CecilPublicover

2018

Cecil Publicover

April 23, 1936 - January 24, 2026

Cecil grew up in West Dublin and attended a two-room school and had several jobs including desk clerk at the Bridgewater Fairview Hotel. He moved to Halifax in 1960 to work as a hospital orderly in long-term psychiatric care and continued in healthcare until his retirement in 1992. His younger brother Ron lives in Halifax.

He was an extensive traveler to Europe, Hawaii, Barbados, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Philippines, and too many other places to mention, and attended Expo 67 Montreal and Expo 86 Vancouver.1

Cecil was a member of SafeHarbourChurch for almost its entire existence and a diligent volunteer with its persons-with-Aids food bank, MannaForHealth. He followed Manna to its next home, StJohnsUnitedChurch, and remained a volunteer with it until shortly before his passing.

He was a regular and enthusiastic participant in ElderBerries events, again, since their beginning.

Here's the message from StJohnsUnitedChurch, February 28, 2026:

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Cecil Publicover.

Most of you will know Cecil from his presentation of our offerings every Sunday morning. He was a long- time and very valued member of our congregation.

Cecil was an avid and award winning gardener and loved to share his passion for flowers and plants with everyone who knew him.

We will miss Cecil's quiet wit, kind manner and excellent gardening tips.

Cecil's funeral was held on April 25, 2026 with 80 people crowding StJohnsUnitedChurch, officiated by Rev Rhonda Schofield. He's buried at Fairview lawn cemetery.

Thoughts

Donna Garden writes: I met Cecil many many years ago through ACNS. He always had a smile for me when we did bump into each other. He took care of so many individuals at a time when they needed caring. Those days were so dark and few for some and Cecil was a shining light to those who thought no one was there for them. Thank you Cecil for helping out dozens and dozens of humans and showing them love and understanding. I would love to read about his life. Blessings, Donna

Send in your thoughts and memories about Cecil for this page

In 2007, when Cecil was 71, VanceMaxwell did an oral history with Cecil Publicover with vast detail of gay life and the sexual life of a gay man in the 1960s through 1980s. The 22,000 word transcript is available to researchers by request.

HistoryProjectTodoList: create the table of contents for this.

Tags: PersonCategory OralHistoryCategory