Obituary of Leanne D. Durling

DURLING, Leanne Dawn (Kelley) - 29, of St. Croix and Newport Station, Hants Co., passed away with family by her side, Tuesday, February 28, 2012 in the Halifax Infirmary, QEII, where she had been a patient since September 29, 2011.Leanne was the daughter, and only child, of David and Angela (MacLeod) Kelley, Newport Station; cherished daughter-in-law of Jeff and Jackie Durling, Falmouth;  beautiful bride and loving, loyal wife to Matthew. Words cannot properly convey the sadness we feel upon losing Leanne. Born with cystic fibrosis, her life was a constant struggle to be healthy. On February 9, 2011, she underwent a double-lung transplant in Toronto. Serious complications arose following the surgery but she fought as hard as humanly possible to remain here with us, both after her surgery in Toronto and while in hospital in Halifax. Her Mom was her support person and remained steadfastly at her side during their 13 month stay in Toronto, and again in Halifax. Photographing and feeding the squirrels in the park across from her apartment in Toronto became her hobby. The squirrels in Toronto are all fatter, thanks to Leanne. Her nickname was "Mouse", affectionately given to her by her father-in-law because of her small stature and because of her might in fighting her disease. She was the little girl who waved to all the trains that passed in front of her tiny house in Newport Station. She grew up and graduated from Hants West Rural High School in Brooklyn and then went to work at Tim Hortons on Cole Drive in Windsor while attending Saint Mary’s University as a part-time student. On a beautiful sunny day, August 20, 2005, she married Matt in an outdoor ceremony in Victoria Park, Windsor. They had earlier gone on a trucking trip, in an 18-wheeler, to New York City. Leanne loved her family, her friends, her pets and all animals. She liked the colour blue, her Mom’s homemade meals and desserts and going to the Windsor Royals hockey games with her Dad.Also left to mourn her passing are numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins; brother-in-law, Frank (Sarah) and two nieces. She will be sadly missed by her lifelong friend, Haley; her dog, Chicago, and her cats Shamrock, Gibby, Indy and Scotch, who will all miss her too. She was predeceased by both her maternal and paternal grandparents and by her cousins, Betty-Jo, Scott, Ricky, Susan and Graham; uncles, Charles and Michael Kelley.In accordance with her wishes, cremation has taken place under the care and direction of DeMont Family Funeral Homes & Cremation Service, 419 Albert St., PO Box 981, Windsor (902-798-8317), where a funeral service will take place 2 p.m. Monday, March 5.The family would like to thank all of the doctors and nurses who have cared for Leanne over the years, both here, and in Toronto. Special thanks to Fran, her nurse/coordinator at the Infirmary and all of the support staff of the Cystic Fibrosis team on unit 8.2. Thanks also to the Lung Association of Nova Scotia and the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for a lifetime of support. Heartfelt thanks to all of the businesses and individuals from our community and beyond, whose generosity made her trip to Toronto possible. With special thanks shown to Armour Transportation Systems, Joan and Corey from Tim Hortons, Windsor, Chuck and Leslie Porter and Anne Parks.Family flowers only, by request. Donations in memory of Leanne may be made to Cystic Fibrosis Canada, 2221 Yonge St., Suite 601, Toronto, ON M4S 2B4; Stephen Russell Memorial Fund, C/O David Ripley, 2130 Blink Bonnie Terrace, Halifax, NS B3L 3E9 or The Lung Association of Nova Scotia, 6331 Lady Hammond Road, Halifax, NS B3K 2S2.Messages of condolence may be sent to the family by visiting: www.familycare.ca