Mrs. Mary Spike Anne Duncanson Fleming

Mary was born in Calgary and grew up in Alberta, the daughter of a CIBC bank manager. The family lived in Coleman, High River, and Lethbridge where Mary graduated from high school. She went on to study lab technology in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Minnesota. Following graduation, Mary moved to Vernon to work at Vernon Jubilee Hospital. She met and married the love of her life, John Fleming, in 1950. Their first ‘date’ was tobogganing down hospital hill — there was very little traffic at night in those days!

Mary and John had two sons, Doug and Bob. Mary began working again when her youngest son, Bob, began school, taking a position with the Vernon Medical Clinic as a lab technician, a position she held for almost 30 years until her retirement in 1990. She loved the people with whom she worked and she loved her job which she did with skill and devotion.

Outside of her work, Mary loved her home on Okanagan Lake near Brooks Lane in Okanagan Landing, loved to swim and even took on water skiing. She had a large garden, growing both vegetables and flowers. Fresh produce was guaranteed every summer. Mary also taught her boys the value of hard work by assigning them weeding duty from a very early age. Friends and family were hugely important to Mary and she was accomplished at putting on well-organized parties with amazing food and drink. Her Christmas dinners, often accommodating over 20 guests comprised of family and friends, were, to those of us who attended, unforgettable. Mary and John got the family snow skiing in 1966 and carried on with that sport for over 30 years. They helped with the Vernon Ski Club at Silver Star Mountain while for several years their sons raced at ski hills all over B.C. and Alberta. Mary and John grew to love the sport and shared many memorable ski vacations with close friends and good ‘gluwhein’. Sunshine Resort in Banff was a particular favourite.

Once retired, Mary and John hooked up the old travel trailer and journeyed far and wide across B.C. into the Yukon, Alaska, and beyond. One particularly memorable trip took them all across Canada to the Maritimes, experiencing more of this wonderful country and connecting with Doug and his then young family. Mary and John also had adventures in Great Britain, New Zealand, the Cook Islands, and Hawaii. No moss would grow on their feet in retirement!

Sadly, in her final years, Mary became ill and needed more care than John could provide at their new home on the East Hill in Vernon. Creekside Care Home on Okanagan Landing Road became her new home and John was her steadfast twice a day visitor. Mary faced her final days surrounded by her family and aided by the caring, talented staff at Creekside. A heartfelt thanks goes out to all those who made Mary’s final path easier to tread. With love, John and all the family say farewell to the vibrant, wonderful woman who was Mary Fleming. Rest in Peace. You will be in our hearts always.

Mary is survived by her husband of 63 years, John; her two sons, Doug (Karen) and Bob (Penny); grandchildren: Kelsey, Graham, Caitlin, Heather, Brent, and Margo; brother Spow Duncanson (Joan); sister Betti Boates; nieces and nephews; her sister-in law and long-time best friend, Betty-Jane Denison.

The Memorial Service for Mary, who passed away on January 6th, 2014, will be held at Pleasant Valley Funeral Home on Saturday, January 18th, 2014 beginning at 2:00 p.m. with Brian Jackson officiating. A reception will follow in the Tea Room.