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Mary C. MacFarlane - 1918 - 2018
April 6, 2018 at Peterborough, Ontario, in her 101st year. Resident of Peterborough, Lindsay, Roseneath Landing, Mimico, Toronto.
Daughter of the late Alfred and Margaret. Predeceased by husband William, sister Dorothy, brothers Bob and Gilbert. Mother of Malcolm (Valerie), step-mother of Bill (Marilyn) and Mary Anne. Grandmother of Rebecca, Iain, Simon (Melanie). Great grandmother of Emma. Beloved aunt to many nieces and nephews.
A self-described "Cabbagetown Kid," Mary grew up in Toronto attending Rose Avenue and Northern Secondary schools. In the midst of the depression years she left school at age 16 to help support the family and for years she believed she had not completed high school. A graduate of Shaw Business School, she worked initially as a reporter for The Globe, and for many years in the banking, medical and insurance industries including Bank of Nova Scotia, Associated Medical Services with Dr Jason Hannah, and Great West Life.
In the 1970s in Mimico, Mary was active with the Etobicoke Social Planning Council and was influential in establishing licenced daycare centres in Etobicoke, working collaboratively with NDP colleagues like Terry and Ruth Grier. She wrote regular columns for the Etobicoke Guardian and the Lakeshore Advertiser on social issues and advocated for the establishment of the first pool at Amos Waites Park in Mimico. She was a member of the Lakeshore Business and Professional Women's Club, and was also an active social commentator on Maclean-Hunter Community Cable TV during this time.
In 1976 Mary enrolled in a Baccalaureate program at York University at the age of 58. In requesting her official transcripts from Northern Secondary, she was pleased to discover that despite leaving high school early at age 16, her academic performance was strong enough that she had been graduated and awarded her diploma on the strength of her achievement over her high school career.
Mary's years at York were halcyon days for her. She loved it there. She graduated in 1980 with a BA in Sociology, and worked as a research assistant at the LaMarsh Research Program on Violence and Conflict Resolution at York from her graduation until mandatory retirement in 1983. During this time she completed a Certificate program in Gerontology at University of Toronto and was active in the Ontario Gerontological Association.
In 1983 she reluctantly retired with her husband Bill to Roseneath Landing north of Cobourg. Over the next 15 years she was a regular columnist and Advisory Board member with the Cobourg Star, and the Port Hope Evening Guide, writing on social, feminist and aging issues using political satire. Her column Aspects of Aging was a regular feature. Many of these articles were also self-published in a small volume entitled "Candid Comments." During this time, Mary was a contributor to a number of academic journals, including the Canadian Woman Studies Journal (Recollections of a Wrinkled Radical, 1986). She began to learn clarinet, building on her Royal Conservatory training as a classical pianist, and played for many years in the Stirling Concert Band.
On the death of her husband Bill in 1998, she moved to Lindsay to be closer to her son Malcolm and his family including granddaughter Rebecca. In between taking care of Rebecca, Mary remained active with social issues, occasionally writing letters or columns for the Lindsay Daily Post and actively volunteering with Lindsay Friends of the Library, and reading for the Ontario Audio Library recording audio text books for visually impaired students.
As her own vision ironically deteriorated due to age related macular degeneration, Mary was forced to withdraw from these activities, but she maintained regular contact with the many close friends developed through her volunteer career.
Mary passed away peacefully on April 6th with family by her side. Family would like to thank Dr. Rose Jackson, staff of Applewood Retirement Residence, Hospice Peterborough and Paramed for their excellent care. In lieu of flowers, donations, if desired, may be made in Mary's memory to Lindsay's Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation. Private interment at Prospect Cemetery at a later date. Condolences through Mackey Funeral Home, Lindsay, Ontario, www.mackeys.ca