SHIP and Headwaters mourn loss of Louise Kindree

By Paula Brown 

Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC) and non-profit partner Services and Housing in the Province (SHIP) are mourning the loss of long-time board member and volunteer, Louise Kindree. 

In a joint notice issued last Friday, July 22, Kim Delahunt, HHCC president and CEO, and Lesley Nagoda, chief executive officer for SHIP, remembered Kindree's many contributions with both organizations.

Kindree passed away on July 21 at the age of 75 following a short battle with cancer. 

“It is with great sadness that we learned of the recent passing of Louise Kindree,” read the joint notice. “We offer our deepest condolences to Louise's family, friends, and fellow volunteers. Louise will be greatly missed by all who knew her.”

Kindree was an active member of Headwaters Health Care Centre's Board of Directors, the Headwaters Health Care Auxiliary and the Board of Directors with Services and SHIP.

At Headwaters, Kindree served in various governance positions including Director, Chair and Vice-Chair of HHCC's board of directors starting in 2005. Most recently, she served on the governance committee of the board. For over 18 years, Kindree was a hospital-based volunteer with Headwaters Health Care Auxiliary.  

She also chaired a local recruitment committee for physicians from 2005 to 2016, which saw the recruitment of 15 family physicians.

Kindree was chair of the Board of Peach Ranch from 2014 to 2017, and was instrumental in leading its amalgamation with SHIP in April 2017. She had served on SHIP's board of directors since 2017, most recently as chair. 

Prior to retiring and volunteering actively in the community, Kindree worked for the federal government in Human Resources (recruitment, values, and ethics) for Health Canada and Environment Canada. 

“A supportive, thoughtful, and insightful person, Louise greeted everyone she met with a smile and a twinkle in her eye. She cared deeply for the health and wellness of people in the community and never shied away from getting involved to help make a lasting difference,” read the joint notice.

There will be no service or memorial. 

Kindree's final wish was that any donations in her memory go to Headwaters Health Care Foundation or SHIP.