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- Kay was born on a prairie farm near Souris, Manitoba. After public school Kay attended Brandon College and later entered nursing at Winnipeg General Hospital where she graduated in 1937. She continued working there until 1941, when she enlisted as an RCAF nursing sister. She served at different Manitoba posts before volunteering for overseas duty. Kay wrote letters home almost daily. She would venture around the county on her days off. She saw many parts of England and went to Ireland & found family relatives from her fathers side of the family. It was at this time in war that she questioned her decision of being a nurse. There was so much suffering and no hope for some of her patients. But she continued on. May 8, 1945, Victory Day came. Talk of her coming home . She decided to serve as a nurse at the Nuremberg trials, and did not return to Canada until the end of May, 1946. Back home , Kay joined the Alberta Public Health Department in Calgary for a year before taking time off to attend the University of British Columbia for more courses. Later she spent time in ares south of Calgary. She transfered to the department of Indian Affairs. She had found a job that suited her sense of adventure and duty. Working out of the Charles Camsell Hospital in Edmonton, she travelled to northern Alberta and the foothill county, visiting reserves. February 1953 there was trouble at Big Horn. Kay & 6 men travelled to Big Horn Reserve out of Nordegg to collect four bodies discovered in a remote cabin, probably rancid moose meat. Next day she flew to Fort Vermillion and travelled down the Peace River to deliver a baby. Kays days were always full of adventure. One morning she received a wire. "Send Miss Brandon to us, there's polio on the Sarcee Reserve." Kay packed her bags and off she went. For the next following weeks, Kay continued to transport polio patients to the Camsell Hospital. Finally, exhausted, Kay checked into the hospital herself. The diagnosis was polio. On September 22, 1953, Kay Brandon passed away. A nurse who loved adventure, valued life deeply, had served her county and given so much, was gone. In October 1955, a cairn was unveiled on the Morley reserve near Calgary. They had raised the money, and wanted to pay respect to a nurse and a friend. Three months prior to her death , Kay became supervisor of nurses for the Foothills region. Dr. W. L. Falconer of Edmonton, regional superintendent of Indian Health Services stated " Kay was the first nurse at the reserve and was a Florence Nightingale type of nurse , she died from polio, contracted in the execution of her duties. She will always be remembered. "
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Singing Our Family Song
1912 - 1953 (41 years)
