Mary Jean Lavery

After a courageous battle with cancer Mary passed away on Sunday July 27, 2014 at Peterborough Regional Health Centre. Mary and Douglas (husband) just celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary in May along with their children daughter Susan Mary Jean (Matthews) and her husband Richard Matthews of Peterborough, and son Richard Douglas and his wife Janeva Healey of Toronto and grandchildren Connor and Foster Matthews and Keira Lavery. Mary is also the mother of David Irwin currently living in Singapore and the sister to Clark Irwin Forster of Toronto

Mary was an award winning graduate of Wellesley School of Nursing, Toronto. She worked as a nurse at the Montreal Neurological Institute where she received a post graduate diploma in Neurological nursing. She had the great privilege to work under Dr. Wilder Penfield, one of the world’s greatest Neurosurgeons.

In 1967 Mary moved to Peterborough and became active in the schooling of her three children and was an energetic member of the Queen Mary School Association for 13 years where she assisted in fund raising, regular volunteer work in the primary division and as a library helper. She simultaneously served as President of the Board of Directors of Family Counselling Service. In the 1980’s she initiated and was chairperson of the P.C.V.S Parent’s Association, setting up many volunteer activities. She was active in two successful campaigns to “Save P.C.V.S.”, the second time she was co-chairperson. For these many involvements in education, she received the Award of Merit as Educator of the year in 1985. She then decided to take one further step into the education world by running as a Trustee for the Peterborough Board of Education. She was elected and served for two terms as a trustee from 1985 until 1991.

Mary was active in many other organizations in Peterborough. She was an original member of the Board of Learning and Leisure, was a director of Peterborough Learning Disabilities Association, served for many years on organizing committees of the Festival of Trees, was a member of the Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee that protects the city’s heritage architecture and recently was on the organizing committee for Peterborough’s Doors Open Day.

With her love of history she became involved with the Peterborough Historical Society and was President for 3 years during which she rewrote the by-laws to bring them into the twenty first century. She then became the Chairperson of the Hutchison House living museum. She was involved with the Peterborough Centennial Museum and archives in the sorting, classifying and identifying glass plates and photographs of the Balsillie Collection of Roy Studio Images, especially those concerning Stoney Lake for which she became quite an authority. Her research skills came to the forefront as she became involved in the writing of two historical books. Mary was a chief researcher for the book “Stoney Lake – Gem of the Kawarthas” and was co-author of the book “Up the Burleigh Road”. For her journalistic endeavours she received the Award of Merit from the Ontario Heritage Trust. She also received the Peterborough Betterment Award from the City of Peterborough in recognition of her contribution to the community in 2007 and again in 2009.

Her artistic talents were many as she was a hand weaver, spinner, rug hooker, embroiderer and an instructor in silk ribbon embroidery. Mary combined these skills with further education at Sir Sandford Fleming College to become a Travel Consultant and a part time Professor in Travel at Fleming College she combined her artistic skills together to design, market and conduct tours specializing in hand weaving and other crafts. Over a period of ten years she guided tours to England, Ireland, and Scotland, many countries in Europe, Scandinavia and New Zealand.

She enjoyed vocal music and was an original member of the Jubilaire Women’s Chorus and an original member of the smaller Jubilation Chorus. She was also a member of Trinity United Church handbell choir. Mary was Chairperson of the Chancel Renewal Committee of Trinity United Church from 2000 to 2002. She was dining room hostess to many of the church fund raising functions and also served on many other committees at Trinity.

Mary had a great love of lakes, oceans and sand. She relished her time at the cottage on Stoney Lake, surrounded by her family and friends and the memories they made there. Mary loved to stand with her feet in the sand on the waters edge at a beach and watch the diamonds sparkle on the lake at the end of each day.

There will be a memorial service at 2:00pm Thursday August 14, 2014 at Trinity United Church, 360 Reid Street, Peterborough with a reception and visitation at 3:30 pm. Please join the family for the service, reception or both. In lieu of flowers donations to Peterborough Regional Health Centre, Peterborough Historical Society or Trinity United Church would be greatly appreciated.

The family would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Natalie Whiting and the phenomenal staff in Palliative Care at Peterborough Regional Health Centre. Arrangements entrusted to the Comstock Funeral Home & Cremation Centre, 356 Rubidge Street. Online condolences may be made at www.comstockfuneralhome.com