Myrna Kay Kingscote

     Myrna Kay Kingscote (Née Marks) 

The Yukon has lost one of its most ardent promoters. The feisty “Mini Mighty Myrna” passed peacefully at Whistle Bend Place with her complete family by her side. 3 Sons, 3 Daughters-In-Law, and 6 Grandchildren.

Myrna has had a very eventful and full life from beginning to end. Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, she took on family responsibilities early due to her father suffering a devastating stroke at a very young age, leaving a single mother with two young girls, Myrna, and her younger sister Carol.

She attended Prince of Wales school in the Shaughnessy district of Vancouver (one of the few small schools in Vancouver that went from K – 12). As a young teenager, she said she was a bit of an “athletic klutz,” so she joined the Cheer Leader Squad and cheered on many of her school’s victories.

After graduation from P.W., she was offered the job as one of the School Secretaries at Vancouver Technical High School and became the youngest school secretary in the Vancouver school system.

In the summer of 1960, while at the beach with a girl friend from school, she spied two handsome young men on a sailboat anchored just off the beach. She talked her friend Wendy into joining her in swimming out to meet the two fellows on the boat. This was where she met her future husband, Jack Kingscote. They were married in 1963 where she supported the two, and after son Andrew was born, the three of them, while Jack finished his teaching degree at UBC. Two more sons later, Sean and Cameron rounded out the Kingscote family.

In the mid 1970’s, Jack got itchy feet and wanted to try teaching in a smaller community outside of the metropolitan Vancouver area. Both Jack and Myrna were hesitant to make such a large change but with Myrna’s encouragement, Jack took on a 4 month teaching assignment in the village of Mayo, Yukon Territory. Both Jack and Myrna fell in love with the Yukon and stayed in the Yukon until her passing.

Myrna worked for Human Resources Yukon for 2 years and then became the secretary for the Mayo RCMP. Being Myrna, she became the president of the Mayo Community Club, and under her leadership was responsible for many of Mayo’s facilities like Mayo’s swimming pool. She also spearheaded Mayo’s Winter Carnival and the most popular, twice weekly, movie nights.

The family moved from Mayo to Whitehorse in 1981 and Mayo’s loss was Whitehorse’s gain. She became the secretary of Jeckell Jr. High School until her retirement in 1998. After attending the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous’ Air Display that year, and entertaining the Military performers at her home, she became a member of the Rendezvous Society with the idea of using her successes of the Mayo Winter Carnival. Jack also became the Air Show Coordinator. She fulfilled every directorship and over the years coordinated every event Rendezvous ran. She became president and filled that position for many successful years, but managing the Can-Can line and becoming “Queen Mom” were her two favourites.

After her retirement from Jeckell School, she formed her own Rendezvous Costume rental business and ran it successfully until 2018.

Myrna is survived by:

Her husband of 60 years: Jack Kingscote.

Three sons: Andrew, Sean, Cameron.

Three Daughters-in-Law: Mandy, Karri, Kim.

Six Grandchildren: Maxwell, Mitchell, Ariana, Hannah, Quinn, and Rylee.

One Great Grandson: Blake.

Some of Myrna’s awards and recognition include:

Honorary Member of Snowbird Air Demonstration Team 1995

The Canadian Forces Northern Area Commander’s Commendation

The Queen’s Jubilee Medal

The Yukon Commissioner’s Award

Honorary Life Member of Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous Society

Named Mrs. Yukon in 2010

Had the name of the Rendezvous Air show renamed to the Kingscote Air Display

We would like to extend the family’s heartfelt thank you to all the great staff at Whistle Bend Place for their exceptional care and understanding in her troubled times and especially in her final days.