Rhonda Lee Fader

Rhonda Lee Fader was born in Caledonia, Nova Scotia  to Mildred White and grew up in New Grafton with her grandparents Steward and Daisy, her father Ken, and siblings Kevin, Stewart (Pam), Joey (Sherry), and Lori. She was a loving mother, daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece, cousin, Auntie, and friend; a deeply committed member of her community all of her life; and a charter member of the Pearle Chapter #71 of Eastern Star for 48 years and a member of St. Mary’s #35 for 12 years, most recently holding the office of District Deputy Grand Matron of the Grand Chapter for Nova Scotia and PEI. She was a hard and capable worker all of her life, including jobs at Tim Horton’s, Clover Farm, and most recently Friends of Kedge gift shop in Kejimkujik National Park. Over the course of her life she enjoyed reading, softball, cooking shows, knitting and quilting, and many other activities, although most of her time was spent on raising her son, caring for her family, contributing to her community, and taking part in Eastern Star ceremonies, meetings, and activities.

All of this is important, but only begins to describe the incredible person we have been so lucky to know, and now must find our way to live in a world without her. Rhonda was the heart of her family, which included many people not “officially” related but very much part of the connections she built and sustained over a lifetime rich in love and laughter.

On the wall in Rhonda’s kitchen is a hanging that says “Bless this house with family and friends”, and another that says “Live every moment, laugh every day, love beyond words.” In the living room, among family photos spanning seven decades, a third hanging celebrates “Faith, friends, family.” While nothing can fully capture Rhonda, the woman we have been so lucky to know, so much of the way she lived and loved and worked and believed can be found on the walls of the home where she lived for almost all of her life, walls that contain many wonderful memories for all of us lucky enough to make memories here.

Rhonda delighted in the birth of her son Shane Ryan and appreciated their warm, solid, and mutually supportive relationship every day of his life from then on. She was a loving and intentional mother who raised him to be a strong, kind, hardworking, and generous man who always made her proud. Their connection often didn’t require words as they always understood one another, knew what the other needed, and offered it without hesitation.

Rhonda loved to travel, see new places, try new foods, and remembered everywhere she’d seen and all the good meals she shared along the way. She had a great time visiting her brother Noel, his wife Brenda, and their children Laura and Davis in Alberta, seeing the city and the mountains. She explored the southwestern U.S. with her Auntie Linda and Uncle Terry Pearson, with special moments like seeing the Grand Canyon, dinner at the Red Raven, and sitting by the river in Laughlin. She loved to spend time away with her Eastern Star brothers and sisters around the Atlantic provinces and elsewhere, with a recent special trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. She spent many Cousin Weekends in the Annapolis Valley with Megan, Heather, and Kim. She looked forward all year to the annual Girls Shopping Trip with her heart sister Velda and special cousins Roxane, Renee, and later Macey. There was nothing she enjoyed more than the many road trips she took over the years with her cousin and heart sister Heather, finding their way to every lighthouse, exploring beaches and back roads, and relishing lots of stops for ice cream, especially in waffle cones. She also loved spending time at Heather’s trailer at Ponhook Lake.

Rhonda had a deep, constant love for close and extended family and friends that she showed in whatever way people needed, whether it was practical support, a shoulder, a listening ear, a few laughs, a good cry, or just a reminder that she was always here in whatever way was needed. She was an enthusiastic decorator for every season and holiday, making the whole year a time for celebration. She loved to welcome her close and extended family for gatherings of all sizes, living the expression “the more the merrier” and putting together delicious meals and spreads with as much apparent effort as most of us use to make toast. She was a beautiful cook and baker, and was especially known for her brown bread and coconut cream pies – whatever she made for fundraisers or fairs would be sold before she could get it to the sale tables, with people waiting in the parking lot, cordially jostling each other to be first in line. Her Auntie Sally especially loved her homemade rolls, and her Uncle Robert loved everything she made, as long as she was there to share it. Hundreds of freezers of homemade strawberry ice cream were a favourite part of many family gatherings.

How do we begin to fill the space left by the loss of someone like Rhonda? The answer is simple – we don’t, because there’s no one else quite like her. But what we can do, what we will do, is to keep her with us and honour her memory by holding on to each other and making sure we stay connected the way she connected us. We’ll keep chairs around the table for Shane, Joey and Sherry, Stewie and Pam, Kevin, Noel and Brenda and Laura and Davis, Timothy and Melissa and Justine and Hailey, Courtney and Troy, Lindsey and Austin and Annie and Carter, Uncle Robert and Auntie Sally, Uncle Terry and Auntie Linda, Kim, Heather and Johnny and Mitchell, Craig, Megan, Ronnie and Velda, Roxane and Carl and Dana and Dylan, Renee and Kevin and Chase and Macy, Chrissy and Jimmy and Mackenzie and Gracen, Nancy and Billy and Rob, Susan and Della, Lorraine and Allan and Theresa and Sonny, Annie and Bill and Shelley and all the Ontario family, Carla Pierce, Harley White, Danielle and Clay and Porter and Zoe, Tiffany Robar and Ainsley Atkins, Anna and Howard Ford, Anthony Van Dyk, Sherman and Tiffany and Maddie and Malcolm, and more. And there will be chairs for Daisy and Steward, Kenny, Mary Lee and Hubert, and Lori, who went ahead and were waiting there on the morning of May 19, when the sun was shining and the cardinal sang, with their arms wide open to welcome her home.

Shane, Heather, and the family would like to express our deep appreciation to the doctors, nurses, and all staff at Queens County General Hospital for their excellent care for Rhonda and their kindness and support for all of us. We would like to say a special thanks to nurse Abi for his kindness, respect, warmth, and care during our last hours together, for Rhonda and for her family. We couldn’t have asked for more.

Cremation has taken place under the direction of Chandlers’ Funeral Home, Liverpool, NS. Graveside service will be held on Friday, May 30 at 1 PM at Maplewood Cemetery in Maitland Bridge, reception to follow at Maitland Community Hall. In case of inclement weather, service will be held at the Hall as well. Donations in Rhonda’s memory may be made to Hope For Wildlife, the New Grafton Community Hall, or the charity of your choice. Online condolences may be made below.