May 15, 1946 – August 30, 2018
Mary died last week after a rich life and a brief battle with cancer. She lived with joy to the end and died peacefully surrounded by love.
Mary is survived by her children: Colleen, Andrea, Jennifer (Greg Berry), Matthew, Jacob (Krista), her grandchildren: Hayden, Julia, Adele, Betty, and Lydia, her sister Jean (Fred Smith), sister-in-law Patricia Lawrence and nieces and nephews Katherine, Adam and Meaghan. She is pre-deceased by her parents Geraldine and Bill Lawrence, her brother Patrick Lawrence.
She trained to become a Registered Nurse at the Victoria General (1967) and went on to earn her B.Sc. Nursing from St. Francis Xavier (1998). Her career in nursing spanned more than 50 years, beginning and ending with work at the IWK (“The Children’s”). In between, she worked at Twin Oaks Memorial, the Nova Scotia Hospital and as part of the Eastern Shore Seniors Mental Health Outreach team.
Mary saw beauty in everyone and everything. She was always creative, always making. In recent years she painted in watercolour and made collage, and throughout her life her gardens, her quilts, her sewing, her preserves were all outlets for creating beauty and sharing it with those in her world. She had a special love for the ocean and spent hours and days at beaches with family and friends, in all seasons.
Mary was an inspired and loving Mom and Nanny and a trusted friend to many. Through her tireless support for others at home, at work and in the wider world, she was a model of how to build community. She is deeply loved and will be terribly missed.
A Memorial Service will be held on Sunday September 16th
at the Portia White Atrium (in Citadel High) 1855 Trollope St.
1 – 1:30pm with a party to follow 1:30 – 4:00pm
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Metro Turning Point, a part of Shelter Nova Scotia. http://www.shelternovascotia.com/contribute
Online condolences can be sent to remembermaryritchie@gmail.com
