Kathleen May Harris Maguire

“Hard to believe I’m this old!” Kay would often laugh and muse in her final years. Kathleen May Downey was born on September 4th, 1924 in Carberry, Manitoba and died on November 2nd, 2023 in Nanaimo, British Columbia at the age of 99 years and 60 days!

The 4th child of Irwin and Maria Downey, of Irish and Danish descent respectively, Kay grew up during the “Depression” in a frugal farming life of close-knit rural communities outside of Carberry, Manitoba. Kay had three older siblings--Irene, Andrew, and Hazel—and four younger siblings--Clarence, Dora, Ronald, and Harold. Kay is survived by her youngest two brothers, Ron and Harold. They both currently reside in Manitoba.

Kay left the farm during WWII for wartime service in Winnipeg, Ontario. At age 30, she married Kenneth Green Harris, an English-born RAF veteran of WWII who had trained in Canada. They moved to Edmonton, Alberta in 1955, where they welcomed the birth of their first two sons: Michael and Douglas. In 1959, they moved to Sommethonne, Belgium and added a third son, Desmond (Des), to the family. They repatriated to Southport Air Base in Manitoba in 1963. The family then moved to Sidney, British Columbia for one year before their final move to a home in scenic Victoria where they lived for 45 years. Kay lived her final seven years of life in Nanaimo with her youngest son, Des, his wife Julianne, and Julianne’s mother, Isabelle Drown.

Kay outlived two husbands: Ken passed away in 1986; her second husband, Mick Maguire, passed away in 1997. She leaves behind her three sons: Michael (Wendy) Harris in Rexburg, Idaho; Douglas Harris in Tucson, Arizona; and Desmond (Julianne) Harris in Nanaimo BC. Kay has a “basketful” of wonderful progeny: 15 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren, and an extensive bonus of many step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren!

In addition to her family, Kay’s multitude of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, neighbors, friends, and acquaintances have all been touched by her life. Her loving soul, always witnessed by a welcoming smile and cheerful blue eyes, has left its imprint far and wide. From riding to school in a horse-drawn wagon to an Alaskan Cruise, and from physically challenging days of farm work to long days of quiet solitude in a Care Home, our beloved Kay has had quite a ride! She will be remembered for her good spirits and kindness; her proficient gardening, baking, and bottling; her shrewd card playing and bowling; her love for dancing and singing; and her heartfelt caring service and church work.

Always sure to “get her chores done,” only in the final few years did Kay really decline. She coped with hearing loss, failing memory, then loss of independent mobility. She suffered but a relatively few months until passing peacefully of congestive heart failure. Kay is dearly loved and will be missed and remembered by family and friends alike. God rest her soul. She has joys “laid up above.” Free at last!