Obituary of Susan Kathleen Hart

Susan Kathleen (Kaye) Hart departed this Earth at age 100 on Thursday, the 9th of July 2020. She passed away peacefully at her home, facing the morning sun surrounded by her loving family. Kaye was born in Baie Verte, New Brunswick, on Thursday, the 27th of November 1919. She was the daughter of the late Roy and Eunice (Robinson ) Mitton and received her elementary and high school education in the village of Port Elgin. Kaye then attended Provincial Normal School in Fredericton. During World War II, Kaye worked for the federal government in Moncton as a censor for Royal Mail Canada, now known as Canada Post. Following the war, she was transferred to Halifax where she worked as a payroll clerk at the docks. Fate was steering her in the right direction because this is where she met Jim, her husband-to-be, when he came in from one of those long trips at sea in the merchant navy. Lucky Jim and lucky Kaye! They were married on the 31st of January 1948. Kaye taught school in the Shannon Park, Greenwood, and Kentville areas in Nova Scotia for five years while Jim was coming and going at sea. In 1960, they decided to return to Moncton where Jim went into business with his father-in-law while Kaye was appointed as the chief instructor in the Communications Department at the New Brunswick Institute of Technology, now known as New Brunswick Community College or NBCC. Later on, they became the first husband-and-wife duo to be employed at NBCC. While teaching, Kaye enhanced her curriculum vitae, with her studies attending night and summer school classes, at Mount Allison University. She eventually received her Bachelor of Arts in 1971. Kaye retired as the head of the Communications Department at the Moncton campus of NBCC in 1986. Kaye was selected by the Department of Education to act in an advisory capacity in the establishment of a Communications Curriculum for Business students at the high school level. She, along with the other members of the committee, had their articles published. Kaye attributed the successes in her career to her involvement with her years in Toastmistress, later known as ITC, then PowerTalk. She was a life member of ITC, serving at all levels ending as Colonial Region Council president. The Colonial Region included all the states from Pennsylvania east and all of the Atlantic provinces. She was also a life member of the National Association of Parliamentarians and the Order of Eastern Star. She was also with the Canadian Federation of University Women for 44 years. In 1984, Kaye was named a Fellow of the American Business Communication Association (ABCA) after 20 years of service. She served two four-year terms as the vice-president of Canada with ABCA. When she retired from NBCC, she ran for and was elected to serve on the Moncton School Board District 2 for nine years from 1986 to 1995. During Canada’s 125th Anniversary in 1992, Kaye was awarded the Jubilee Commemorative Medal. This award was presented in recognition of her outstanding contribution to community life and in appreciation for her dedicated service over the years to the citizens of the Greater Moncton area. Kaye was a voracious reader, and that resulted in her having a mini-library at home. Her bookshelf is lined with biographies of Roosevelt, Churchill, Disraeli, Trudeau, Chris Patten, Pearson, Diefenbaker, Julia Child, and Mulroney, to name a few. She loved the novels of James Harriet, Agatha Christie, Stephanie Laurens, James Patterson, and Nora Roberts. In addition, she collected recipe books. Aside from reading, she enjoyed gardening, travelling, playing bridge, and stocking her wine cellar. Besides her parents, Kaye was predeceased by her beloved husband, Jim Hart, sister Helen Cole, brothers Charles and Grant Mitton. She will be deeply missed by her son and daughter-in-law Tom and Paz Hart of Moncton, her grandchildren Jim and Sid Hart. She will also be sadly missed by her nieces, nephews, surviving sister-in-law Beryl Mitton, and many friends. Honouring her own wishes, there will be no visitation nor a memorial service. Interment will be held in the Elmwood Cemetery where she will be buried along with her husband and parents. Donations in her name to the United Way or charity of the donor's choice would be greatly appreciated. Burial Information Elmwood Cemetery, Moncton, NB Requested Charity the United Way or to the charity of the donor's choice