March 26, 1948 - June 19, 2025
After a lengthy health struggle, a dazzling light has returned to the stars.
Beloved wife of Daniel "Dan" of Sudbury. Daughter of the late Alan and of the late Mary. Loving mother of Peter (Karen) of Sudbury, Christopher of Mississauga, and Jennifer" Jenn" of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Dear sister of Margaret (Marty) of Toronto.
Mary's passion for learning, science, and nature was a constant throughout her entire life. Her love of nature was evident at a young age as a member of the Toronto Junior Field Naturalists Club and going on to earn her degree at Brock University with a major in Geology and minor in Botany.
Mary's career began during the1970s as an underground mine geologist in Quebec's Gasp茅 Peninsula and was one of the first women in Canada to work underground. There she met husband Dan, who together enjoyed raising their three children, and were in their 50th year of marriage at the time of Mary's passing.
She became dedicated to education when the kids were young, sitting on many parent and board committees, striving for excellence within the education system in the Toronto and Rainbow School Boards. Her community participation didn't stop there. In every place Mary lived, she was an avid volunteer in classrooms, with an avalanche search and rescue team, curling clubs, camera clubs, and was even a life guard. A highlight of her volunteering was being an integral part of cultural outreach for the 2008 Arctic Winter Games which focused on including remote NWT communities in their programs.
When her children were grown, she changed course by furthering her post secondary education at Laurentian University. Falling deeper in love with her commitment to the environment, she and Dan established their consulting company to assist with remediation and revegetation of mine sites along with ecological planning for future land developments. As a self professed" political junky", Mary kept an eye on the political landscape. Anyone engaging in a conversation with Mary would eventually enjoy a wide-ranging discussion of political views. Travel was another lifetime love of Mary's. She never sat still for very long. When she wasn't knitting yet another sweater, road trips with family and friends were always a favourite, whether they be along the Dempster Highway, camping their way across Canada, a quick jaunt to Toronto, or east to Nova Scotia. Mary was a staunch advocate for those she loved and what she believed in, fierce and loyal in every breath.
Farewell in Body ~ Love in Spirit