Elsa passed away peacefully at the Arrow Lakes Hospital, surrounded by her family.
Elsa was born on a farm in Saskatchewan in 1933. The family moved to B.C. in 1948. On completing high school, she studied psychiatric nursing at Essondale B.C., graduating in 1954. She practised nursing in various parts of the province. In 1964, she married Brian Kennelly, and they had two daughters, Alison and Louise. In 1969, they moved to the Peace River country, where they homesteaded until 1980. The family then moved to Terrace, B.C., so that their girls could complete high school in a real school, instead of continuing with correspondence school which they had been doing. Elsa and Brian returned to psychiatric nursing until their retirement in 1992, when they moved to Nakusp. In retirement, Elsa volunteered for the Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shop and Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Elsa is survived by her husband Brian, daughters Alison (Brent) and Louise (Rod), seven grandchildren, one great grandchild and a large extended family. She was predeceased by a granddaughter in 2013.
The family would like to thank so many people for their kindness, including Dr’s Subswari and Overhill, all of the hospital staff, from nurses to cooks and cleaners, who went above and beyond. Also, the friends who did night shifts sitting with Elsa, so that the family could get some rest and the many people who sent cards, flowers, and gifts of food. The support from the community has been overwhelming. Thank you all from Brian, Alison and Louise.
A memorial tea will be held at the Seniors Hall
on September 27th, at 2:00 p.m.