Kaye Williams.

When I asked 92-year-old Kaye Williams what her secret is to a long life, she said: “being content and working hard”.

Kaye spent over 35 years as a public health nurse in Guysborough County, NS. She graduated from St. Martha’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1950. Once completed, she moved from the small coastal community of Doctor’s Brook to complete a degree in Public Health at The University of Toronto; a massive deal in its day. She was offered a bursary if she would work in a rural area for at least two years. This brought her to Guysborough, where she eventually settled and raised four kids with her husband, Leland.

During my hour-long visit, she recalled working on the front lines during the polio and tuberculosis outbreaks in her earlier nursing days and compared them to the current situations we’ve been facing over the past two years. Kaye was particularly proud when she showed off an award she received from The University of Toronto in 2012. Kaye is no stranger to awards. She spent many years volunteering her time to different organizations throughout the community and has received many long-time service awards for her dedication.

I likely could have listened to Kaye’s stories all day, but near the end of our visit, she mentioned she remembered visiting my mum days after I was born. I can barely remember what I ate for breakfast, but Kaye remembered a visit with me over 32 years ago. Her mind and memory are as impressive as her accomplishments over the years and community contributions. They simply don’t make ‘em like you anymore, Kaye!

In January, Kaye suffered an injury to her hip and has been healing ever since. Due to this, she finds it most comfortable to sit in a chair in her living room that looks out onto the water. While this made it tricky to create a few images, I’m immensely happy with the portraits I did make with Kaye and I’m grateful for the time she shared generously with me.