Ellen M. Stewart

With deep sadness, the family of Ellen M. (MacKay) Stewart announces her passing.

She left this world peacefully and in the company of loved ones, on January 16th, 2025.

After a five-year struggle with dementia and living in a body that no longer allowed her to sing or dance, Ellen is now joyfully singing in heaven’s glorious choir and is dancing with the angels and all who came before her.

In the words of John Michael Montgomery "Life's a dance you learn as you go. Sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow. Don't worry about what you don't know. Life's a dance you learn as you go."

Born in 1940, in Whitney Pier, Cape Breton she was the daughter of Tom and Emma (Bailey) MacKay.

She discovered her love of tap, ballet, and traditional Scottish highland dancing early in life. Dancing was how she met her husband.

In 1959, Ellen, then a 19-year-old nursing student, went to a dance at the Venetian Gardens in Sydney. A tall, dark-haired handsome man approached her and asked her to take to the floor with him.

Their union was indeed a dance. Sometimes fast and sometimes slow, but always with the knowledge that no matter what happened they would persevere and do their best to keep time with the beat of life’s melody.

In 1961, they married and moved to Corner Brook, Newfoundland. She became a mother for the first time at 21 when David (Seham Nasser) arrived. Twelve months later, Carolyn (Bruce Lohnes) was born. They moved to Vancouver and Montreal before relocating to Liverpool, Nova Scotia where the baby of the family, Laverne (Robert Burtt) arrived in 1965. The dance of life quickened as they raised the kids and worked. Ellen was a dedicated nurse who gave exceptional care to her patients. She kept dancing in her free time even setting up a school in their home where she taught ballet, tap, and highland dance.

She was a choir member in many churches throughout her life. Singing was another of her great joys. She played the piano and, in her retirement years in Florida, she purchased an organ and took lessons so she could play and sing her favourite hymns.

She enjoyed sewing, knitting, and was known for her homemade bread which garnered her an award from Robin Hood flour.

Dave’s career required many moves and Ellen loved new opportunities to decorate each home they owned. At each new location she joined a Lioness club through which she served her community.

If there were an Olympics for shopping Ellen would surely have been a gold medalist. Giving to others was her love language. She spent a small fortune picking out presents for friends and family over the years.

She loved the Sunshine State where she and Dave spent their winters for more than 30 years. It’s where they often attended dances. It’s where Ellen, even into her 70s, was eager to kick up her heels showing everyone how to do the Highland Fling. Fitness was important to her; teaching aqua aerobics.

Ellen and Dave loved to travel. She was proud of her Scottish roots and thrilled when she had an opportunity to go to her ancestral home of Scotland. They saw much of the world together, but no matter where she lived or travelled part of her always remained on Cape Breton Island ‘in the Pier Dear.’ She enjoyed several summers at her trailer in St. Anns near the Cabot Trail.

Ellen was a grandmother to six grandchildren: Dhavita (Ben Filek), Maya, Keirtan, Mary Louise, Nicolas, and Alex. She was also a great-grandmother to Harrison and Delilah. She looked forward to their visits at the farm on Pleasant Ridge and, when she moved to Passamaquoddy Lodge, in Saint Andrews.

Her eyes lit up when her grandkids and the rest of the family came to visit. She will always be remembered by those she leaves behind.

Her family would like to thank her caregivers both at home and Passamaquoddy Lodge for the selfless care they gave her.

She is at peace now and can sing and dance for all eternity.

A celebration of her life will be held later. For those who wish, donations in Ellen’s memory may be made to the Charlotte County Cancer Society. Condolences may be sent to the family online at mehanfuneralhome.ca