Obituary of Mary Agnes Beechinor

MARY AGNES BEECHINOR (nee Waldbillig) Mary Beechinor our mom, nana, grandma, sister, and great-grandma passed away on Wednesday, December 7, 2016. She was predeceased by her husband Robert (Bob) only six weeks ago on October 24th. Mary will be missed by her children Colleen, Michael, Tim (Lisa), John and Kevin (Stephanie), sister Norma, and her grandchildren whom she loved so much Jennifer (Scott Leflar), Quinlan, Madison, Brogan, Mary, Julia, Kate and Thomas. She’ll also be missed by her great-grandchildren Emma and Owen who provided so much joy to her later in life. Mary is predeceased by her parents John and Mary Waldbillig, brothers Roman, Walter, John and Corky as well as her sister Helen. Born in 1931, she grew up in Cudworth, SK with a large extended family. Mary had many opportunities for activities and fun, from skating, to playing ball, to spending summers at Wakaw Lake. She attended school at St. Ursula’s convent in Bruno, SK and went on to nursing school at St. Paul’s in Saskatoon. During her first job as a public health nurse in Turtleford, SK in 1953, she met Bob; they married on June 4, 1954 and settled in Prince Albert to start a family. The family’s journey followed Bob’s career moving several times including to North Battleford and Winnipeg before returning to the haultain area of Saskatoon. Mary’s passion for gardening and family was constant through the years and in many ways they mirrored each other. She gave her garden, like her children and grandchildren, a good start with fertile soil, love and attention, often giving her time or lending her ear to help the child be heard and feel successful. If weeding, transplanting, fertilizing or even a bit of manure was needed she did everything necessary to care for and grow the things she loved. Like many of her generation, she was the steady force that helped keep the family together, even when the wind blew, the rain fell, and the frost hit. Her passion for gardening allowed her to touch many lives. She mentored inner city school kids in gardening giving them an experience of growing and shaping life with their own efforts. Mary had a love for playing the piano, making puzzles, reading and playing cards, especially when these involved spending time with her grandchildren. In fact, she famously taught her four year old granddaughter how to count by playing poker. Mary’s unconditional love for her family lasted through all of life’s challenges; she was always in your corner as a mother, a spouse, a counsellor, and always had time for coffee, baking and a chat. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Francis Xavier Parish, 222 Willow Street, Saskatoon, SK on Thursday, December 22, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. followed by a lunch reception in the parish centre. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Mary to Chalice 101-26 Union Street, Bedford, NS B4A 2B5 or online at online at www.chalice.ca.