January 3, 1944-March 2, 2025
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Beverley Anne Isabella McKinnon (nee Hague). After a courageous battle against Parkinson’s and dementia, she ultimately succumbed with her family surrounding her early in the morning of March 2, 2025.
Beverley was one of those people uniquely gifted in both her professional and creative lives. She was a registered nurse and nurse manager at St. Joseph’s Hospital at the beginning of her career, graduating from St. Joseph’s School of Nursing in 1966. She loved being a nurse and cared for her patients with unswerving dedication. These early roles evolved into the first Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation position at the Port Arthur General Hospital. This was a position created with cardiologist Dr. Chris Lai, who supported her through her tireless proposal writing from her research outlining the great need for follow up cardiac monitoring and care for patients in Northwestern Ontario. Following additional training at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, she held this position and developed the program from 1985 until the mid-nineties; the program remains active today and is a part of all cardiac patient care. She followed this work with a few years at the Community Care Access Centre until her retirement in 2003.
Beverley was known for her sense of humour, acerbic wit and not ‘suffering fools gladly’. She had a practical approach to everything surrounding her, from her professional conduct to her family – there was no room for nonsense but lots of room for laughter. Everything revolved around family, and she cherished the time with her children, grandchildren and extended family. The large McKinnon family gatherings were a great joy for her at Trout Lake – they just kept getting larger as the family grew and she drank it all in.
A singularly important part of her life was her sister Leona (Lee). They were inseparable even from early childhood, where they established an unbreakable bond. They called each other ‘Patsy’, an affectionate nickname that no one really understood; it didn’t matter, it was between them. Lee was not just her sister, but her closest friend, and was with her through everything.
Alongside her medical career, she was constantly developing her creative style. Exploring macrame, oil painting, French cooking, working with ceramics, gardening, some needlepoint (we think she only did this to get the cute little promotional scissors) and watercolour painting later in life, Beverley always had creative projects underway and produced some truly beautiful work that adorns the walls and shelves of family and friends near and far.
She also went back to school while working full-time and became the first graduate from Lakehead University’s Medical Anthropology program.
She was an avid reader and supporter of the Thunder Bay Public Library her entire life, giving back as the Chair of the Thunder Bay Public Library Board responsible for the rebuild of the Mary J.L. Black library in Fort William. She was also a member of the Thunder Bay Heritage Board, and was a consistent supporter of the Thunder Bay District Humane Society; she loved animals.
Every summer, Loon Lake was the centre of everything—a place where she tended her garden, welcomed family and friends, and treasured visits from Jacqueline, Colin, and their families. She had numerous groups of friends and kept in touch with many of them, regardless of where they were. She particularly looked forward to Florida, where she and Brian travelled each April to spend time with more friends.
Brian and Beverley were always each other’s mutual support, from her initial shift work at the hospital, to their move to Kingston for Brian’s Master’s program at Queen’s University. Brian stepped in when Beverley was working full-time and going to school, and she stepped in when Brian was the president for provincial and national organizations and his campaigns for the Thunder Bay City Council for three terms. They were always at each other’s sides, supporting every step.
Beverley is survived by her loving husband, Brian McKinnon, and two children, Jacqueline (Keith, Yellowknife), Colin (Bonnie, Calgary), and her two grandchildren, Brian and Charlie, whom she adored, as well as her sister, Leona (Hague) Hryb, her husband Willie, and their children Kaiti Gronroos (Mark), Christe, and David. On the McKinnon side, she is survived by Tom McKinnon, Joan Slipetz, Bruce and Elaine McKinnon, Don and Elaine McKinnon, Glen Knox, Sharon Charnesky and many nieces and nephews. Beverley was predeceased by her parents Faye (nee Robicheau) and Douglas Hague, her brothers-in-law Ron McKinnon, Peter Slipetz and Jim Charnesky, and sisters-in-law Mary McKinnon and Donna Knox.
We would like to thank the staff of Pioneer Ridge from the bottom of our hearts; your care, compassion and dedication was truly unparalleled. We were grateful for how deeply you cared for Beverley.
A celebration of life will be confirmed for summer 2025. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation. Online condolences may be expressed at www.sargentandson.com.
