Yukola Elsie McKinnon

I want to share some of my fond memories of Keith's mother, Yukola, who passed away March 8, 2016 after living for many years with Alzheimer's Disease.  

From the first time I met Yukola she accepted me into the family. In fact, my mother tells the story of meeting Yukola in 2007 (only two years after I met Keith) and she told her: “I hope Cynthia and Keith get married!”

She was an educator and an advocate for children with learning disabilities. I know that her lifelong work has influenced so many lives - teachers, parents and most importantly her students in so many ways.  My daughter Andrea enjoyed and learned from their “teacher talks”.

She always put her family first and with Don spent time supporting their children, grandchildren, and extended family.

She bemoaned the fact that she wasn't musical and couldn't carry a tune but she was artistic. We are kept warm by her Irish knit blanket and I recall her hand made scarves and knitting. I have saved many of her pressed flower cards. 

I will never forget her hearty and throaty laugh.   Keith has often commented that he remembers his Mom laughing all the time when he was growing up.

After knowing things weren't quite right for many years, Yukola was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease in 2010. She faced her disease with courage and grace which made it easier for the rest of us. She was always pragmatic, especially in dealing with her health.  After her diagnosis she wrote her biography.  I was amazed at her courage to honestly share the story of her life and living with Alzheimer’s. The book was published and reprinted with demand from so many people including members of the Alzheimer’s society. Always the educator,  she and her husband Don regularly met with medical students so they could better understand the disease. They also spoke about their experience living with with the disease and answered questions from an audience at their church.  

The disease robbed us of the person we knew and loved.  During the last few years of her life I missed her but remembered the remarkable woman she was.  I admired her voracious reading, her intelligence, her outspoken yet tactful expression of issues that concerned her and her unselfishness.  Right to the end she was thinking of others by donating her body to medical science.  

Yukola has been an inspiration to me in many ways. Her spirit lives on.