Nina Kemp of High Prairie, AB, passed away at the age of 75 years due to complications resulting from a lengthy cancer journey.
Nina expressed that she endured a poor and joyless upbringing on a small farm near Coolidge, AB as the sixth of eight children born to immigrant parents. She spoke of many days picking rocks, removing firewood off an open blade buzzsaw, and minding the family cow. She spoke of hauling water from the well and boiling their laundry on a pot on the stove. They didn’t even have money to afford toothbrushes.
With only two paper bags of possessions (mainly one pan and one sweater), she moved to Edmonton where she very proudly obtained her degree in Home Economics (while simultaneously working two-plus jobs). This career path brought her to Slave Lake, AB, where she assisted and trained families regarding care. After a year in this position, she moved to High Prairie, AB and became the district home economist for the next five years.
Nina was introduced to Roger, and they married in 1972. Roger was busy moving his beekeeping operation off the family farm in Ontario to High Prairie during this time, but they soon welcomed their first son, Kevin, in 1975. Kevin was born with a severe medical condition and Nina spent many, many hours tending to her sick baby. This included countless trips to Edmonton and many trips to the children’s hospital in Toronto. Nina had to leave her career to become a full time homemaker and beekeeper. Two more sons and one daughter followed.
When Nina turned 40, she was diagnosed with a rare bone marrow cancer. She made so many trips to the cancer clinic in Edmonton, with countless rounds of monthly bloodwork and many different cancer medications. She went through a lot. As things progressed and the cancer clinic could help her no further, she began trial medications which helped prolong her life.
Nina not only raised four children, managed the house, ran a business, fought cancer, remained a caregiver, and still spent many hours volunteering throughout the community, but she did it all with kindness, compassion, and an unbelievable amount of selflessness. Her only fault was that she had the inability to say “no”.
It was important to Nina to be a part of the community, so she volunteered where she could. She spent numerous hours volunteering for the church, community choir, Triangle Pioneer Threshermans Association, the hospital, the mobile mammogram unit, the agricultural fair, and many others.
Nina always supported everyone she knew, and proudly taught her home economic skills whenever she could. She always enforced nutritionally dense meals which would usually be served with beautiful garnishes. Nina’s yeast buns and ginger cookies were phenomenal, and all of her baking quickly disappeared. Nina enjoyed watercolour painting, sewing, petit point, and a good sudoku puzzle. She had such a creative mind.
Nina loved to dance and could always be found with Roger, awing the crowd, at many jamborees across Alberta. Her favourite dance was the old time waltz, which she danced beautifully. She did not like the spotlight, but always received so many compliments on her dancing. Nina really enjoyed the friends she made and the company of the dancing community.
She is survived by her husband Roger; sons Kevin, Ryan (Rachel), and Tyson (Laura); daughter Tara (Tyler Nielsen); as well as six grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, and one great-grandson.
Nina hid and worked through the incredible pain and discomfort of her cancer for 35 years. We were incredibly lucky to have many more years with her than we expected, and are so grateful that she was a part of our lives for as long as she was. She leaves an enormous hole in our hearts and her soul is greatly missed.