Hughena Margaret MacDonald was born December 29, 1917 to Archie Alex and Cassie MacDonald in New Waterford, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. She was the younger sister of Johnny, Mary, Alec and Jessie and the older sister of Stanley, Danny, Charlie, Billy, Miley, Florence and Josephine. Her competitive spirit was apparent at a young age. She would get to the dinner table early and hide under the chairs so when her mother announced dinner being ready, she was able to get the food first because the boys always ate so much.
Hughena had a great love for sports and Highland Dancing in her youth. She loved baseball/softball, hockey, curling and darts. If the baseball or hockey game was on, you didn’t bother her! Her life before marriage and kids was mainly friends, family, sports and church. Ever the social butterfly! As a young adult, Hughena answered an ad to move to Ontario to be apart of the war effort and became a Bomb Girl.
After her adventure with DIL, she met and fell in love with Joseph Kennedy. They got married and had 5 children: Blair, Greg (Sharon), Cheryl, Glen (Nora) and Stan. Due to Joe’s work with the Air Force, they lived in various places across Canada before settling in Brampton, Ontario. As Joe’s work kept him away in the Arctic, Hughena braved the sole task of raising 5 kids into their teens who tested her patience but always loved and respected her. Once Joe retired, and the kids left home, they found a new home in Grand Bend, Ontario.
Hughena hosted many family weekends with her grandchildren who loved to visit and it had nothing to do with the beach! Blair(Erin), Andrew (Lori), Alisha, Devan, Katey, Alastair, Jeff and Nicki were the apples to Hughena’s eye! Gramma told them stories about all the fun she had growing up in Nova Scotia with her brothers and sisters.
Hughena and Joe became snow birds to escape the Canadian winters. They loved their time in the sun. When Joe’s health put a wrench in their travels abroad, they moved to Newmarket, Ontario to stay with Greg and his family. After Joe’s passing, Hughena moved to Mississauga, Ontario to live in a senior’s lifestyle building. Hughena made many friends and before losing the majority of her eyesight to macular degeneration, she learned how to use a Nintendo Wii system in her 90’s! When her health started requiring more attention, Hughena moved to Port Colborne, Ontario to live with Glen and Nora and then she eventually settled in Northland Point Retirement Home. When family came to visit her, she cherished every moment and you left knowing how much you were loved with one of her signature hugs!
On August 16, 2021, Hughena received her last hugs from family and peacefully joined her family who preceded her in life. Hughena Margaret Kennedy is survived by her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and great-grand children Jacob (Andrea), Caleb, Carys, Olivia, Jillian, Nicholas and Amber.
Future generations will live on with a piece of Hughena’s spirit in their hearts. May she rest in peace knowing her legacy of strength, humility and kindness will live on in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.