Ella Mae (MacKinnon) Cameron
Passed on: August 6th, 2008
Ella Mae Cameron, 80, formerly of Sydney, passed away peacefully, in the presence of her family on Aug. 6, 2008. Born at Little Bras d’Or, she was the daughter of the late John Collins and Denise (Joiret Tourney) MacKinnon of Bras d’Or. She is survived by two sons, Dr. Stewart and his wife Cathy, Halifax, Barry and his wife Pamela, Chilliwack, B.C.; and three daughters, Shelley and her husband Al Parenteau, LeDuc, Alta., Denise and her husband Leo Cameron, Carrollton, Tex., and Tracey and her husband Karl Blomquist, Ottawa, Ont. Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, Martin James, her son, Graham Mitchell, her sister, Elizabeth Gamble and her brother James ‘Spider’ MacKinnon. She was a proud and caring grandmother of 16 grandchildren, Andrea, Lisa and Brooke Cameron, Halifax, Morgan, Wyatt, Tayler and Peyton Cameron, Chilliwack, Lindsay Cameron, Gillian, Samantha and Connor Findlay, LeDuc, Connie Lavigne-Terry, Halifax, and Paul Terry, Carrollton, and Jordan, Shane and Devon Blomquist, Ottawa as well as two great-grandchildren of Chilliwack. Also surviving are two sisters, Colleen Blom, Halifax, and Denise Young, Little Bras d’Or; and six brothers, Byron, Victoria, B.C., Joseph, Colin and Paul, Halifax, George, North Sydney and Gilbert, California. During the Second World War she was a member of the Canadian Women’s Army Corps (CWAC) and held the rank of sergeant. Following her service she graduated from the Empire Business College. She was employed at the Sydney Steel Corp. general office, the Cape Breton Post and as a legal secretary for Sullivan Smith, Sydney. She was an accomplished seamstress and always ‘matched her plaids and patterns.’ Of all the things that mattered, the most important to her was her family. She was an amazing wife, mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, neighbour and friend to all who knew her. She had a heart of gold, loved everyone and was easy to love. She opened her heart and home to family and friends and even to strangers. Ella was well known for her baking and cooking abilities and she loved to try new recipes. If she knew you were coming, she would be sure to have your favourite treat waiting for you. She was renowned for her scrabble prowess and flattened the best opponents. She was fiercely proud of being a Cape Bretoner and she and her sisters constantly travelled the island to attend concerts and Celtic events. A very special thank you to the staff of Robertson House in Ottawa for making Ella feel at home and for their loving care and attention to her every need. A heartfelt thanks goes out to the staff of Queensway - Carleton Hospital whose care and concern for both Ella and her family was exemplary. There will be no visitation at her request. Celebrations of her life will be held in Halifax and Sydney at dates to be announced. Burial will be at Resurrection Cemetery, Sydney Forks. In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to Palliative Care at Queensway - Carleton Hospital in Ottawa, Ont. or to the Cameron Memorial Scholarship at Sydney Academy.
