Obituary for Amy Jacqueline Steele
Died peacefully at Colonel By Retirement Residence. Amy was predeceased by her parents Arthur Steele and Laura MacGregor, first husband Brian Lay, second husband Robert Kempster and third husband Tibor Harmathy, her sisters Aileen Steele and Joan Peake and step-children Geoffrey Kempster, Alison Sylvestre and Graham Kempster. She leaves her step-children John Kempster (Marilyn) Neil Kempster (Marietta) Ann Buckley, Anna Harmathy (Earl), Tibor Harmathy (Sandy) and Peter Harmathy (Andrea). She is survived by her sisters Pat and Marion Steele and brother Dr. John Steele (Rita), her step-grandchildren Kim, Alicia, Katherine, Lee, James, Ian, David and Alexander, step-great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. Born in Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia, Amy graduated from Carleton University. She went on to work for Statistics Canada for many years. A respected manager in the Census Bureau, she was sometimes called directly by the Chief Statistician for opinions and input. After her retirement from public service and private consulting, Amy became a dynamic force as a volunteer who championed the needs of Ottawa communities. Her nearly four decades of volunteer service earned her many awards. Included are a lifetime achievement award from the Federation of Citizens Associations of Ottawa, thirty years of service to the Champlain Park Community Association and the Mayor’s Award for volunteer service. Amy played leadership roles as President of the CPCA, Co~president of the FCA of Ottawa and Co~chair of the Greenspace Alliance. Her inspiration and passion for communities and the environment will be her legacy. Amy loved dance and opera, rainbows and sunsets, flowers and songbirds, rivers and mountains and a good laugh with dinner. For all who have known her she will be impossible to forget. Her family would like to thank Dr. Hollands and the staff of Colonel By Retirement Home, Home and Community Care caregivers, and Ideal Caregivers 4u for their care and compassion. If desired, donations may be made in Amy’s name to the Nature Conservancy of Canada https://donate.natureconservancy.ca. Friends are invited to visit at the Central Chapel of Hulse, Playfair & McGarry, 315 McLeod Street (at O'Connor), Ottawa on Thursday, May 19 from 6 - 8 p.m. A celebration of life will be held in the Chapel on Friday, May 20 at 11 a.m., with interment at the Auld Kirk Cemetery, Almonte, Ontario.