It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Kevin Michael MacPherson on December 22, 2025 at the QEII Veteran’s Memorial Hospital, Halifax, at age 90.

Kevin passed away after several years battling cancer. Born in New Waterford, Cape Breton on September 4, 1935, he was one of twelve children to Dan and Julia (Young) MacPherson.

Kevin received his early education at Mount Carmel School in New Waterford. He attended St. Mary’s University where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1957, and he also received the honorary Athletic M having played on the 1956 Maritime Championship football team. He was a member of the Canadian Army Provost Corps earning a commission as Lieutenant. He served in the first divisional concentration at Camp Gagetown, N.B.

Kevin entered Holy Heart Seminary, Halifax, NS, in 1957 and was ordained as a priest at St. Joseph’s Church in 1961. He served in the Parishes of St. Mary’s Basilica, St. Joseph’s, St. Agnes’, St. Catherine’s, and St. Patrick’s, all in the Halifax area. During this time, he received a diploma in Homiletics from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Kevin was a founding member of the Archdiocese of Halifax Mission in Peru, South America. He received a Diploma of Competence in the Spanish language from Escuela de Idiomas, Lima Peru.

Serving eight years in the Peruvian Mission, Kevin helped establish the Parish of San Jose Obrero, Chiclayo, Peru, and built the Church of Cristo Luz del Mundo. He also started the building of the main parish church in Victoria Nueva.

Upon returning to Halifax, Kevin found employment with the Nova Scotia Commission on Drug Dependency (NSCODD) and continued to serve part-time in the Parish of Immaculate Conception in Truro. Kevin received a dispensation from Rome to return to the lay state and settled in Pictou County. While working with the NSCODD, he introduced employee assistance programs to major industries in Northern Nova Scotia. He also established and nurtured local committees dealing with dependency issues in the counties of Northern Nova Scotia. He established and developed RAMPCO, a woodworking business employing recovering

persons.

Kevin settled in Waterside, Pictou County, together with his wife, Shirley, whom he married on March 23, 1979. He was a prime participant in the development and delivery of the Police Assisted Community Education Program (PACE). He worked closely with the RCMP across Canada to introduce this innovative drug awareness program.

During this time, he also received a Master of Education degree from St: F.X. University. He was then asked to join the Nova Scotia Premier’s Office as Information Officer.

Upon retirement from the Provincial Civil Service, Kevin joined the Human Resources Department of O’Regan’s Chevrolet of Halifax. Following this, he drove a tour bus to the Cape Breton Highlands for Ambassador Tours of Halifax. During this time, he built a summer home in Waterside, Pictou County.

Upon his return to Pictou County, Kevin became very active in the community as a board member of the Ship Hector Foundation. He developed innovative marketing efforts in the promotion of the Ship Hector as a tourist icon. Along with Rollie MacDonald of King Freight he received a major award from Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia (TIANS) for innovative tourism promotion. Upon returning to Halifax, Kevin became actively involved in St. Patrick’s Parish, as well as with the Care and Share Society. Kevin loved life and lived it to the fullest. His appointment as Justice of the Peace brought him much joy in assisting couples in the planning of their weddings and as officiant of these ceremonies.

Kevin was also a published author of the children’s book “Lucky: The True Story of a Farmer and a Fawn.”

Kevin is survived by his wife, Shirley (Cameron) (Halifax); sisters, Carmelina (Bourner) (Ontario), Pauline (Mesher) (Cape Breton); and Phil Currie (Halifax) who has been like a son to Kevin over the years.

He was pre-deceased by his parents, Dan and Julia MacPherson; sister, Uhleen; brothers, Fulton (Ruth), Walter (Linda), Charles, lan (Bernadette), Lawrence (Barbara), Danny, Paul Anthony, and Donald.

A special thanks to Drs. Fred Archibald and Mary Hanna for their care and concern over the years. Very special thanks to Phil Currie who was always there for Kevin and Shirley.

Funeral Service will be held on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, at 11 a.m., in St. Agnes Church, 6903 Mumford Rd., Halifax, N.S.