This is very late – I just was recently told that Veronica had died last year. I met Veronica on a pilgrimage to Rome in 2005. Even though that trip lasted less than 2 weeks, she and another young lady (Aileen) made all the difference to those of us on the pilgrimage. My sister & I were inseparable from those two. We were not able to keep in contact following the trip, but I have thought of Veronica so very often over the years. I had just thinking about her when the following day, someone I work with asked if I happened to know her, I said yes and that’s when I heard the news. She will be forever in my prayers.

I was just sitting here on Thanksgiving evening and thinking of an old friend from St. Mary’s. I searched for her on the internet and discovered she had passed away from cancer; she was only 10 years older than me. I then started to think of Veronica for some unknown reason. Perhaps it was because I was thinking of St. Veronica and her veil last night after watching a short video clip? In any event, I was stunned to learn of Veronica’s passing as well! Not only did she also have cancer, but she was only 2 days older than me. We used to joke about that at school. Oh my.

I don’t have any words right now and tears are filling my eyes. I am so very sorry to all the Mc Kervey family. I have some very happy and fun memories of being with Veronica and crew in Calgary, and from down in KS. Where do I start? The Canucks always stuck together, and we also found ourselves in mischief as well. It was usually good-natured pranks, but we did our share of kitchen duty. We even made that fun! Veronica used to use the mop handle as a microphone and she and Anne M. from NY would sing at the top of their lungs in concert. We threw water balloons on the boys as they came up for dinner. We snuck to the golf course to watch the stars and listen for the coyotes and then run like crazy back to the dorm when they got too close. We discovered that our Canadian coins worked in the dorm pop machine and we would all get blamed when the dorm mothers emptied it. :-) We celebrated 2 Thanksgivings at school. We had our own inside Canadian jokes, ‘eh? All of the fun trips across the street to “T and T’s” on town day, sharing the spoils and treats from Gockel’s, and all of the other memories…

Then there were the Calgary adventures! The endless late night feasts at Denny’s or Boston Pizza, the hockey games, skating on the frozen fields, being invited for dinner (Yum!), the Halloween where we dressed up a scarecrow in coveralls and put it in the back of Veronica’s truck (“Violetly insane,”) and drove around Calgary and up and down the Red Mile; my endless attempts to try to remember all of the Mc Kervey clan and Veronica’s reassurance that, “It’s confusing,” and all of the other fun and wonderful times we shared. (My ’84 grey Chevy Cavalier from Empire that just refused to die. Strangers used to call it a “piece of junk,” but I used to joke it ran on “Hail Mary Power,” after all the priests that had driven it before me and the times it defied the odds and literally did run on Hail Mary Power!) Oh gosh, then there were the times babysitting and visiting with Theresa and Cecilia. Teaching in Calgary, singing in the choir together at St. Mary’s…so many memories!

I remember Veronica had a wonderful laugh, a great sense of humour, and she laughed easily at the jokes others made. She was fun to be around, fun to travel with, and she loved being an Auntie.

I have not seen Veronica since about 2004, but she would cross my mind now and then. I would occasionally remember her on her birthday over the years as well. I pray that she will be safe in the arms of Jesus and Mary soon, and that she will spare some prayers for those of us still struggling down here.

Please be assured of my prayers for Veronica and for all of her family. Rest in peace, Veronica.

Love and prayers from your old school mate,

Teresa

Dear Mc Kervey Family,

Hello once again and Happy Thanksgiving~

After pondering about Veronica some more, I was curious to know what feast day she died on. I did a search and this is what I found.

http://www.catholic.org/saints/f_day/jul.php

Veronica died on the feast of St. Veronica Giuliani! She was a great mystic apparently. I had never heard of her until tonight (there are so many saints), but perhaps Veronica knew about her?

Maybe this is also a comfort to you all.

God bless,

Teresa

Dear McKervey family, I am so sorry for your loss. I will never forget her awesome smile! Memories of her , while she was at St. Mary`s with me, will forever hold a place in my heart. RIP my dear friend. I am sure Veronica greeted Our Blessed Mother with that beautiful smile of hers. Many prayers for her soul, and for her wonderful HUGE family.Love and prayers Patty

Dear McKervey family..

My deepest condolences to your family and to whom ever was touched by this beautiful soul. I didn’t know Veronica the way I knew some of her older siblings but regardless I always admired the closeness that was shared within the entire family and the importance and devotion to their faith. I had the pleasure of first meeting the McKervey clan from my uncle Tracy Bennett who was close to the older boys Joe and Martin and then my two siblings Rodney and Cindy Bennett who had a special bond with Bernadette and Mark, and then when I started highschool (Chestermere High) it was now my turn to form a friendship with two of the McKervey girls Monica and Teresa. As a young girl I used to think what a HUGE family but now having a large family of my own I can relate to many things I wasn’t able to before. I give thanks to the Lord for allowing Veronica to have a large, loving and supportive family making it easier of her during this difficult time.

May your devotion to your faith keep you strong during this most difficult time and may all the cherished memories of Veronica help ease the pain of your families loss.

This is not the end but the beginning to a new journey within the gates of heaven. Until you are reunited rest in peace Veronica.

Colleen Bennett

Condolences to all the McKerveys. I was so sorry to hear this news.

My deepest condolences for Jessintha, Douglas, my Godson and cousin and the whole family for the loss of their dear Veronica. May she rest in peace with the Lord.

