Kingsley Warwick Armitage

Kingsley (95), passed away in the very early hours of July 31, in the presence of family, and after a full evening of visits with his children and their spouses and many of his grandchildren and their spouses and partners, all of whom had a chance to share some stories, laugh, cry, and say their goodbyes. He was content in the certain knowledge he would be joining his beloved wife Heather (née McAllister), who left us in 2024.

Kingsley was born and raised at the family farm in South March, to Godfrey and Joan (Foot) Armitage, and is predeceased by Heather, by his siblings and their spouses: Mickey, Robin (Lu), Bill (Shirley), Roly (Mary and Karen), Frank (Kay), June Pye (Brian), and Peggy Scott (George), his brother and sister in law, Russell and Betty McAllister, and by his grandson Maxwell James Armitage.

Kingsley married Heather in December, 1958. After an adventurous and ambitious honeymoon in South America, Mexico, and California, they started married life in Regina, eventually moving back to Ottawa. Together, they had a large and loving family, and enjoyed many lifelong friendships they made along the way. Heather’s brother Russell, and his wife Betty visited from Alberta often, and participated in some epic, spontaneous road trips. Russ and Pearl Haines, whom they met as newly wed couples in Regina, remained close lifelong friends and very dear to their hearts. To identify them all would risk missing some, but those many friendships were so profound that they will live on not only in the memories of those who survive them, but also in the ongoing relationships forged amongst the subsequent generations.

Kingsley will be missed by his children, Blair (Kerry), Neil, Fay (Thom), and Jim (Laura).Pop was loved and will be long remembered by his grandchildren Andrew (Kristen), Kayla (Kevin), Matthew (Norma Jean), Hannah (Murray), Emma (Mustafa); Claire, Ava (Alan), Petra, Willem (Megan); Michael (Amy), Alexis (Jared), and David (Vanessa); and great-grandchildren Heather, Ben; Miles, Benson, Sybil; Kenny, Daisy; Reem; Kinley; and Lyle. His grandchildren will all have their own personal memories of working alongside or talking to or listening to Pop’s stories. To us all, his memory will be a blessing.

Together, Kingsley and Heather were the gravitational centre of a large and ever-growing family that shared Sunday dinners and celebrated birthdays and weddings in their home on the shores of the Ottawa River. Whether at the counter in the kitchen, or in his chair on the porch overlooking the river, Kingsley enjoyed nothing more than sharing stories of being a farmer in the 1930s-40s as a child helping his older brother Robin, while other brothers served the war effort, his time in the RCMP, fishing, hunting, travelling, his business endeavours, his children and grandchildren, or how today’s hockey goalies would really benefit from using a short, sawed-off goalie stick… There were also hilarious stories from times past about local characters and their exploits, or unique turns of phrase. Anyone who listened to him for any length of time is likely to have found themselves using some of those stories or expressions without thinking about it.

After Nepean High School, Kingsley worked at Jasper Park Lodge, on the Alaskan Highway, and in a lumber camp, experiences that all stood out in his mind for the tales and lessons learned. Then came his acceptance to enrol as a member of the RCMP (reg #18175), of which he was very proud. While his career was cut short by an injury, the discipline, training, and friendships he gained at that time stayed with him to his core his entire life. After rehab, he embarked on a new career in the world of veterinary medicines with STB. When he started his own company, he did so as a partner with his long time mentor and friend, Tom Carroll. Together, they created Armitage-Carroll Ltd, an all-Canadian company of national scope that competed successfully in a market dominated by large multi-national companies. At one time, there likely wasn’t a veterinarian involved in the large animal sector, livestock or equine, they didn’t know. All of these experiences became part of who he was and how he lived, and along with his farming upbringing, were the heart of the ethos he lived by and tried to impart to his family.

A quirk Kingsley had from childhood was a love of geography. Travelling through Mexico in the 1950s with his friend Bert Neilson, upon rounding a bend he declared “oh, look, Mount Popocatépetl!”, which he instantly recognized from a grade school text. Bert nearly took the ditch. After years of extensive travel as a salesman throughout Saskatchewan and Manitoba as well as New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI, Kingsley would astonish new acquaintances who lived in small localities with a detailed description of their town, its highlights, and the surrounding small communities.

Medical issues meant significant changes to his lifestyle in his later years. Kingsley especially thought quite highly of his PSWs Carl at home, Sandra at Hazeldean Gardens, and Assya and Anna at Bridlewood Trails. His family shares his appreciation for the warmth and professionalism they brought to their work, and are also grateful to the nursing staff and directors at Bridlewood. In his final hours, the nurses and doctors at Queensway Carleton were compassionate, attentive, and thoughtful. For his ongoing care in the last several years, he praised Dr. Cohen, Dr.Powers, Dr. McLaughlin, and Dr. Morgan in particular. Thank you.

With Heather, Kingsley was a long time supporter of Save the Children, the Canadian Cancer Society, the MS Society of Canada, The Kidney Foundation of Canada, and Autism Canada. The family would be very pleased to have any of those charities or a charity of your choice supported in their memory, in lieu of flowers.

A graveside ceremony will be held at St. John’s Cemetery, August 25, 2026, at 1:00 pm. An opportunity for friends and family to share a “tea and a muffin” (and other bits and bites) will take place at 350 Berry Side Road, from 2-4.