Christina Lynn McKey

December 28, 1957 – [December 25, 2019]

As penned by Chris[tina]

From the day I was born I was resilient and full of an independent, kind spirit. As the oldest of four children (David, Julie, and Erin), in a travelled family, I played and strived as all children and family do. I am delighted that I am survived by and continue to be inspired by my parents and all of my siblings and their partners (David/Rona and Erin/Robert).

I met Christopher Welch at the University of Western Ontario, so much alike and so different but the relationship was fun and worked in magical ways. After years of enjoying our young, adult life together; laughing, exploring, growing, and learning we married in 1985 and set out to discover our own life adventures. With a CPA(CA) in hand, I embarked on an exceptional 30+ year career with Extendicare. A career that provided me with exceptional challenges, countless opportunities to contribute, and friendships that spanned the decades. Not every career affords you both challenges and friendships.

Jennifer Christina Welch blessed our family in 1987, a treasure I could not even have imagined. Andrew Christopher Welch was born in 1988 and it was still difficult for me to capture how precious children are. As parents, Chris and I focused on creating an active, respectful, loving home filled with laughter and learning.

Family became key to life: sisters, brothers, in-laws (Dawn, Sandi, and Julie), “out-laws” (Geoff, Rick, and Brad), nieces and nephews (Richard, Robert, Michael, Britney, Mark, Ella, Michael, Jack, Sam, and Joe).

Watching family develop passions, learn, excel at or just enjoy past times, contribute to their community, have fun and fill rooms with laughter has brought me so much joy. The younger generation continues to inspire me.

Jennifer passed away just short of her sixteenth birthday, more of a treasure than ever, an integral part of our family's dreams and aspirations. But as with all “things”, the Welch family never gave up and with time reinvented our family and life.

The family continued to grow with marriages and new generations. Every addition was wonderful. Julie, Denis, Cosette, Jessica, Amanda. Andrew married the love of his life in 2016, Crystal. Our family has now been blessed with my first grandson, Darcy Andrew Welch, born August 30, 2019.

Family now complemented by friends and passions. A life so rich. A life so big and wonderful it is almost hard to get your “arms around”.

A cancer diagnosis.

An opportunity to make choices. Live with cancer or set about dying with cancer.

I’m still choosing, living.

Passion developed. Friendships fostered. Travel. Laughter. Adventures had. Reading.

Experiences that cannot be “undone”. Cycling the Cabot Trail, cottage weekends, keeping up, “hitting right”, “fair weather” player, Istanbul, “churches”, getting lost, always, playing euchre for just about everything and anything. Good curling. No sense of direction.

A life, lived. A well-travelled journey to countless destinations. Alone, together. A journey enjoyed and never given up on.

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In lieu of flowers or other “things”, these charities are near and dear to my heart and represent the Welch family journey through life. I can vouch for the organization's ability to deliver first class care and outcomes: Princess Margaret Hospital (ovarian cancer research), The Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids), Poul Hansen Family Centre for Depression at Toronto Western Hospital.

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Over the course of my cancer diagnosis, I was supported by the most compassionate, caring health care organizations you could imagine. Dr. Reingold, my family physician of over 30 years, The Odette Cancer Centre - Sunnybrook, Princess Margaret Hospital (Dr. Stéphanie Lheureux and her team), CAREpath (Karen McDonald) and Margaret Bahen Hospice. Ann and George, you helped me live life and on the other extreme supported Chris, Andrew and I get by. Two extremes of course, my families (McKey/Welch) were there every step of the way…inventing ways to help. Crystal, thank you for being there for Andrew, without you, Chris, Andrew, Darcy and I would never have had the opportunity to spend the time we did together. Sometimes struggling with the “right or wrong” way to leave the physical world and transition to the spiritual world…both worlds a treasure and a mystery.

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And to the happy I am at peace.

And to the faithful, I never left.