February 26, 1970 — February 7, 2024
It is with heavy hearts we announce the passing of Katherine Wiens (nee Miller) on February 7, 2024, at St. Vincent Hospital, Ottawa, after a valiant seven-year-long battle with cancer, in her 54th year. Kathy was born in Toronto, Ontario and grew up in Orillia, Ontario. She is the beloved daughter of Barbara Miller (William, pre-deceased) of Chilliwack, British Columbia, and first grandchild of Jack and May Tolland (both predeceased) of Orillia. Kathy is survived by her children Alexandra Bernier (Darren) of Alexandria, Ontario, Jacqui, Samantha, and Victoria Wiens (fiancé, Kyle Johnson) all of the Ottawa area, and her beloved grandsons Wyatt and Ellis. Also grieving are her sisters, Jody of Chilliwack, British Columbia and Kali of Kelowna, British Columbia, step-brothers William (Calinda) of Calgary, Alberta and Shawn (Starr) of Westbank, British Columbia and their families, as well as numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins in Canada and in Scotland. She will be greatly missed by her parents-in-law, Ernie and Marie Wiens, of St. Catharines, Ontario, as well as Tamara, Cheryl, Cynthia, and their families.
Kathy was much loved and will be fondly remembered by dear friends Lisa, Teena, Susan, Julie, and Carol, as well as many home-schooling, running, scrapbooking, and card-making friends and colleagues from Collins Barrow in Ottawa and the Canada Revenue Agency.
Kathy was a lifelong learner; she graduated from Twin Lakes Secondary School, obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Athabasca University, and went on to achieve designations as both a Chartered Professional Accountant and a Certified Fraud Examiner. She home-schooled her four children through elementary school before going on to work full time as an accountant. She was a voracious reader and movie buff, and ran in long-distance events from 5Ks to marathons. Spending time camping and hiking in Algonquin Park was a highlight of Kathy’s summers. A dedicated baseball and hockey fan, Kathy shared several baseball road trips with her mother and daughters over the past several years and enjoyed watching the Ottawa Senators.
The family would like to thank Drs. Wheatley-Price and Chang for their compassionate care of Kathy over the past seven years.
Cremation has taken place and a Celebration of Life will be announced at a later date. As an expression of sympathy, memorial donations may be made to The Ottawa Hospital Foundation, Doctors Without Borders, or the charity of your choice.