EDWARD (CAPTAIN) KEMP
Born: June 27th, 1936
Passed in: NORTH SYDNEY, Nova Scotia
Passed on: January 20th, 2017
Captain Edward Kemp, age 80, embarked on his final voyage passing away on Friday, January 20, 2017, at the Northside General Hospital, North Sydney, with his loving family at his side. Born June 27, 1936, he was the eldest son of the late William Gill and Margaret Findlay (Mair) Kemp of Aultorry Aberdeen, Scotland UK. He is survived by his loving wife, friend and soulmate, Hectorina “Louvine” (MacLeod) Kemp for 58 years; daughter, Donna Marie (Brian) Hamilton of Prince George, BC and very special daughter, Patricia Kemp of Sydney Mines; sons, Captain Edward MacLeod Kemp, Hillside Boularderie, William Scott Kemp (Teresa) Fort St. James, BC, Captain Donald Hector Kemp, Hillside Boularderie; brothers, William (Moira) Kemp, Douglas (Linda) Kemp of Aberdeen Scotland, UK; nine grandchildren, Meaghan Kemp (Rodney), Millville, Bethany and Julia Kemp, Sydney, Lexine and Jodie Hamilton, Prince George. BC, Alexander, Ian, and Andrew Kemp and step grandchild, Lacy Gear Kemp, Fort St. James, BC; one great grandson, Wesley MacLean, Millville and many nieces, nephews and cousins in Scotland, USA and Canada.
Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his only sister, Catherine Margaret Findlay Walker (Rob) in Aberdeen Scotland and daughter-in-law, Lois Gear Kemp of Fort St. James, BC. Edward was a career mariner commencing as a boy with high Arctic experience aboard the great deep sea halibut line vessels north of Greenland and Iceland in the fifties. He served in both the British and Canadian Merchant Marines plying the waters of the Middle and Far East, Europe, Africa, India and North America, finally with the C.N. coastal vessels from Port aux Basques, encompassing all outports as far as Nain, Newfoundland and Labrador. He served as Chief Officer on the Gulf Ferries from North Sydney to Port aux Basques and Argentia, including memorable voyages on the S.S. William Carson of local lore. Edward completed his career as Senior Harbour Pilot for Cape Breton, NS, employed by the Atlantic Pilotage Authority, licensed for the Ports of Sydney, Bras d’Or Lakes and the Strait of Canso, including the St. Peters and Canso canals. He was also licensed by the Province of Quebec Pilotage Authority as an Ice Navigator for the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Edward upgraded his ship handling skills at Grenoble France, enabling him to berth the largest ships in the world at the Strait of Canso in the seventies. Edward was one of the selected pilots for the Royal Yacht when in Cape Breton waters and was privileged to have conducted the replica of John Cabot’s vessel, Matthew, from Sydney, NS through the Bras d’Or Lakes to St. Peters Canal, led the Parade of Tall Ships in Sydney in 1997 and the H.M.S. Rose Parade in the millennium.
Edward was a contributor to HRH the Duke of Edinburgh’s Fifth Commonwealth Conference in 1980 for the Strait of Canso. He was a member of the Cape Breton Sou`wester since 1982, a Mastor Mason raised at Solomon Lodge #46 Port Hawkesbury, a Scottish Freemason in the Valley of Sydney and Consistory Halifax, NS, Past District Grand Chaplain for Cape Breton North and South and Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia. He was a former Director of the Northern Yacht Club in North Sydney and a 35 year member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #19 North Sydney. The family would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. John Kirkpatrick and staff for all the professional care and kindness over many years and also to the staff of 4 West Northside General Hospital for all your care, you are all truly angels. Visitation for Edward will be 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday in the W.J. Dooley Funeral Home, 107 Pleasant St., North Sydney. A funeral service will take place 2 p.m. Monday from Carman United Church, Sydney Mines with Rev. Nick Phillips officiating. Burial will take place in St. James Cemetery, Big Bras d’Or at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to the Haley Street Adult Services Centre, 26 Haley St., North Sydney, NS B2A 3L3
Online condolences may be sent to www.wjdooley.com.
