Obituary of Marie McEwen

To watch the recording of the Service please click this link:
https://video.ibm.com/embed/recorded/130816367

 

McEwen
(Marguerite) Marie

Oct. 3, 1925 – Aug. 12, 2021

 

Marie McEwen (nee Cummins), 95 years, passed away peacefully on Aug. 12 at St. Ann’s Home in Saskatoon, SK. Marie was predeceased by her brothers and sisters, and by her husband, Fred. Mom is lovingly remembered by her children Bob, Mike [Anne Marie Moulin], Dave [Dixie Heron], Pat [Henry Doell], Mark [Linda Toote], Jim [Wendy], Paul [Gwynneth Jones], and 15 grandchildren: Melissa McEwen (Mike Brown), David McEwen, Julia Fodchuk (Matt); Christopher McEwen (Ellen Kirkpatrick) & Arielle McEwen (Paul Martin); Robert Doell (Marie Peteytas), Brian Doell (Rachel Hildebrandt), & Alisa Doell (Bryan Weber); Henry McEwen & Claire McEwen; Emily McEwen (Tyler Moellenbeck), Eleanor McEwen (Lewis Judd) , John McEwen (Heather Caswell) , Elizabeth McEwen, & Pamela McEwen; as well as 12 great grandchildren: Stella, Holden & Sadie; Landon, Paisley & Charlie; Malcolm, Ethan & Robin; Mathilda; Mae & Nola.

 

Marie was born in small town Rockwood, Ontario, and graduated high school in Toronto at age 16. She then took training as a stenographer, and worked as a secretary/office manager for a publishing firm that created the original Canadian Encyclopedia — much of which we were convinced she wrote. She met a young soldier visiting Toronto from his base in Kingston. They corresponded when he went to war, fell more in love when he got back, were married, and the next day  took the train to Vancouver to start a new life. Years passed, children arrived, promotions and transfers moved the family to Edmonton, Regina, and finally to Saskatoon in 1964. Marie was a woman of her time, proud and happy to be a wife and mother, and was a wonderful example of both.

 

Mom was a woman of great warmth and keen intelligence, with an artistic spirit. A lover of the English language, she made it a family sport to catch each other dangling a participle or mangling a metaphor. A sure way to get a smile from her was to use a five syllable word when a two syllable one was available, best done with a wink. Marie was a long time member of The Saskatoon Silver Quills Writers Group, and took great delight in providing doggerel poetry in every Christmas card sent to her kids. Griffin Poetry Prize material? Well, no, but written with such humour and affection they were much anticipated and enjoyed.

 

Music, though, was Mom’s truest love. Hum a few bars of any song and she could play it on piano, changing keys as needed to accommodate voices, all by ear, and done effortlessly without realizing what a special gift that is. She could play the heck out of a harmonica too, if asked. Mom passed that musicality on to all of her children, and it’s now a firmly established McEwen trait, across the generations, to play an instrument, and to play it well.

 

Marie was a five pin bowler of uncommon prowess well into her 80s, and loved to share the sport with her kids, too (though it is doubtful any of us can match her personal high score of 410). She was an avid fan of pretty much any televised sport, and could talk scores and post-game analysis with ease.

 

A member of Holy Spirit Parish since its beginning in the 1960s, she remained an active volunteer through the Church and the Catholic Women’s League for decades.

 

A new phase of life began when Fred died, and mom courageously faced the challenge of living alone after 44 years of marriage. After being a passenger for almost 70 years Marie got her driver’s license which built confidence and helped to maintain her independence — very important to her. She was always game to join family and friends on travels, which took her on a few cruises, as well as several European adventures. Luckily, she kept meticulous travel logs, which augmented her less polished photographic records. 

 

Her pride in her children, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren continued to her final days. She was a friend, a confidant, and a role model in how to give without expecting return. If you knew her you loved her, and now you’ll miss her dearly. Rest in peace Marie; you’ve earned it.

 

The family thanks the dedicated staff at St. Ann’s for their loving and steadfast work throughout these last difficult years as they cared for Mom. Their kindness to Mom and to us will never be forgotten.

 

The funeral service will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 19 at Holy Spirit Parish, 114 Kingsmere Place, Fr. Stefano Penna as celebrant.  All are welcome to attend. In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to St. Ann’s Home via https://stannsvillage.ca/ways-to-give/ or to a charity benefitting children.