E. Bernice Kenney

KENNEY, E. Bernice E. Bernice Kenney, 86, Truro, passed away Monday, December 30, 2019 at her home at Shannex’s Fergus Hall, Parkland. Born in Halifax, NS she was predeceased by her loving husband, Dr. Gordon S. Kenney (March 1, 2017). Intelligent and hard-working, Bernice had a powerful presence and a caring soul. She graduated from Victoria General Hospital School of Nursing in 1954. She worked at Victoria General Hospital in Halifax for a short-time before heading to the eastern United States to work as a nurse in various hospitals. She met Gordon there while travelling on a train and they married on May 26, 1956. While living in Rhode Island, Gordon started his dentistry practice where they started a family and fostered several children. In 1974, the family moved to Canada where Bernice and Gordon bought a hobby farm, built their dream home and raised six children in the countryside in Lower Debert on the beautiful Minas Basin. During the late 1980’s through 1995, Bernice was determined to meet the needs of their youngest child Tom who has Down’s Syndrome and pursued several education degrees. She achieved a Bachelor of Arts degree in Special Education at the Nova Scotia Teacher’s College, Truro, NS and a Masters degree at the University of Maine, Orono. Furthering her effort to help her son Tom and others, Bernice pursued her doctorate in Horticulture Therapy Research at the University of Kansas. She is survived by her children, Robert, Hantsport, NS, Nancy, Truro, NS, Alan, Los Angeles, CA, Ann, Fredericton, NB, Amy, Veazie, ME and Thomas, Los Angeles, CA; grandchildren, Michael, Robin, Lenore, Laura, Alex and Zack, as well as five great-grandchildren. Arrangements are under the direction of the Mattatall-Varner Funeral Home, 55 Young St., Truro. A private viewing will be held in January followed by a celebration of her life later in May of 2020. Donations in memory may be made to Halifax Hospice and the Colchester County SPCA. Private messages of condolence may be sent to the family by viewing Bernice’s obituary online and selecting “Send a Condolence” at www.mattatallvanerfh.com