Kathy Anne Warner

KATHY ANNE WARNER (nee PHILLIPS), R.N. (Kathy was an emergency department nurse and team leader at York Central Hospital for 37 years). - Peacefully, in Arnie's loving arms, at the Hill House Hospice on April 23rd, 2009. Beloved wife and best friend of Arnie. Cherished mother and best friend of Erin and Chris, loving daughter of Joanne Phillips and the late Allan Phillips. Much loved big sister to Patricia (Jeremy). Also loved daughter-in-law of Cecil Warner and the late Helen Warner, and caring sister-in-law to Bill (Gaye), Rose (Phil) and Sandy. Special aunt to her nieces and nephews. Kathy's greatest pride and love was for her family and especially for her children Erin and Chris. She never missed a ball game or swim meet while they were growing up. Our family day trips, stays at cottages and travels were precious to her. She was the steadying influence in our family; our rock. Her support and love for her family never wavered and she will always be proud of them and their accomplishments. From the time she was a little girl, Kathy only wanted to be a nurse and after graduating from the Toronto Western School of Nursing in 1972, she began a remarkable career as an emergency department nurse at York Central Hospital. As a nurse, Team Leader and mentor, she was admired by her colleagues for her strength, compassion, calmness and professional ethics and the high standards she held herself and all who worked with her to continually meet. She was admired and respected by nurses, doctors, staff and most importantly her patients, and left her mark of professionalism with all whom she met. Kathy loved life and all the experiences we shared together. She particularly loved to travel and we have great memories of trips with our family and our friends to places across Canada and afar. She was happiest in cottage country where she walked and listened to the call of the loons. Kathy was a sports fan and especially liked to attend Jays games. In the last 10 years, she became an avid golfer and golf became a focal point of our travels and our time with friends. All who have known and loved Kathy have been amazed at her strength, resilience, and determination over the last three years. Through the countless treatments, transfusions, hospital visits and stays, through long days and nights of pain, she never once complained and thus gave all of us extra strength to support her. The family would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Kevin Imrie and Nurse June Chanicka for their gentle care and compassion, to the wonderful nurses in Transfusion Medicine at Sunnybrook, to all the other fine physicians and nurses at Sunnybrook, Princess Margaret and York Central Hospitals for your dedication and commitment and unfailing efforts to help her. A special thank you to Dr. Brian Berger and the amazing caregivers at Hill House Hospice. We are grateful for the never ending support of our friends. And finally, to all her colleagues in the Emergency Department at York Central Hospital; your love, support and care for Kathy was truly heartwarming and we will never forget all you did for her. Friends may call at the MARSHALL FUNERAL HOME, 10366 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill (4th traffic light north of Major Mackenzie Dr.) for visitation on Sunday April 26, 2009 and Monday the 27th from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. A funeral service will be held in the chapel on Tuesday April 28, 2009 at 11 a.m. Interment at Elgin Mills Cemetery, Richmond Hill. If you would like to honour Kathy with a charitable donation; please support the Sunnybrook Hospital Foundation/ Odette Cancer Centre, 2075 Bayview Ave., Thornhill, ON, M4N 3M5 or Hill House Hospice, 36 Wright St. Richmond Hill, ON, L4C 4A1. There is a single word on the Lymphoma bracelet our family has worn for the last few years - it is "Relentless" and so that deadly disease was to Kathy. But there is a special word in our hearts for Kathy - it is "Inspirational" and so this remarkable woman was for all who knew her. We love you!