Jan. 10, 1919 – Dec. 5, 2024
Mary passed peacefully with her daughter by her side at Newport Harbor Care Centre. She was predeceased by her husband Sidney Smith, her mother Selina, father James, and her siblings Jimmy, Bryant, John and Nellie. She is survived by her son and daughter, Peter Smith (Robin) and Sylvia Coverdale (Don); four grandchildren, Christine Salhab (Richard), Corinne Magwood (Jason), James Smith (Marcy Crandle) and Christopher Smith; and three great granddaughters, Mia Salhab and Addison and Hannah Magwood.
Born in Oldham, Lancashire, England, Mary, after a short time in New Zealand where the family travelled to benefit her mother’s health, returned to Oldham and worked as a bookkeeper at the Oldham Chronicle. She met and married Sidney John Smith when he visited the Rudolph family (at the invitation of his friend Bryant Rudolph) at the end of WW2 when Sidney was there with the Canadian army “in defence of British pubs” as he would say. As a war bride, she came to Calgary in 1946. The majority of her time in Calgary was spent in the Inglewood area. She was a home maker focused on her family and after they left the nest, Mary volunteered with the Alexandra Centre Society in Inglewood and became an accomplished artist taking art lessons at Inglewood Silver Threads. She and her brother John moved from her house in Inglewood to Arbour Lake Retirement Community in 2007. She enjoyed living there until during the COVID pandemic when it became apparent that she needed more support and moved (after two intermediate placements) to Newport Harbour. Newport Harbour treated her very well and during her last 4 years she was comfortably cared for.
Mary enjoyed travelling. She toured Europe and Australia with Sid and they spent vacations with her brothers and families in Hawaii and camping in the Canadian wilds. After being widowed, she returned to Hawaii with her children and grandchildren and went with them to Disneyland and Disney World. Her grandchildren have fond memories of her laughing throughout the whole of the “Space Mountain” ride when she was 70+.
Classical music, playing cards with family, watching sports (golf, tennis, “football”…) on TV, a good “cuppa tea”, and roast beef dinners with Yorkshire pudding and lots of gravy were a few of her favourite things.
The family thanks Dr Keri Treherne, her physician for many years at “The Alex”, and the staff at both Arbour Lake and Newport Harbour for the excellent care Mary received, which undoubtedly contributed to her longevity.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Country Hills Crematorium and Funeral Services (11995 16th Street NE, Calgary, AB, T3K 0S9) on Saturday, December 21, 2024 at 2:00 PM.