Obituary of Kay Dakota Cousins
Kay was born in Montney, BC, on the blizzardy morning of January 2, 1938. Her parents, Cora and Ernie Paris were unprepared for her arrival, as she came 3 weeks earlier than expected. Two hours after Kay was born, local nurse, Mrs. Anne Young drove her horse team through the blizzard to find Kay still under the blankets where she had remained for the two hours after her birth. The delivery was successful and Kay was fine. She arrived 16 years after her only sibling, Gwen (Paris) Parker was born.
Kay loved farm life, opting to help with the outside chores and avoiding indoor chores by any means possible. She was her dad’s little shadow, and her best friends in her early years were her dog and her horse. She loved to retell the story of the time when she disappeared, and her distraught mom finally found her fast asleep hugging her dog, inside the doghouse.
From grades 1 to 8, Kay rode her horse to the Montney one room school located a few miles away from her home; then for grades 9-12 she opted to live in the Dawson Creek dormitory and attend South Peace Secondary, where she made many close friends. While in Dawson, she played the violin in the school orchestra and played centre for the high school basketball team.
After graduation, her first job was as a BC Tel telephone operator in Dawson Creek. Later, she moved to the Fort St. John BC Tel office. During this time she met Orvan Cousins; they were married in 1960, had their first child, Sharie Delene in 1962, and their second child, Sandra Dawn in 1966.
Kay enjoyed a wide variety of outdoor activities with her family such as camping, fishing, canoeing, water skiing, downhill skiing, quadding, gardening, and so much more. She also loved visiting her many friends and relatives.
Retirement came just in time to welcome her first grandchild, Shayden. She spent every moment possible with her grandson, taking him along on many adventures, visits, and activities, or just enjoying him at her home in Fort St. John. Five years later, she was able to continue doing the same things with her granddaughter, Staysha.
She volunteered for countless clubs, organizations, and church functions. She enjoyed other activities such as sewing, crafting, carpentry, and organizing, but one of her favourites, by far, was music. She played guitar for sing-alongs and her bass guitar for everything else. She played with family and friends in a band called “Memory Lane”, sharing oldtime music with seniors at the carehome, senior apartments, and occasional dances. She also played her bass guitar faithfully in her church worship team.
Kay was smart, talented, crafty, creative, musical, and as sweet as anyone could ever imagine. Over the years, the powerhouse we once knew became increasingly weaker, and the bright light that she once was, slowly became dimmer; but throughout it all, she remembered the people in her life, and she maintained her sense of humour. Although she loved and embraced life here on earth, she looked forward to the day she would be reunited with all of her loved ones who went before her, and above all else she looked forward to seeing Jesus, for she knew with all certainty that as a child of God, she would enter his kingdom one day.
Kay will always be remembered for her talents, hard work, and humour, but most of all, for her kindness and generosity, as she was always willing to help whomever and wherever she was needed. After her passing, an overwhelming and heartwarming number of people shared their special memories of Kay and how she touched their lives; a true testament of the wonderful human that Kay was. She will be deeply missed but always remembered.
Kay was predeceased by her parents Ernie and Cora Paris, sister Gwen, brother-in-law Bob, and daughter Sharie. She is survived and missed by her husband Orvan, daughter Sandy (Steve), and grandchildren Shayden and Staysha, niece Donna Meehan, nephew Del Parker (Nadine), as well as her many relatives from Orvan’s side of the family.
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