Obituary of Catherine Mary Mildon

MILDON, Catherine Mary On January 18th, 2007, at Mount Sinai Hospital, Catherine Mary Mildon passed away in her ninety-fourth year. She was the last surviving, youngest daughter of William and Florence Murdoch. The loving mother of C.Anne Mildon, Maridene Johnston (Randal) Denis Mildon (Helen) and Caroline Mildon (Eric Chessum). Much loved grandmother of Leigh Lewis (Tom), Andrea Phannenhour (James) and Drew Mildon, and of Sheila MacNeil (Charles) and Stephen Johnston, and of Jesse Chessum. Loving great grandmother of Natalie and Cameron Phannenhour, of Jordan and Jessica Lewis, and of Michael and Katie MacNeil. Coping with the challenge of life-long deafness, Catherine served the needs of others including her children before herself. Whether it was nursing during a flu epidemic in Toronto at 19, or running nursery schools for children of war widows in St. Henri, Montreal at 35 or organizing art trips for the University Women�s Club in Toronto at 75 or serving as a member of the Canadian Opera Company women�s guild at 80, Catherine brought her articulate voice, well-read mind, and boundless energy to the world around her. Fighting off cancer at 55, she returned to university to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto at the age of 63. Her passions included bridge tournaments which she often won, history (especially Haligonian history having lived through the Halifax Explosion) and in particular writing. Overcoming a heart attack, Catherine at 92 published Exploded Identity, a well-researched documentary fiction about the 1917 disaster. She felt the people of Halifax deserved more credit than previous historians had provided. Special thanks to Dr. Swallow (surgeon) and the staff at Mount Sinai Hospital who provided Catherine and her family wonderful care and kindness with dignity. The family will receive friends at the HUMPHREY FUNERAL HOME - A.W. MILES CHAPEL, 1403 Bayview Avenue (south of Eglinton Avenue East), from 3-5 pm and 7-9pm on Sunday January 21st. A Service will be held at 4:00 pm in the Chapel on Monday, January 22nd, with a reception to follow in the Leaside Room. If desired, donations to World Vision Canada, P.O. Box 2500, Mississauga, ON, L5M 2H2; or Interval House, 131 Bloor St. W. Ste 200, Toronto, ON M5S 1R8 would be appreciated.