In loving memory of Nancy Kameda, age 90 years, who passed away peacefully in the Dryden Regional Health Center on Monday, December 27th.
Nancy Ayako Kameda was born Jan.1,1920 in Port Hammond (Maple Ridge), B.C. She was the 5th of 9 children born to Kyujiro and Shimae Kusano. As a young woman she trained as a seamstress. On Nov. 26, 1939, she married Harry Shigeo Kameda in Vancouver, B.C. and moved to Prince Rupert, B.C. Son Victor was born there and son Gordon was born in Kaslo, B.C. In 1946 the family was moved to Oak Bluff, MB, a few months later they moved to Oxdrift, ON then on to Dryden, ON in 1948 where her daughter Diane was later born.
Nancy had a passion for fashion, whether it was creating, shopping, wearing or helping others to select it. She enjoyed time spent with family, especially when she would cook for them. Her greatest joy came from time spent with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She traveled extensively with a group of friends from Winnipeg, to Hawaii, Mexico, South America, and many other US locations; as well as a Caribbean and a Mediterranean cruise. She went on numerous bus tours and road trips, enjoying the ones that offered gambling the most.
Nancy enhanced her culinary skills while employed as a domestic at the Dryden Paper Company Staff House from 1957 until it closed. She was then invited to work at Ella-Lynn’s, where she stayed until age 75, when she decided to retire. Nancy was a well-respected and sought after sales woman, who patrons trusted and appreciated her selection skills and honest opinion. In 2004 with progression of her Parkinson’s she moved from her home, into an apartment at Patricia Gardens, then on to Princess Court in 2006.
She is survived by her daughter, Diane of Dryden; her daughter -in-law, Vera (Ray) Kameda-Lacroix of Sioux Lookout; 6 grandchildren Gordie of Dryden, Alan of Whitby, ON, James of Calgary, AB, Tamiko (Scott) Lee of Dryden; Kevin (Judie-Lynne Ricard) and Faron of Winnipeg, MB; and 10 great-grandchildren, Logan, Jaxom, and Chad of Calgary, AB; Kori, Tyler, Jacob, and Matthew of Whitby; Victoria and Rhiannon Lee of Dryden; and Kaiden of Winnipeg; 2 sisters Sally Kusano of Dryden, Helen Sakaguchi of Scarborogh: and sisters-in-law, Kaye Kusano of Winnipeg, Pat Kusano of Toronto, ON, Betty Kameda of Richmond, B.C. and Ritsu (Don) Clark of Huntsville, ON; and numerous other relatives. As well as special friends Dona Hoover, Ken and Rose Dickson.
She was predeceased by her husband Harry in 1976; son Vic in 1992; son Gord in 2007; her parents; 6 siblings, Michiye (Shoguchi) Kinoshita, Sam, Duke, Henry, Fred and Cheiko Kusano; several in laws as well as 2 nieces and a nephew.
At Nancy’s request there will be no funeral but a Celebration of Life and internment will be held at a later warmer date. In lieu of flowers and if friends so desire donations can be made to DECO (Dryden Extended Care Organization) Princess Court Auxiliary through the Steven’s Funeral Homes, P.O. Box 412, Dryden, ON, P8N 2Z1. If you wanted to donate baking, please do so to the DECO Tuck Shop at Princess Court throughout the year in Memory of Nancy.
We would like to thank Dr. Mazurski; Dr. M. Jog and nurse Linda Hall of London, ON; Nathalie Legros from Older Adults Program; the staff at Patricia Gardens and Princess Court; Doris Skillen, Dona Hoover and Nancy’s other volunteers from Palliative Care; as well as the doctors, students and nurses at DRHC who cared for Nancy.
