Mary T. MacKinnon

“I’ve had a wonderful life,” Mary said, when they put it to her that the inevitable was now most inevitable. “Wasn’t I fortunate? You imagine! I left home at 20 years old, on my own, and went to Halifax and then all the way to Boston and made a life for myself. Imagine! And then travelled the world!”

She was always on the go, Mary Theresa MacKinnon was. Couldn’t sit still. Couldn’t get there fast enough or leave early enough. And on Monday, May 22, 2023, she left again; in her words, “returning home to God”, surrounded by her family, drifting away peacefully in the An Cala Palliative Care Unit after a brief illness.

Mary was born on May 2, 1936, at the Meadows Road and was the daughter of the late Neil P and Bessie (Fraser) MacKinnon.

Mary was brought up Catholic and it stuck. Faith was the air that she breathed. Generosity, hospitality, and prayer she practiced, as they say, 24/7. And when she retired, she became a lay-missioner for the Sisters of St. Cabrini in New York City, who sent her to serve in New York City (she was near Ground Zero volunteering in a hospital during 9/11) and New Orleans, and away to Baguio City, Philippines, Swaziland, South Africa, and in Melbourne, Australia helping whoever needed help. Her quiet creed was simple: “You want to be happy? Make somebody else happy.”

But she was also a Cape Bretoner, and after her mission work was done, Mary made her way back home to family and old friends. She loved Celtic and Cape Breton music, and never missed Donnie Campbell’s Celtic Serenade. She played a good game of cards, and always welcomed family and friends in for a hand or two and a bite to eat. She was getting up in years, but remained fiercely independent, and strong willed (maybe a shade impatient!), and continued to blaze trails.

Speaking of which, she had a lead foot and never went anywhere under the speed limit. She drove her little red sports car always on a mission, taking people here and there to various appointments, running errands for friends, or just driving for the love of going somewhere with a good wind in her hair. She was sharp and quick. She had a keen sense of the beauty of life, loved a good joke, loved picking Mayflowers and going to Mass. She knew who she belonged to, and more importantly, where she would be going and in that unshakeable belief, left us, never mind herself, at peace upon her departure.

Resettling at home, Mary became a faithful member of St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Parish in Sydney, and was a founding member of the Sisters of St. Martha Associates in Sydney more than 40 years ago. She volunteered with the Friends of the MacGillivary Guest Home, and with the V.O.N., and helped a lot of people just as herself.

Mary is survived by her two siblings, Theresa Gillis (Sydney), and Bernie MacKinnon (North Sydney) and sisters-in-law, Cecilia MacKinnon (Sydney River) and Marguerite MacKinnon (Sydney Forks) who will miss Mary dearly. Mary also leaves behind many adoring nieces and nephews who will cherish their stories and memories of Aunt Mary. She also had close friendships with the sisters of St. Martha, Antigonish, the Cabrini Sisters, NYC, and her dear friend, Eileen Kingsbury of Sydney. Mary had so many wonderful friends around the world, too numerous to mention! Thank you all for being part of Mary’s life.

Mary was predeceased by her parents, her sisters Peggy and Minnie, her brothers John, Neil, Malcolm and Michael, three sisters in infancy, her sisters-in-law Marguerite Emily MacKinnon and Chrissy MacKinnon, her brothers-in-law Rannie Gillis (Sydney) and Pat Flaherty (Braintree, MA), and her nephew Leonard MacKinnon.

A funeral Mass of Christian burial will take place on Monday, May 29, 2023, at 11 am, at St Marguerite Bourgeoys Parish in Sydney, NS. For those unable to attend, the funeral will be livestreamed via TW Curry's Facebook page. Mary will be laid to rest with her family at St. Mary’s Parish, in her beloved East Bay.

Donations may be made in memory of Mary, if desired, to St.Vincent de Paul (1452 Kings Road, Sydney River, NS. B1S 1E6), or by doing a kind gesture for another. Arrangements are entrusted to T.W. Curry. Online condolences can be left for the family by visiting twcurry.com