LYNDA KEMP

LYNDA KEMP August 15, 1953 - November 10, 2016 We sadly announce the sudden passing of Lynda Kemp, wife, mother and renowned Costume Designer to the Canadian film industry. Lynda began her career in film and television as an actress, but after a stint on TVO and on small stages throughout Canada, she put her considerable talents as a seamstress to use, and turned to costume design. Her grandmother Rose was a seamstress in the furrier industry on Spadina during the 1930s and 40s and taught Lynda to sew and knit at an early age. Lynda began her career as the Wardrobe Designer for movies like Police Academy, A Christmas Story, Mrs. Soffel and went on to work on thousands of movies, television and commercial productions in her 30-year career. In 1984, she established her costume company, Thunder Thighs, which now houses over 7 million pieces in the warehouse at Busy Street in the Queen and Carlaw area of Toronto, much of it irreplaceable period pieces. In recent years, Lynda was semi-retired and she and her husband Otta Hanus, split their time between Toronto and their second home in the Caribbean. Uniquely creative, Lynda was an avid reader, a beautiful singer, lover of roosters, Siamese cats and single malt, we'll always miss her generosity, her wicked sense of humour and her raucous, endearing laugh which will hang forever over the mango trees on her beloved Nevis. Lynda predeceases her mother Evelyn, and leaves her husband Otta Hanus, son Doane Hanus, her brothers Paul and Terry, sister Freda and nieces and nephews, Sarah, Ben, Jenessa, Derek, Jaylene and Sasha. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the St. Michael's Hospital Palliative Care Unit in Toronto. The Celebration of Life for Lynda Kemp will be held at number 10 Busy Street from 2-6 p.m. on Saturday, November 19, 2016.