Kenneth Blois
Born In: South Rawdon
Ken was born and raised in South Rawdon, Hants County, N.S. He was the third son to Sedley and Jenny (Mason) Blois and a brother to Willis, Howard, Tom and Irene.
Ken’s early education took place in a one room school house where he often looked out the window and saying to himself “I’d rather be ‘teaming horses’”.
The loss of his mother when he was 13 years old had a profound effect on his life. Life was never the same for him and his siblings. However, those life experiences helped him to become a man of compassion with a keen sense of humour, quick wit and wisdom. He could sum up many situations with a few words. His humour and wisdom made difficult things easy. This keen sense of humour enabled us to laugh a lot as his life gave way to vascular dementia over the past 11 years. As his memory declined and he would become frustrated at times Ken often would laugh at himself and say “and it ain’t gonna get any better”. When Ken first visited with Dr. Cindy Hobbs (gerontologist) she credited him as “a man with tremendous insight into his illness” and she always made him feel very special. During that visit she told him he reminded her of a movie star and he quipped “well, it must be Jethro Bodine” (Beverly Hillbillies)!
In 1941 Ken volunteered to join the armed forces and served overseas in the Artillery Core. Ken spent the early part of the war as an anti-aircraft artillery fighter on the “White Cliffs of Dover”. Once the Allies gained Air Supremacy he was reassigned to duty “on the mainland of Europe” serving in France, Belgium, Germany and finally in Holland. He had many stories of the conflict but kept them close to his chest. When thanked for his service his response would always be “Don’t thank me. Thank those who didn’t come back. They paid with their lives.”
Ken’s early influences in the Christian faith came mostly from his mother’s side of the family. He often talked of his grandfather’s influence but the strongest influence came from his ‘Aunt Clara Mason’ who spent over 40 years as a missionary in India and was part of a team who rescued orphaned girls.
After the war Ken returned to South Rawdon, met his first wife Veda Leighton in Windsor, N.S. He and Veda settled in Shubenacadie and had three sons, one daughter. As a family they hosted many student pastors, missionaries and several foster children. Their door was always open.
In the mid-seventies Ken and Veda sold their dairy farm, moved to Sydney and helped their son Vernon to establish the expansion of the garden center business known as Farmer Clem’s.
On coming to Sydney Ken and Veda grew in their relationship with the Lord and became members of Faith Baptist Church, Sydney. Their compassion and generosity touched many lives at home and around the world. Veda passed on to heaven in 1989.
Ken remarried in 1992 to Wilma MacLennan. Over the past 20 years they enjoyed many happy times with family and friends and have continued to honour the Lord together.
Ken served for a time as a Deacon at Faith Baptist Church and as a member of the Board of Directors at Cape Breton Bible Camp for many years.
Ken is survived by his wife, Wilma MacLennan-Blois; son, Perry, Naniamo, B.C. ( Lori & John (Holly)) Doucette; Blythe (Dorion/Parker) Coakley; son, Glendon & Linda, Naniamo, B.C. (Jeff & Natalie, Olivia/Charlie; (Darren & Sherill, Levi/Noah/Fiona); son, Vernon & Nancy, Stewiacke, N.S. (Trisha Fraser, Jordan/Tristan; Shauna & Benjie Young (Levi) Jodi & Kyle Ledwidge, Saege/Brooke; Jamie Lamond, Robert & Natalie (Blake) Lamond; daughter, Doreen, Ottawa, Ont., (you have been so much more than an aunt to Lori and Blythe and we thank you Doreen).
Ken is also survived by his sister, Irene (Guy, deceased) Doncaster, Deep River, Ont.
Ken leaves behind many nieces and nephews. Special mention of Wilma (Blois) Lynch, Windsor, N.S. Although Ken was her uncle she often said she considered him her second father. Thanks for your visits.
In- laws left behind: Doug and ShuPing MacLennan (Alta.), Priscilla & John Buchanan (Halifax), Kenny and Carol MacLennan (Glace Bay) and many nieces and nephews who loved Ken.
Special thanks to Nelson and Gwen MacLeod and Lloyd Johnson for your friendship, love and many visits while Ken was both at home and a resident at Taigh Na Mara. To Bill MacDougall for your special efforts in taking Ken for breakfast so many times when he was no longer able to drive. It meant a lot to both of us. Thanks.
Thanks to Dr. Glen Gracie and Pauline and staff at ‘Family Practice’ Kings Road for the many years of kindness and care and also Dr. J. MacLean, house doctor at Taigh Na Mara.
Thanks also to the staff at VAC, George Street, Sydney. Your service has been invaluable.
What would we have done without the staff and volunteers at Taigh Na Mara, DVA/VAC unit. We are grateful for your loving kindness, care and respect shown to Ken while he resided with you. You are all true ‘troopers’. Ken, himself was very grateful for your care. He said “I like it here. They take good care of me and they even check on me at night when you’re not here”. Thank you.
Immediate family flowers only please. Donations in Ken’s memory can be forwarded to: Cape Breton Bible Camp, P.O. Box 233, North Sydney, N.S., B2A 3M3; Gideon’s International Canada, P.0. Box 3619, Guelph, Ont., N1H 7A2 (1-888 482 4253).
There will be no visitation. Funeral service will take place at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at Faith Baptist Church, 10 Davenport Rd., Sydney. Officiating Pastor Steve Fenton. Burial to follow in Windsor, N.S., 2 p.m. Thursday, March 21, at Maplewood Cemetery. Officiating Pastor Ken Fillmore.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.sydneymemorialchapel.ca or email sydneymemorialchapel@ns.sympatico.ca.
