11/11/2025
There are names and stories that echo quietly through the generations — passed down like heirlooms of honour and memory.
Today, we pause to remember them.
Across our families and our team, the story of service runs deep.
Kate’s grandfather, Ken Hodges, served with the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War, following in the footsteps of her great-grandfather Hodges, who fought through the trenches of the First World War. Though left with permanent lung damage, he answered the call again in the Second, serving as a military cook, sustaining others on the long road home.
Bill’s grandfather, Bill McKinnon, also served with the Royal Canadian Navy in the Second World War, alongside brothers who took to the sea and the sky. One of them, Lloyd, never returned home. Bill's grandfather's uncle, his grandfather's namesake, another Bill McKinnon, fought with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in the First World War — a man who survived a gunshot wound to the chest but carried the weight of the war in his soul for the rest of his days.
That tradition lives on. Kate served in both the Canadian Army and, most proudly, with the Royal Canadian Navy (Regular Force) — standing watch as a Sonar Technician at sea. Bill continues to serve as a Commissioned Officer in the Canadian Armed Forces (Cadet Instructors Cadre), guiding and inspiring the next generation through the Cadet Program.
Our Chief Engineer, Steve Muss, too, once wore the uniform — serving proudly in Montréal with the 3rd Field Engineer Regiment, a legacy of strength and service continued through his hands and heart today.
From the militias of New France, to the Winnipeg Home Guard, to the sailors, soldiers, and builders of today — these stories remind us that remembrance is not just about the past; it’s about gratitude lived forward.
At SO | LO, we remember not only those who fell in the field, but also those who carry and those who have fallen to unseen wounds home, and those who continue to serve in quiet dedication.
For all who served, and all who still serve — thank you.
For those who gave everything, and for those who gave all they could — we will remember you.
Lest we forget. 🇨🇦
Kate McKinnon Kate McKinnon Stephen Muss
