MaryKathrynArnold

Mary Kathryn Arnold

circa 2024

January 29, 1976 - February 16, 2026

Mary Kathryn Boyle Arnold, beloved queer poet and librarian died peacefully on Monday, February 16, 2026, at the Victoria General Hospital at the age of 50. Despite everyone’s best efforts, she suffered greatly in her last few months due to the complications of both mitochondrial disease and ALS.

Mary Kathryn (MK) was born in Halifax, NS, the daughter of Kathryn (Boyle) Arnold and John Arnold. She attended Halifax Grammar School and then graduated with a B.A. in English from the University of King’s College. She spent several years in Toronto earning a Master of Arts in English from the University of Toronto. While at Massey College as a PhD? candidate, she met her best friend, Jenny. She later returned to Halifax where she earned a Master of Library and Information Studies from Dalhousie University. This period is when her health challenges started. She did not have a fighting chance.

First and foremost, MK was a poet. She took part in a residency at the Banff Centre. Her work has appeared in Canada and the US in the Fiddlehead, the Antigonish Review, Arc, All Rights Reserved, the New Compass, Mezzo Cammin, Lavender Review, Lesbian Quarterly, Prairie Fire and Dalhousie Review. She continued writing poetry right until the end even though she had to dictate it letter by letter to her wife.

MK had the biggest of hearts and she shared her love of poetry, books, music, movies, food, photography, yoga, walking, shopping, cooking, colours, and fashion (always with pockets) with all of those around her including her wife, Katie, her sister Maggie, and her two nieces Rose and Clara.

She went blind in her mid-thirties because of a rare mitochondrial condition called Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy. The resilient “Irrepressible Mary Kate” faced these challenges day-to-day and went on many city walks and bus rides with “Wonder Dog” Texas, her trusty seeing eye dog.

MK was predeceased by her parents and by “Princess Buttercup” Texas whom she missed dearly. In Heaven’s kitchen, she and Texas are dancing to Bruce Springsteen and making cupcakes with her mom. MK, si vales, bene est; ego valeo.

Her last months were marked by illness spent in various hospitals with her wife. Her wife would especially like to thank the Nova Scotia Rehabilitation Facility – 5th floor staff who gave her the best end-of-life months possible given the circumstances.

MK was the organizer of the first ever Halifax Dyke March and told the story of that in WayvesMagazine1 and wrote several reviews, including a detailled review of the February, 2007 Vagina Monologues2.

Her memorial will be a combination of an informal gathering / poetry reading at 1pm on Sunday, February 22 (Halifax Public Gardens - Family Lawn Area) followed by a wake / collage party at the Martello condo building (1550 Dresden Row) common room from 2:30pm-6pm (drop-in). Donations may be made in her memory to either the ALS Society or the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.

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