Mary Elizabeth Hannah

Mary Elizabeth Hannah (née Meynell) passed away peacefully on August 13, 2024, just shy of her 97th birthday, surrounded by her loved ones. She was predeceased by her sisters Elsie and Francis, and her brothers John and Walter.

Mary was born in Ardrossen, Alberta, and moved to BC with her family as a young person. One of her earliest jobs was working as a telephone operator and supervisor at Okanagan Telephone (Enderby, BC) and then BC Tel (Kamloops, BC). Later on, she met and married Merwyn Hannah in Kamloops in 1952 and after the birth of two children they moved to Vancouver where she worked for many years as a cashier at Woodward’s department store in downtown Vancouver

Mary is survived by her husband, Merwyn, her children Bryan (Lorraine) and Judy (Len), her grandchildren Nicole, Erin, Ashley, Bradley, and Fiona, nine great grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.

In addition to being a very good cook and an impressive homemaker, Mary enjoyed many happy years of family camping and being an active member of the Kamloops Snowmobile Association. She was also an extremely talented weaver, knitter, and leatherworker. Mary was blessed with a great sense of adventure and a unique sense of humour, and she engaged in life with a great deal of purpose and vitality. She will be greatly missed by her family.

“No winter without a spring

And beyond the dark horizon

Our hearts will once more sing...

For those who leave us for a while

Have only gone away

Out of a restless, care worn world

Into a brighter day”

-"There Is No Light Without a Dawning" by Helen Steiner Rice