KEMPSTER, RORY MALCOLM FRANCIS - A LIFE LIVED WITH HEART - Rory Kempster (b. 17 July 1965), aged 42 years, of Beresford, New Brunswick, passed away at the Halifax Infirmary on September 11, 2007. Rory was the beloved husband of Janet (nee Lynch), and only son of Francis (Frank) Kempster and his wife Patricia (Pat) of Bedford, NS. Rory is deeply missed by father- and mother-in-law William and Della Lynch (Bathurst, NB), sister- and brother-in-law Karen and Dave Finley (Fredericton), sister- and brother-in-law Laura Lynch and Danny Corkum (Bathurst, NB), and brother- and sister-in-law Andrew Lynch and Noelle Grosse (Ottawa, ON). Rory was predeceased by his mother, Barbara Kempster (nee Hawkins) in 1975. Rory was born in London, ON, but moved to NS with his parents at the age of three. He attended local schools until he transferred to Kings-Edgehill in Windsor, NS from where he graduated in 1982. He studied chemistry and geology at Dalhousie University in Halifax, graduating in 1988. He then began his working life with Noranda Exploration in Bathurst, NB, as an exploration geologist. There, he met and married his wife, Janet, in 1991. Although Rory's life wasn't long in years, it was full. Deeply engaged in his profession, he gave of his spare time to a number of organizations, including the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, serving as President of the New Brunswick Branch and volunteering in other Branch activities. Deeply passionate about his faith, he regularly attended St. George's Anglican Church in Bathurst, singing in the choir and serving as a Diocesan lay reader. Rory enjoyed a number of other hobbies and interests, from attending the Titan hockey games in Bathurst, golfing, curling, genealogy, travelling, playing the oboe in the Bathurst Community Concert Band, rug hooking, and cross-stitching. He made many friends through all of these activities. The defining moment of Rory's life was the day he received a heart transplant in December of 2002, following a period of deteriorating health due to a hereditary heart condition. His illness, subsequent transplant and complications might have caused some people to give up on life, but Rory's positive attitude, spirit of generosity and practical nature enabled him to overcome these challenges, get on with living and make the best of the second chance he had been given. He was never able to return to his profession of geology, but he quickly found other endeavours to engage his time and energies. In the four-and-a-half years following his transplant, he could always be counted on to give encouragement and hope to other potential transplant patients, and to speak up about the importance of organ donation. In the last two years, he was also able to help out in his in-laws' family business, Lynches' Greenhouse in Bathurst, where he was well liked by customers and will be greatly missed. Unfortunately, Rory experienced complications once again in the last four months of his life, resulting in kidney failure. But he approached his final illness with the same courage and grace with which he faced his initial bout with heart disease. He never once asked "why me", or complained about his lot - he simply confronted each challenge, informed himself fully, and got on with life. When his wife, Janet, despaired, his favourite expression to her exemplified his philosophy on life: "Put on your big-girl panties and deal with it!" A ceaseless crusader for organ donation, Rory lived what he preached. Having received the gift of life himself, he hoped to be able to extend that gift to someone else, but because of the nature of his final illness, he was ineligible to donate. However, if he knew that he had been able to convince even one person of the merits of organ donation, he would have considered his life a success. Rory's life was much enriched by a number of people who touched his along the way. Three top that list: Richard Feaver and his family, whose selfless gift of a new heart gave Rory a wonderful four-and-a-half additional years of fulfilling life; Dr. Camille Hancock-Friesen, a wonderful person and physician, who not only performed his heart transplant but also prayed for him and showered both him and Janet with hugs each time they met; and Kate Storm, Transplant Coordinator extraordinaire at the Clinic, who was always available to help, comfort, advise, explain, and otherwise bring comfort to both Rory, and his family - what a special person you are! A heartfelt thank you is due to all of the wonderful doctors, nurses, technicians, and support staff of CCU, IMCU, the Cardiac Transplant Clinic, and Floor 6.2 of the Halifax Infirmary whose care and respect greatly enhanced the quality of Rory and Janet's lives through his illnesses. They exemplify true "health care". Rory will be sorely missed - but his spirit will live on in those who knew and loved him. Please join us for a Memorial Service to celebrate Rory's life, to be held at St. George's Anglican Church, 432 King Ave., Bathurst NB, on Friday, September 21 at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to QEII Foundation for The Cardiac Transplant Clinic (902-473-7392), the Heart and Stroke Foundation (1-888-473-4636), or the Kidney Foundation - New Brunswick Branch (506-453-0533).