Obituary of Hillary Carnegie

Dearly loved wife of Gordon Carnegie, daughter of Trientje and Hank (predeceased), sister to Clarence (Sandra), Mary Tylosky (Terry), Nancy Crawford (Gary), predeceased by sister Lucy and brother Tom. She leaves daughters, Cheryl Pratt, Christine Lomas (Glenn), Laura Edwards (Conrad), step-children Sharilyn Rathee (Neil), and Brad (Danielle), grandchildren Emily Pratt, Spencer Pratt, Ryan Lomas, Lucy Edwards, Arabella Edwards, Brianna Rathee, Sawyer Rathee, Peter Carnegie and Joey Carnegie, as well as nieces and nephews, Juliana, Andrew, Erik, Michael, Matthew, Kaitlin and Tim.

Hillary was born in Holland and immigrated to Canada as a toddler. She spent her early years on a farm in Hastings where she learned the value of hard work, perseverance, dedication, and love of family. It was these lessons that stayed with her into her adult years to form the basis of her strong character and moral standings.

As a young adult stepping out on her own, she had a zest for life and always went out of her way to help anyone in need. She found love and had two children, Cheryl and Christine. She bestowed upon them what she learned as a young girl about hard work and love of family. It was during these years that Hillary learned her most important lesson through the tragic loss of her younger sister, Lucy. It affected her to the core and became a dark moment in her life. From that point forward,  her path changed direction. With perseverance, she pulled herself up and became a woman on a mission to help others who shared the same sorrow and angst that she experienced. Not only did she raise her sister’s two children, she also became an advocate for Canadians Against Violence (CAVEAT), a charitable organization serving as a non-partisan voice for all Canadians working together for safety, peace and justice. Along with the founder of CAVEAT, Priscilla de Villiers and several other members, including Hillary’s younger daughter, Christine – they travelled to Ottawa in February, 1994 presenting the de Villiers petition with over 3 million Canadian signatures to Justice Minister, Allan Rock. 

Hillary remarried in 1997 to Gordon where they lived in Courtice, eventually moving to Port Perry and finally settling for a number of years in Lindsay. During these years, she reconnected with her faith and became a dedicated member of VIVA Church in Oshawa where she found much comfort, peace, fellowship, and happiness. She also volunteered for Victim Services of Kawartha/Haliburton for a number of years and spent countless hours guiding and listening to others who were impacted by tragedy. Helping people was always her passion and she took to it as though it was her destiny. 

Within the last year, she and Gordon moved to Oshawa to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Hillary was a vibrant, involved, and active matriarch to our loving family, and an example to all for her love, kindness, and generosity. Her absence will be deeply and keenly felt by all who knew and loved her, and there is a little less kindness in the world today with her passing. Please remember her in your thoughts and prayers.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that you donate to a cause very close to Hillary’s heart –http://victim-services.org/  online or by cheque by going to http://victim-services.org/donate/

Visitation will be held on Friday September 29th from 10 am - 12 pm at VIVA CHURCH, 71 Simcoe Street South Oshawa.  A Funeral Service will follow at 12:30 pm.  Private Interment will be held at Pine Grove Cemetery.