As a toddler, Mary spent 2 years in the Belgian Congo (now DR Congo), where her parents were missionaries. When Mary’s father pastored the MB church in Yarrow, B.C., she was tasked with picking his berry crop and overseeing younger siblings. Mary had fond memories and lifelong friends from her years at Mennonite Educational Institute, Abbotsford, B.C. During her 3 years at MB Bible College, Winnipeg, she met John. He asked to walk her home from a private Valentine’s party in 1958; Mary consented, and a romance was born. During their courtship, Mary completed Teachers College, and after their marriage, began teaching in East Kildonan (Winnipeg). After 3 years, Mary took time away to raise 3 boys. She was an accomplished pianist, self-taught organist, and joyful singer. In her home, she taught piano to a steady stream of children, teens, and young adults, including her sons. When she returned to formal teaching, Mary worked with young children, helping them learn to read and write. As a resource teacher, Mary found her true passion, taking a keen interest in the lives of the students, working closely with teachers and families to ensure her students’ success. The greater the challenge, the more time Mary put into it. After her retirement at 56, Mary spent three semesters teaching literature and writing at Lithuanian Christian College (now LCC International University) in Klaipėda, Lithuania. Some of her fondest memories were of volunteering annually at the International Wycliffe Center, Dallas, and the Wycliffe Mexican Center, Catalina, Ariz. When age made travel difficult, she volunteered at a Wycliffe boutique in Calgary and enjoyed community at Bethany Chapel. Mary was a loving, devoted mother. Perhaps out of self-preservation, but mainly owing to her values, she expected everyone would pitch in with cooking and cleaning – at a time when most boys and men were getting a free pass. In retirement, Mary and John travelled to Lithuania, Nicaragua, the Middle East, Mexico, Russia, and Ukraine. She was fond of the Canadian Rockies. Mary always enjoyed meeting new people and spending time with children and grandchildren. After a pandemic year of relative isolation, Mary suffered a series of strokes in mid-April from which she would not recover.
