MARY MAUD RENNIE (nee Thompson), beloved wife of Gordon A. Rennie of Claresholm, AB, passed away at Good Samaritan’s Park Meadows on Wednesday, October 14, 2020 at the age of 85 years.
She is the loving mother of: Donald (Chantal) Rennie of Lethbridge, Shirley (Bruce) Elder of Thorsby, Bill (Sue) Rennie of Granum, and Ross Rennie of Lacombe. Mary is also survived by 13 grandchildren and five great grandchildren, sister-in-law Edna Thompson, and various nieces and nephews and their children.
Mary is predeceased by her husband, Gordon; her brothers George and Joe Thompson; her sister-in-law, Marilyn and her sister, Dorothy.
Mary was born on August 30, 1935 in High River. She was raised on the family farm on Coal Trail west of High River. She went to Tongue Creek School and then attended Highwood High School. She was introduced to the love of her life, Gordon Rennie, by her brother Joe in 1953 at the Old Fox Hall near Pekisko. Gord (also known as Scotty) and Mary were married on March 4, 1954. They spent the next 15 years working on various farms in the High River and Nanton area and raising 4 children.
In 1969, they moved into Claresholm and Mary started working at the Claresholm Care Center as a Health Care Aid until her retirement.
Mary enjoyed hand-crafting and was known for her cross-stitching. She loved the outdoors and spent many hours camping and boating with her husband Gordon and the family. Mom loved to take drives around the country side in her car. She was fiercely independent, willing to help others and had a very mischievous sense of humour. If a water fight was started or a practical joke played, mom was usually the one to start it. Most of all, Mary loved her family and we all knew we could depend on her for a helping hand, a kind word, great advice, or to set you straight.
The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at the Good Samaritans Park Meadows Village. It’s the hardest decision to put a parent into care, but the love, compassion and commitment to excellent care made it easier to accept. The support and kindness the staff had for us in these last difficult weeks was tremendous. You ladies and gentlemen are angels. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. There are too many to name all of you, but thank you especially to Margaret, Seraphina and the staff of Cottage 7 and to nurses, Deb and Theresa. All the extra little things you did meant a lot to us.
We hope to have a memorial gathering sometime in 2021 as Covid-19 allows.
Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society, 1202-2 Avenue South #40, Lethbridge, AB T1J 0E3.