Obituary of Kenneth Matheson

It is with great sadness we announce, due to rare complications related to ongoing treatment, that Kenneth Murdo Matheson MSc (McGill 1967) passed away after a valiant effort by Ken, his medical team and his family.  Everyone who knew or met Ken was rooting for him to pull through.  Sadly, his fight ended Saturday March 15, 2025.  Ken was 83 years old.

Ken was the loving husband of 55 years to Linda (nee Wallis).  Ken (“Kané”) was the proud and loving father (-in-law) of Anne (Phil) and Susan (former father-in-law of Trevor), Papa/Grandpa of Heather, Matthew, Curtis and Sarah.  Brother-in-law of Ron and Terry Wallis of Richmond, Ontario, Bruce Wallis and Ian Wallis of Pictou, Nova Scotia, uncle of Kevin, Wayne and Jane and cousin of many across Canada.

Ken grew up in the Town of Mount Royal in Montreal with his parents, Kenneth and Williamina (Macbeth) Matheson and extended family including his late dear Uncle Sam and his father’s endearing sister “Kuge”. Ken later moved to Ottawa where he lived, worked and raised his family.  Ken was a loyal, tenured employee of Bell Northern Research (later Nortel).

Ken’s greatest joys in life were his wife and family, his home and his cottage.  Ken was extremely proud of his wife, Linda (whom he loved profoundly) and daughters and their families.  Ken always had a keen interest in family lineage and provenance.  He kept many records that he shared with his children and grandchildren.  Two days before his passing, Ken’s eldest grandson, Matthew, brought profound joy to Ken by sharing photos of Matthew’s visit to the building in Scotland where Ken’s grandparents were married in 1891.  Ken was so thrilled for Matthew to be travelling the world and deeply touched that the trip included a visit to the ancestral lands in Scotland.

Ken’s talent for trim carpentry is evident throughout the home he loved and shared with his wife Linda.  Ken was a builder his entire life. He built tree forts and go-karts as a boy with his childhood friend, Nelson and he built his first cottage in Quebec, with his father. Ken was a fine woodworker and craftsman, building furniture and toys for his family.  The cottage he built in Ontario was a labour of love, always a work in progress, just the way he liked it. He loved swimming in the lake after a full day of construction. 

Ken was a determined, industrious, hard worker. Ken loved to tinker with engines and machines; a passion he shared with his youngest grandson, Curtis.  Ken could fix anything; he loved troubleshooting problems with his daughter Susan and grandson Curtis.

Ken always loved trains and had a keen interest in feats of engineering.  He witnessed the bridge replacements on the Queensway with great curiosity.  Ken had a fascination for architecture which he shared with his daughter Anne and his youngest granddaughter Sarah, who is studying to be an architect.  Ken was so proud of Sarah’s many amazing projects, including those featured in “Building 22 Architecture Magazine”.

Ken has always been an environmentalist, a steward of the land, careful to minimize his impact on nature when building, a passion he shares with his eldest granddaughter, Heather.  Ken loved walking in the woods and studying the trees and the soil with Heather.

Ken was a quiet, unassuming man; kind to everyone.  There are so many people Ken held dear, including neighbours (current and past), former classmates, coworkers and colleagues.  You all know who you are as you had the pleasure of calling Ken “friend”.  Even the staff at the Ottawa Hospital General Campus was won over immediately by Ken’s gentle soul, a man who loved to laugh and loved life.  Thank you all for the precious care you provide to our beloved Ken during his time with you.  He had a positive, friendly attitude and his sense of humour remained with him until the end.  Ken was cremated in a private ceremony with immediate family only, as per Ken’s wishes, on March 20, 2025 at the Pinecrest Crematorium.  He will be forever in our hearts and thoughts.

Love you to the moon.

xoxo