For Posterity's Sake         

A Royal Canadian Navy Historical Project

 

In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar 

 

Josephine Jane Kains (née Calvert)

 

WRCNS

 

Died: 05 Apr 2019, Waterloo, Ontario

 

KAINS (née CALVERT), Josephine Jane - Peacefully at her residence in the Sunshine Centre of Luther Village, on Friday, April 5, 2019 in her 102nd year. Left behind are her 3 sons, Franklin (Luella) of Kitchener, David (Nancy) of Mindemoya, and Robert (Lynn) of Victoria, BC.; her grandchildren, Joanna of Mississauga and Daniel of Toronto; and her great-grandchildren, Jadin and Theodore. Predeceased by her husband, Archie Kains (1991); and her siblings, Beatrice, Mildred, Alexina, Jack, and Helen. Mom grew up on a farm near Banner, east of London. In 1943, she joined the navy and served as a WREN in Halifax, St. Hyacinthe and Victoria where she worked as a teletype operator, receiving and transmitting messages overseas. Many close friends were made which continued for the rest of her life. After the war, she returned to marry Archie and they operated a dairy farm outside of Byron (now part of London) until 1970. After retiring, they moved to Arva and after Dad's death, Mom moved to London and finally, in 2005 to Luther Village to be closer to her family. Perhaps from living through the depression, or her years in the WRENS, or spending much of her life on a dairy farm, Mom would often say during trying circumstances: 'Just get on with it'. That, and regular laughter proved to be good medicine for 101 years. Many thanks to all those at Luther Village who came in contact with Josephine over the years, and particularly to the staff of the Memory Wing of Sunshine Centre for their kindness and exceptional care in her final days. Condolences can be submitted on the Westview Funeral Chapel website. Published in The Globe and Mail from Apr. 20 to Apr. 24, 2019

 


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