Wayne Matthew Yorke, 82,  Hammonds Plains, NS                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

“I slept and I dreamed that life is all joy. I woke and I saw that life is all service.” - Khalil Gibran

It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of Wayne Matthew Yorke, aged 82, beloved father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend on Wednesday, October 1st, 2025, in Halifax, surrounded by family, both in person and virtually. 

Born in Glace Bay, on September 6th, 1943, Wayne was predeceased by his loving wife and partner, Carolee MacMaster Yorke, his parents, John “Turk” Yorke and Irene (Butts), his brothers, John and Michael, and nephew Michael Joseph. 

Wayne is survived by his son Mateo (Maryanne), Halifax, daughter Natasha (David), Yarmouth, grandchildren Braxton, Kesiah, and Mahalia, Yarmouth, step-grandchildren Samantha (Alex), Liam (Jasiel), and Adrianna (Tal), Patricia Shearer, Toronto, siblings Roddie (Linda), Bancroft, Ontario, Andrew (Anne), Sydney, Brenda (Leonce), Mirimachi, Dorothy (Bernie), Sydney, Charles (Joanne), Ben Eoin, 17 nieces and nephews in the Yorke family and many more on the MacMaster side, and many cousins, grandnieces and grandnephews. 

Wayne attended St. Michael’s Senior High School in Glace Bay before leaving to join the priesthood. He was ordained at St. Ninian’s Cathedral in Antigonish, NS, in 1966, and joined the Scarborough Foreign Missions Society. He spent 3 years in ministry in the Dominican Republic, particularly in Bani. His studies in philosophy and psychology made him an alumni of the University of Ottawa, Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts, and Boston University.

After laicization, Wayne and Carolee were married on April 7th, 1970, in Kingston, Ontario before moving from Worcester back home to Cape Breton. Wayne was instrumental in a new model of the treatment of drug addiction with the NS Department of Health where he worked as the Regional Director from 1970 until his retirement in 1997. Wayne was one of the “Founding Fathers” of the Loaves and Fishes community restaurant in Sydney, as well as the Cape Breton Helpline.

He was recognized as the Kinsmen Citizen of the Year, along with many accolades for his work and service throughout the community. Wayne was a lifetime fellow of the Association of Psychologists of Nova Scotia, member of the Canadian Mental Health Association, and many other committees and organizations in service of his community. Wayne taught psychology at “Little X,” St. FX University, and Cape Breton University. He was also a Personnel Selection Officer with the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve for over 25 years, spending his Thursday evenings at Victoria Park in Sydney. He was also recognized by the Federal Department of Health for his work following the Swiss Air Disaster. 

It’s one thing to be loved every day of your 82 years, it’s another to have given love to others every single one of those days. A life well lived is a true blessing. To say Dad led a full life is the greatest of understatements. From filling ambulances with medical supplies for a country in need, to creating a legacy of feeding the community’s food insecure, Wayne truly lived his values, that life should be in the service of others, and that every person can make a difference in this world. His biggest service was to his family. Family was everything to Dad. He loved everyone for who they were and not what they thought they needed to be. If you confided in him, those words left this world with him. We will miss the best conversations; we will miss the always open, always welcoming door; we will miss the loud sideline cheering for Braxton, Kesiah, and Mahalia in all they do; we will miss the most delicious morning coffees and regular nightly cribbage. We are all better for having had him in our lives.

A special thank you to his new found community in Hammonds Plains, NS, for good company, conversation, and games almost every day, as well as cheering for his Blue Jays, Maple Leafs, and Patriots.

A special thank you to Dr. Paul Murphy and Dr. Hadiza Babatolu for their years of medical care and friendship, Dr. John Chafe and Dr. Alan Cruess for their eye care and helpful advice, and the many doctors and nurses that cared for him. 

Donations can be made in Wayne’s memory to the Loaves & Fishes, 139 Charlotte St, Sydney, NS, B1P 6H7, 902-539-5182, loavesandfishescb.com 

The funeral mass will be celebrated at St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Parish at 40 Cabot Street, Sydney, at 11am, on Monday, October 6th, 2025. A reception will follow in the church. Fr. Bill Burke presiding. Interment in St. Agnes Cemetery, New Waterford. Family flowers only. 

The funeral arrangements are under the direction of V.J. McGillivray Funeral Home, 16 Reserve Street, Glace Bay. On line condolences to the family can be expressed at: www.vjmcgillivray.ca

The funeral will be livestreamed at: https://tinyurl.com/Wayneyorke