We are so happy to have known Veronica. She was an inspiring example of someone who knew how to take care of herself and so be able to give so generously and capably to others.

Condolences to all the McKervey family.

We are sorry to hear of the passing of Veronica. May she be in peace with our Lord. Praying for the repose of her soul and for all of the family.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire McKervey family during this time. May God bless you all.

I send my deepest sympathy with love and prayers for the loss of my beautiful friend, Veronica.

I ask our Blessed Mother to console each and everyone of you at this time.

Thoughts and prayers for the McKervey family. Rest in peace, Veronica. Our loss is Heaven’s gain.

May God bless you.

Our deepest condolences to the entire McKervey clan! It was an honor and privilege to have had such a beautiful and pious friend! I went to high school with Veronica in St. Mary’s. I was blessed to have reconnected with her later last year when learning of her cancer. During my week visit this past March, I was able to learn about her life and meet the rest of her beautiful family! Her spiritual life opened my own eyes to only realize that I was way off the mark of being a good practicing Catholic. She set an example for me with attending daily mass and saying her daily rosaries. She dressed modestly, and above all, she carried her cross with so much dignity and Grace! I saw her as a living saint! I attribute Veronica’s beautiful examples of virtue and her kindness towards me, that lead my heart into a much more fervent zeal in the Faith! She continued to give me weekly guidance on how to love God, the Blessed Virgin and how to just trust in God all the while SHE was suffering! I could write a book on how much my holy friend helped me! I am grieving daily for Veronica because I miss her so very much, and my heart hurts for all of her family members…however, my greatest consolation is that she is with God now, and all of heaven, and that she died a peaceful and very holy death! I am sending all of my love and prayers to everyone who is grieving, especially her family! Veronica touched every single person’s life that she met!

Condolences to all of the McKervey family and friends of Veronica. She was a very lovely woman who will be missed by all that knew her. She is safe in God’s hands.

My deepest condolences and my loving prayers to the McKervey family and friends. Veronica was a most beautiful soul and wonderful woman. Although I didn’t know her well, every meeting, every talk, every moment I may have shared with her was always remembered and cherished. God Bless you Veronica and her family

Our sincere sympathies and condolences to you for someone as close to God as Veronica has been over the course of her entire life .

May our Blessed Mother become a source of great comfort and consolation in knowing that Veronica is very likely to be in God’s constant favor and protection.

God Bless you all !

We had the pleasure of having Veronica stay at our place last October, and we have done business with McKerveys in truck parts, and will be praying for Veronica and the family now and in the future.

To the McKervey family:

Please accept my deepest condolences. Veronica will remain in my daily prayers as does Francis.

Yours Sincerely

Hannah

I am thankful to have known Veronica, having bumped into her many times about the world and having seen her at home, among her family. The way she took care of her mother and her relations, her devotion to her Faith and her zest for life combined to make a great example on how to live a full life that drew its strength from enhancing the lives of others. Of course, all this was anchored in the sacraments. We got into it many times, she was feisty enough and wouldn’t let you get one by her. Good memories!

My prayers for the repose of her soul and for her family – God Bless!

Thoughts and prayers with the McKervey Family who gave one more angel to OUR LORD.

I am praying the Nine day Novena after death of a one so loved by everyone. I shall miss her smile and generous giving of her time for the common good of all who knew her.

Vi Demers

We give all our love and sympathy to all the members of the family. We will have a Mass said for Veronica. She was such a beautiful person !

Sincerely,

Louis-Paul and Angela Bélisle and family

Guy and I wish to send our deepest condolences to the entire McKervey family along with our prayers for the repose of her sweet soul. God bless each one of you during this very difficult time.

Our heartfelt condolences to the entire McKervey family. Veronica was a very outgoing & friendly person & she will be forever in our prayers. May Our Blessed Mother console you all during this very difficult time.

Love & prayers,

Angela Brezinski & family

She will be greatly missed by everyone who had the honour of meeting her. I will always remember her and the rest of her family in my prayers. Requiem aeternam donna ei Domine et lux perpetua luceat ei. Requiescat in pace.

Many prayers for the extended family of Veronica. May God and His Holy Mother grant you consolation.

Veronica’s piety was an edification to us all. Requiescat in pace!

It was lovely to meet Veronica and the girls when they visited us in Australia. We were all impressed with her calm acceptance of her illness and determination to get on with life regardless. She is in our prayers and rosaries as are all the family. We will be with you in spirit on Monday 13th

My heartfelt sympathy goes out to each member of the McKervey family. My condolences on your losing Veronica and may God bless each of you and help you through this difficult time. You are all in my prayers.

Very sorry for your loss. Keeping your family in my prayers.

We would like to offer our deepest condolences to the entire McKervey family during this time of grief. We will continue to remember Veronica in our daily prayers.

Veronica will forever be in my prayers. My heart goes out to her family.

We are so sorry for your loss, to all the McKerveys! Veronica continues to be a inspiration to us. What a beautiful woman!

Love and prayers,

Sheldon and Theresa Barrett and family

My thoughts and prayers are with the entire McKervey family. May memories of Veronica and the love of family surround you and give you strength in the days ahead. Veronica was in my prayers, her beautiful smile will always be in my memory as her time with out illness. May she now rest and be at peace.

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1Cor 2:9