officiating. In lieu of flowers, we ask you to donate to Autism Nova Scotia, or to an animal shelter of your choosing. Online condolences to the family can be expressed at: www.vjmcgillivray.ca