It is with broken hearts and immeasurable love that we announce the passing of Matilda Rachel Dorothy Head, who left this world on February 13th, 2026, at the age of 51. She passed peacefully at the Lionel Kelland Hospice Centre. Born on April 18, 1974, in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, Matilda carried her small-town roots with pride, later making Grand Falls-Windsor her home for the past eight years.

Matilda was a force. She was fierce and determined. A fighter to her core. When Matilda was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2021, it only made her stronger. She didn't put her head down. Instead, she would rise above, time and time again, through every treatment, every scan, every medication, and every time the news wasn't hopeful.. she would say, "you just got to keep on keeping on".

If you asked Matilda about hobbies, she would quickly tell you she "didn't have a crafty bone in her body" and she was probably right. But what she lacked in crafts, she made up for in spirit. She loved to sing loudly, dance without hesitation, and listen to music from every era. She loved the warm weather and traveling, gatherings, laughter, and any excuse to be surrounded by the people she loved.

When Matilda walked into a room, you noticed. The room shifted. Her smile, her laugh, and her energy filled every corner. She didn't just enter a space...she took it over... and she knew it!

Above all else, Matilda loved her family.

Her greatest pride was her daughters, Rachel and Robyn. She was a mother who did her best every single day. She was proud... so fiercely proud of her girls and never hesitated to say so. She praised all of their accomplishments to anyone she could. Her love for them was steady, protective, and unwavering.

And then came her greatest joy: being "Nanny."

She absolutely adored her grandchildren, Avery —  "Nanny's Special Boy" — and Joey —  "Nanny's Girlie."

Avery lovingly called her "The Wild Nanny," a name that fit her perfectly. She showed him how to be brave, strong, and kind, not just with words, but by example. She poured herself into making sure they knew Nanny loved them. There was nowhere she would rather be than playing, singing, dancing, or simply soaking up every second with them. She was eagerly counting down the days to meet Rachel and Stephen's third baby, due March 9 — a grandchild she already loved beyond measure. There truly was nothing like being a grandmother in her eyes.

Matilda shared a love story for the ages with her devoted partner, Matthew. Anyone who knew them could see it — the way they looked at each other, the way they laughed, the quiet (or loud) understanding between them. Over the past 8 years, and especially the last 5 years through her diagnosis and every hard day that followed, Matthew stood by her with unmatched devotion and care... right until the very end. His love carried her. Their relationship was built on strength, loyalty, humour, fun, and a deep, unshakable bond. She loved him fiercely, not softly, not halfway, but with her whole heart. Both of them were always up for adventures together, dancing in the kitchen, creating memories, causing fun and chaos, making messes and worrying about them later, saying to hell with the dishes, the laundry, the noise of the outside world, and never saying no to love. Loving each other is what they have always done.

In loving Matthew, she gained more family, another daughter, Maci Rae, whom she cared for deeply, guided, and loved. She welcomed Maci Rae fully into her life and always tried to never let her forget that. She gained in laws, whom she had many beautiful and fun memories with. Family to Matilda was not limited by blood... it was defined by love.

She is left to mourn her parents, Robert and Geraldine Head and grandmother Dorothy Hodder. She leaves behind her loving partner Matthew; her daughters Rachel (Stephen) and Robyn (Tyson); her stepdaughter Maci Rae; her treasured grandchildren Avery, Joey, and Baby Frost #3; her brother Pernell (Teena); and her in-laws, Matt, Peggy and Amy Glavine (Shannon and Chelsea) and bestest friends, who were more like sisters, Rhonda Day and Kelly Bouzane. Her family circle was large and close — cousins, aunts, uncles, and extended relatives who shared in a lifetime of memories.

She was predeceased by her grandparents Rachel and Dorman Head, and Archibald Moores.

Matilda just loved life. Even when life was hard — and it was hard — she fought. She showed up. She kept going. She met challenges head-on, stubborn and strong, refusing to let anything define her except her love for her people.

To know Matilda was to feel her energy. To love her was to be loved fiercely in return.

Her legacy is not just in memories — it lives on in the strength of her daughters, in the laughter of her grandchildren, in the devotion of her partner, and in every room that still feels a little quieter without her dancing in it.

The family appreciates all the support at this time. They would also like to send a big thanks to the staff at the Lionel Kelland Hospice Centre for the wonderful care received, Dr. Wendy House, and all nursing staff on the obstetrical unit at CNRHC.

Cremation has taken place and there will be a celebration of life to follow in the summer warmth.

For those wishing to honour her memory, donations can be sent by e-transfer to: stephenfrost09@hotmail.com

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make happy when skies are grey. You never know dear, how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine away."

Arrangements have been entrusted to Sunset Memorial Funeral Home, 10 Bayley Street, Grand Falls-Windsor, NL.