Obituary of Christine Elizabeth (Mont) Rock

After a long and very courageous battle, a beautiful soul has left us, and is finally at peace. We sadly announce the passing of Christine at the Dartmouth General Hospital on June 19, 2021. Christine spent the earlier part of her life growing up in Eastern Passage, and later moving with her family to California, where she experienced many wonderful adventures that some children only dream of. Chris studied nursing at NSCC in Dartmouth. With her caring personality, dedication, and kindness towards others, she was a perfect fit for this rewarding profession. She worked in local hospitals and private care. After leaving nursing, Christine became involved with two of the family businesses. The first being the Animal Friends Society Shelter on McCully St., which was owned by her father. Here she worked as a dispatcher for Animal Control, with her great love and compassion for animals she found this to be a very gratifying job. The second family business, where she will be most remembered, was the Flea Market operation. She, along with her sister Janice, co-managed the Halifax Forum Flea Market for over 35 years. Christine loved the flea markets, jokingly saying that she needed her “market fix”, and rarely leaving empty-handed. But most of all she loved the people at the market, and the interaction with them every Sunday morning. Many of these people she regarded as her “flea market family”, and many great friendships were formed there. Christine’s family was of the utmost importance to her, and she loved them dearly. She loved spending time with family, and especially looked forward to her annual trips with them to PEI. These special times brought her great joy and happiness. Friends were also important to her. She had a great circle of close friends who were very encouraging and supportive throughout her life, and they all meant a great deal to her. Christine loved spending time in the kitchen and experimenting with new recipes. She was well known for her delicious fudge. The one thing that Chris was deeply passionate about was her dolls. She was a member of the Mayflower Doll Club for approximately 30 years, where she made some lifelong friendships. The highlight in her “hunt” for dolls was being able to go with her sister Janice, to the Brimfield outdoor antique shows in Massachusetts. It was here that she picked up some of her favourite dolls and treasures. Christine battled diabetes and its complications from an early age. When anyone else would have broken, she stayed strong. Through her, we know what resilience and perseverance look like. Even when feeling unwell, and asked how she was doing, her comment was always “I can’t complain”. She was truly an inspiration to us all. We only wish that so much of her life had not been lost to her illness. The family would like to thank all the nurses on 4 East at the Dartmouth General Hospital, where she became such a familiar face. A special thank you goes out to Dr. Jill Lawless who showed such compassion and gave us such comfort during Christine’s last days. Other doctors who held a special place in her heart included Dr. Janice Goodwin, Dr. Brian O’Brien, Dr. Dan O’Brien, Dr. Natalie Chang, and Dr. George Davis and his team. And not to be forgotten were her special hospital buddies, Durham, Marcy, and Faye, who were all so kind to Christine. Christine is survived by her parents, Bill, and Dorothy Mont; sister, Janice Mont; brother, Shane Mont (Allison); her “auntie”, Joan Fredericks; special cousins, Scott, Barry, and John Fredericks. She was predeceased by her grandparents, Scott and Jean Horne, and Mary Lawrence; “uncle”, Laurie Fredericks. Christine will be deeply missed by all those lives she touched, which were many. And although it is never easy to say goodbye, her memory will live forever in our hearts. Cremation has taken place. A celebration of life will take place at a later date.