In Memoriam 2025, Susan Amos and Helga Lavigne
Helga (Rothweiler) Lavigne
Kellyscot kennel
Helga was born and raised in Karlsruhe, Germany. As a young adult, Helga migrated to Canada and lived first in the Montreal area where she met and married her husband Francois Lavigne (d 1989). They moved to the Ottawa area where she spent most of her life. She worked for the Federal Government until her retirement.
She is survived by her daughter Jocelyne (Kris) and her son Francois (Daniela). She has 5 grandchildren: Alexandra, Aryane, Gabriel, Simon and Jacob, and four great-granddaughters, Mya, Mahelie, Elisa-Fay, and Braia, all of whom brightened her last years.
One of her passions in life was raising and living with the giant Irish Wolfhounds. She got her first wolfhound in 1978 (Scot Ciarchuill). Six litters were bred or co-bred under the Kellyscot name - the first in 1980 and the last in 2011. She was a long-time member of the Irish Wolfhound Club of Canada and served over the years as Secretary and Bulletin Editor.
Her last wolfhound was Georgia (Ch. Wolfholm Georgia Na Glenamadda) who passed away in May 2024. Helga moved into a retirement home in November 2024 and then into hospice on October 10, 2025.
Helga (on right) is pictured here on September 30, 1994 at the Fingers Lakes Shows with Judge Mrs. Thomas (Diana) Powers, co-breeder Susan Prokopenko and co-bred dog Lissa (Ch.Glenamadda Kellyscot Felicity). One of her nicest memories!
Donations may be made to: Hospice Care Ottawa:https://www.hospicecareottawa.ca/donate/
or The Irish Wolfhound Foundation:https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/Me78QbHpsVFwBY-nhzomfQ?t=1547148773
As a tribute to her work for the club as bulletin editor, here are some extract of "letters to the editor" send in some bulletin during the mid 1990 when Helga was the chief editor.
As you can see Helga’s work has been much appreciate as a chief editor and Board member.
She also supported the Club and attempted many specialties, including almost all the Québec specialties shows where she had a remarkable success with veteran bitches.
She will be missed by all of us.
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In memoriam Susan Amos
Castleborn kennel,
founder-member of the IWCC
Written by Susan herself just few weeks before she passed.
« I was born in 1943 and arrived in Canada with my family from England in 1951. As a teenager I tagged along with my friends to dog shows, obedience trials, field trials and horse shows which expanded my knowledge and love of dogs and horses. My heart was finally lost to one breed, the Irish Wolfhound, when I saw Moiragh of Ballykelly at the CNE in 1960. A tall beautifully balanced and elegant hound, she literally floated around the ring.
There wasn't much written material available at that time, so I joined the American Irish Wolfhound club and the West Coast Irish Wolfhound Club and soaked up as much information as possible. I was really fortunate to receive the guidance of several of the top American I.W. breeders; Alma J. Starbuck (Ambleside), Lois Hall (Fleetwind) and Samuel Ewing (Eagle). Hounds from these kennels ultimately formed the foundation breeding stock for my own Castleborn Kennel.
Marriage to Rene de la Roche; the arrival of our daughter Liane, together with building Castleborn kennels made for a very busy time. As more I.W. owners met at local shows a group of us decided that we needed a national I.W. Club to support the breed and act as a resource for new and prospective owners. The Club was officially formed and the Charter issue of The Bulletin was distributed in 1971 to an excited membership of 84.
As one of the founding members of the Club I served as Secretary for several years, worked on the design and content of the IWCC Handbook and participated in running some of our early dog shows. I also had great fun designing and sculpting a trophy of two lovely reclining hounds for one of our local Kingston shows.
The show ring wasn't really my thing, but raising happy healthy puppies and finding their perfect forever homes was my happy place. Nothing delighted me more than seeing a litter of puppies gambling about in their paddock. Sam Ewing was a great friend and helped by campaigning several of my hounds in the U.S. to their American championship as I kept busy with the kennel here and raising my daughter Liane.
My Irish Wolfhound years brought wonderful friendships and the companionship of many beautiful hounds. I count those years as "golden" with wonderful memories; some of the best years of my life. »
Susan Amos has been a pillar of our club, and we will always be grateful to her.