Lorna Katherine Mitchell

Lorna Katherine Mitchell, age 96 of Halifax, passed away Tuesday, August 27th under the compassionate caring of Saint Vincent’s Nursing Home (3rd Floor) where she was a resident since June 2017, suffering from age-related dementia.

Daughter of the late Gar and Anna Bowser, her family moved the family to Kirkland Lake for CIL when Lorna was in her early school years and here she learned piano, singing and dancing.

Upon return to Halifax, she attended leMarchant St. School and then mount St. Vincent for her high school years. She led an active life- figure skated competitively with The Halifax Skate Club, participated in many ice dancing shows often as a lead performer, continued her love of piano and singing, and even went on to become an accomplished tap dancer. In those younger years, she sailed on the Arm, attended Mount St. Vincent, and worked at Northern Electric which is where she met Ralph. However, she ventured to Toronto to study voice/opera with Ernesto Vinci before returning to Halifax to marry the “love of her life” Ralph David Mitchell in 1947.

In her early married life Lorna taught piano and voice to many.

Mom loved her family life which was well spent with Dad bringing up four children, enjoying the Todd’s Island cottage, then onto cruising the Neip II out of the Armdale Yacht Club.

In the mid-sixties/seventies, Lorna studied with artist John Cook and became an active member of the artistic community through Ten Mile House. She went on many painting expeditions throughout the city, country, and the studio, with her fellow artists with whom she had many lifelong friendships. After years of practice and study in many mediums she began to exhibit and then sell her paintings. An exhibit of her work at Mount saint Vincent was a highlight of her life as she was a proud graduate and had fond memories of her teachers there. Signing her work as L.K. Mitchell, she sold paintings from a number of area galleries and continued to paint throughout her life. Lorna was a vibrant, dynamic and talented individual who always kept busy with various art projects. She was an avid knitter/crocheter throughout her life and well into her nineties.

Lorna was predeceased by her husband Ralph; her former second husband Roy Bennett; her brother Garfield; and nephew Richard. She is survived by her sons, David (Pat Fenn), Randy (Ann Corbin), and Bruce (Pam Corbin – deceased), daughter Tara (Peter Cody); six grandchildren – Kristopher, Amanda, Kyle, Kate, Spencer, and Tierney; three great-grandchildren – Byron, Lorne, and Rowan; nephews Dara and Gary; niece Kari; as well as a grand-nephew and niece.

“You were always dancing in and out of view; I must have thought you would always be around…now you’re nowhere to be found…in the end there is one dance you do alone.” Mom, I know that Dad, the “love of your life”, will be there to take your hand for the next dance into the shadowlands. May our cherished memories f you never fade.

Arrangements entrusted to Cruikshank’s Funeral Home, Windsor St. Visitation to be held Friday, August 30th from 2-4pm. Private family interment at a later date. Family flowers only. Any donations in memory may be made to SPCA or the Alzheimer’s Society.

To read the full obituary or to leave an online condolence please visit www.cruikshankhalifaxfuneralhome.com