Beloved mother of Jason and Markus and devoted grandmother of Yann, Youenn, Kaleb and Kieran. Kaie was the much-loved sister of Maia, Tõnu and Jüri, and a loving aunt to John, Krista, Rob, Kristopher, Ann-Britt, Matti, Thomas, and Erik.
Kaie was born on June 21, 1948, in Göteborg, Sweden. She was the fourth, and last, child of Johannes and Ilona Kadai. In 1951 the family immigrated to Canada, living in Northern Ontario near Moosonee for two years before settling in North Toronto where she grew up. She graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Arts in Science. She continued her education and obtained her Chartered Accountant designation shortly afterwards.
Though born in an ambulance in Sweden, Kaie’s heritage and heart was proudly Estonian. She was active in Girl Guides as well as Estonian Folk Dancing, where she met her husband Andres (Andi). She joined the same sorority as her mother, Korp! Indla, which she was proudly active in until her passing.
She had a very successful career with Coopers and Lybrand which enabled her to work in Toronto, Frankfurt, Germany, and Edmonton, along with Andi. Eventually she joined her brothers and became the CFO in the family business.
Kaie had an innate curiosity, indominable spirit, and a boundless sense of adventure, living life to the fullest. Her travels have taken her to numerous countries spanning all seven continents. Within the past year, Kaie fulfilled a dream of visiting both the Arctic and Antarctic, mingling with the penguins, sea lions, and whales. She travelled to the Galapagos with her sons and four grandsons. She was always happiest travelling with her family and experiencing the wonders of the world with them.
Kaie made her home in Fergus to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Moving there, she had the advantage of tranquil country living, exploring her creativity, tending to her garden, being with her dog Lily, and walking the trails and countryside with her newfound friends. She had the enduring quality and ability to make friends wherever she was. In Fergus, she soon had a circle of loyal besties with whom she would fill her days.
Kaie will be lovingly remembered for her kindness, generosity, energy, bubbly spirit, positive outlook on life, and her wicked sense of humour. She will be deeply missed by her family, her walking group, and everyone who met her. She had the unique gift of being able to live her life to the fullest and touch the souls of her family and friends along her journey through life.
At the request of Kaie, there will be no service, however, there will be a celebration of Kaie’s life in the summer of 2024 in Fergus. Notifications will be announced when time and place has been determined.
If you would like, you can make a donation in Kaie’s memory to the foundations close to her heart:
Nature Conservancy of Canada
Polar Bear International Canada