WHYNACHT (CAMPBELL)

We will forever mourn our dear Helen (Campbell) Whynacht, who left an indelible mark as a daughter, sister, wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother and friend.

Helen left us on September 29 after a very challenging year, and we will never be quite the same. 

We are better for her light in our lives but bereft at her absence.

She was born and raised in Trenton and was, in some ways, forever a Pictou County girl despite spending most of her adult life on the south shore of Nova Scotia with her soul mate David, who predeceased her last year. Helen raised her two boys, Davey and Christopher, with love, perseverance and a twinkle in her eye, in Mill Village, next to her in-laws.

A young and vibrant couple, their family life was filled with music (Neil Diamond, Dolly Parton!), fun, sports, parties with friends, homemade meals and… oh, the desserts, so lovingly made to suit every occasion. Life was not without its struggles, but it was filled with love and laughter.

While she lost her parents, Malcolm and Mary Leona when they were quite young, she poured her energy and care into her boys and her five adored siblings: Patricia (Joanne Gallivan), Sonny (Debby Graham), Donnie (who predeceased her), Bonnie (Henry Black) and John (Gary McNeil), and their loved ones.

While David supported the family with a demanding job at Michelin, Helen was the keeper of home and hearth and she excelled in the role. She also had many interests and occupations, working at a couple of local stores and the hotel, making ceramics, baking, and decorating for any upcoming holiday.

She volunteered at the Mill Village Consolidated School Library and helped found the Medway Tubing Festival. Not many people knew, but she even grew medicinal marijuana for a time. Her daily weather reports on Facebook are still missed by people far and wide.

She was always involved in her communities of Mill Village and later Port Medway, and loved where she lived. The beautiful landscape of Beach Meadows was a constant source of joy, particularly during the hard early years of the pandemic.

Helen was lively and loyal and a great conversationalist, but she could also be determined and stubborn. You did not get between Helen and her convictions – ask the priest who insisted she would need to give up her firstborn because of her age and marital status.

She knew her mind. When she decided Davey was ready for school, she simply changed December 22 on his baptism certificate to September 22, which became his ‘school birthday’ until he came clean to his teacher four years later.

Clearly Helen was no pushover, and sometimes her sons learned that the hard way – she once chased Christopher down when he decided to go trick-or-treating at 6 a.m. That did not end well for him.

And, yet, when her sons married and had children, she never imposed her way of doing things on them or on Skana or Tanya. Her love and support was absolute and she could not have been happier to have two daughters in the mix and – especially – four beautiful grandchildren. Her world revolved around them and they were oh so lucky to have these loving, engaged, patient and always amused grandparents, who cheered them on at sports and so many other activities and never missed a chance to get together or have them sleep over at their cozy home.

Gram had a strong and unique bond with each of her grandchildren. With Griffin, it was cards (particularly five-card stud), for Alex, baking cookies. Tova and Gram had many long after-school phone calls peppered with giggles, and Ainsley helped care for Gram for two years, which provided much solace.

We are forever grateful.

Helen, aged 73, passed from this world on a bright Sunday morning, on her dear David’s birthday, presumably to rejoin him in a better place in time for ice cream.

Along with her loving immediate family, she is survived by her brother-in-law Byron Whynacht. She was predeceased by her parents, in-laws Hughey and Kathleen, brother Donnie, sisters-in-law Judy Campbell and Betty Whynacht, and longtime best friend, Violet Rhyno.

A kind and welcoming soul, Helen made friends – some of them lifelong – wherever she went and those people became part of her family, which meant everything to her. We know they are missing her, too.

Following David’s lead, Helen has donated her earthly remains to Dalhousie Medical School to aid in research and helping others.

A celebration of life was held Saturday, October 12, from 2 to 4 p.m. chez Chris and Tanya, 49 Lakewood Drive, Chester Grant.