Anne Michelle Curtis
Born In: Hinton, Alberta, Canada
Passed on: August 2nd, 2015
We, the family of Anne Michelle Curtis, 45, of Lingan, regret to announce the untimely passing of our daughter, wife, mother, sister and friend on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2015.
Born in Hinton Alta., to Glenn and Diane White, Michelle was a graduate of Breton Education Centre in New Waterford in 1988. Michelle continued her studies at the Halifax Infirmary School of Nursing where she worked from 1991-1997. She then continued her nursing career in England where she met and married the love of her life, Karl Curtis. After marriage, Michelle and Karl returned to Cape Breton, where Michelle worked tirelessly as a Palliative Care Nurse, earning the title of Clinical Nurse Lead. Michelle would be described by those who knew her best as "the life of the party", ambitious and energetic. Michelle loved life and made friends wherever she went. She excelled in sports and passed on her passion for competition to her children Sophie and Harrison. She was a constant nurturer and giver, who never seemed to tire of doing for others. Although Michelle received many accolades in her lifetime, she always referred to her children as her greatest accomplishment. Michelle had boundless energy and was always an enthusiastic contributor to many community projects. While performing her full-time duties as a nurse, training other nurses and running a household, Michelle still donated her time to The Hospice Palliative Care Society, where she received a scholarship to further pursue her education in palliative care, became a board member of Bereaved Families of Cape Breton and was a member of The Dragon Boat Festival.
Michelle was recently appointed to the Canadian Nurse Exam Certification Board, completed a Leadership Development program and was scheduled to graduate in December 2015 with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSCN).
Besides her parents, Michelle is survived by her husband, Karl Curtis; her precious children, Sophie and Harrison; her brother, Curtis (Vanda) White, Ontario; her baby sister and best friend, Kendra (Kenny) Baldwin, New Waterford; her niece, Vanessa Gioia; her nephews, Francesco Gioia and Drew Baldwin (Godson). Michelle is also survived by her in-laws, Robin and Brenda Curtis, Lingan; Michael (Louise) of England, Ashley (Denise) of Tennessee and nieces and nephews from England and Tennessee; aunts, Linda MacKay, Elizabeth MacInnis, Janet MacPherson, all of Glace Bay, Janet Downs, North Dakota and uncles, Kenneth McDonald, Ontario and Darrell White, B.C. as well as numerous cousins. Michelle also left behind her dear friends, affectionately referred to as "the girls" and the nursing staff, who Michelle came to think of as family.
Michelle was predeceased by her paternal grandparents, James and Jackie White, maternal grandparents, Kenny and Shirley McDonald and her aunt, Linda Shaw.
Visitation will be held Friday, Aug. 7th from 5-9 p.m. at V.J. McGillivray Funeral Home, 380 Smith St., New Waterford. A funeral mass of celebration for Michelle will take place Saturday, Aug. 8th at 10 a.m. in the Parish Church of St. Leonard, Mount Carmel Avenue, with Fr. Ray Huntley officiating. Cremation will follow with burial in St. Joseph's Cemetery, Lingan, at a later date. A luncheon will be held at St. Leonard's Parish Hall, Convent Street, New Waterford immediately following the funeral mass.
Family flowers only. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the An Cala Palliative Care Unit at the Cape Breton Regional Hopsital, Sydney.
Online expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at: www.vjmcgillivray.ca.
Michelle was a brave soul and a true hero in life every day. She died doing what she did best; helping others. She will be missed.
