Mary Meronek

She is survived by her three daughters; Barbara (Peter), Debbie and Ria; four grandchildren Elaine (Stephen), Claire (Michael), Jack (Thea) and Audrey; her great granddaughter Rosalie and Jack and Audrey’s father Glen Roane. She is also survived by her brother Bill (Kae), brother-in-law Ed and numerous nieces and nephews. Mary was predeceased by her parents, Leona and Daniel Gordica, her husband Jack, her sister Lil Nowakowsky and several nephews and nieces.

Mary was born at home and started school in a one room school house riding to school with the neighbour’s children in a horse and buggy. She completed High School in Legal Alberta and then went to secretarial school in Edmonton graduating in 1945. Her first job was for a candy wholesaler whom she said paid her very poorly, but she got to eat all the mis-wrapped candy she wanted, but that it was not good candy. She then worked for a collections agency for a month before going to work for Northern Transportation. Mary worked there for several years, working up north in the summer in camp. She had many fond memories of her time working in camp. It was at a dance that she met her future husband Jack, who also worked for Northern Transportation.

She and Jack were married on June 21, 1951 – the summer solstice. Jack never let Mary forget that was the longest day and the shortest night of the year! The newlyweds then spent July, August and September in Fort Smith, NWT and had many fond memories of that time. They then settled in Edmonton and Mary worked in a doctor’s office until her daughter Barbara was born in 1954, followed by Debbie in 1955, and Ria in 1957. Mary and Jack moved to Calgary when Debbie was one month old. Early in 1957 they moved into the house in St. Andrew’s Heights which would be their home for the next 28 years (with a brief two year blip of living in Winnipeg).

In 1967 Mary went back to work at the new Foothills Hospital working in admitting and the mailroom. From 1970-78 she worked as an assistant librarian for the Calgary Board of Education and from 1980-85 she and her sister Lil had a part-time catering business. They were known for the BBQ catering they did with the help of their husbands.

In 1985 Jack retired and they moved to Osoyoos, BC where Mary enjoyed having a big garden, but they missed family and friends and moved back to Calgary in 1989. Jack passed away in 2003 and Mary then began her next adventures doing a lot of travelling. One of her last trips was at 78 years old when she flew to Europe alone to meet her daughter Deb in Chamonix. There they rented a car, drove through Italy (Mary’s favorite destination) and then flew to St. Petersburg.

Mary lived the last seven years of her life in The Lodge at Valley Ridge. She enjoyed those years and made many friends at the Lodge.

Family was the most important thing in Mary’s life. She often said that when she married Jack she didn’t marry into a family, but into a herd because of the size of his family (he had over 100 first cousins!). Yet she was the one who knew them all, kept in touch with them, and knew where they were and what they were doing. Mary and Jack also travelled twice to Ukraine to visit family.

Mary’s definition of family included friends and later in life the friends of her daughters. She had a warm open heart that attracted people. Her door was always open and she will be remembered for her hospitality and great dinners. She made bread, canned, and believed in making things from scratch.

Mary was a great seamstress and would sew matching outfits for herself and her daughters for Easter. Later in life she took up quilting and family and friends were gifted with quilts she had made.

Mary was a woman of quiet strength who always believed in the good in people. She had a strong desire to see her daughters and grandchildren be successful in life. She believed in the power of education and started early by instilling the love of books in her daughters, although she was not a great reader until she moved into the Lodge. There she discovered a love for books and jigsaw puzzles.

Mary’s family extends their deepest gratitude to her family doctor, Dr. Matthew Borgstrom for his attentive and compassionate care, and to the staff of The Lodge at Valley Ridge for their kindness and care, and to Marla, her personal care companion, who made her final months much easier.

A Funeral Service will be held at FOSTER’S GARDEN CHAPEL, 3220 – 4 Street N.W., Calgary, Alberta (across from Queen’s Park Cemetery) on Thursday, November 21, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. Interment will follow at Queen’s Park Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society at https://cancer.ca/en/