Mary Weir

After a prolonged and difficult battle with cancer, Mary Stark (nee Weir), passed away at the Civic Hospital on November 15, 2018.

She grew up in Timmins, Ontario, with her brother Hugh (Weir) and sister Marion (Smith). Her own mother Marguerite, passed away at a very young age, leaving Mary to help in raising her brother and sister. Her beloved father, Lawrence, was in mining, and would often be forced to leave the family in her care.

All three siblings learned that hard work brought success, and both Mary and Marion graduated from nursing and began their careers in Toronto. Brother Hugh went on to become a teacher, working with troubled youth. One of Mary's proudest memories of her career as a nurse was attending to Constable Robin Easey in the Queensway Carleton's emergency room after he was shot at a nearby shopping mall.

After meeting her husband, Allan, she settled into raising a family when daughter Peggy arrived. Mary spent many years engaged with Peggy's school, and helped to create a snowsuit program in 1974 at Christie Public School when she noticed some children weren't dressed warmly enough in winter. Each year the program grew as more children were given warm winter clothing.

But her dedication and compassion went beyond nursing and helping at her daughter's school. Mary was an active volunteer with neighbourhood food banks in both Ottawa and Oakville. She was a devout member of two bible study groups (Ottawa and Oakville), said her rosaries daily for friends in need, and believed in the power and salvation of the Lord.

Mary and Allan were a strong team, built on friendship and goals of creating a better life for their family. They traveled the world, together. Allan recalls that Mary was always a pillar of strength not only for him, but for the many friends that confided in her. Their bond could not be more evident as the cancer worked its way through her body; Allan would stay at her bedside, each and every day, for hours and hours, doing everything he possibly could to make her more comfortable.

Diagnosed in 2013, Mary was afflicted with lung cancer, then throat cancer, then finally, two cancerous brain tumours.

Her family and friends will miss her dearly. We are grateful she is no longer in pain, and at peace.

Visitation Nov. 26 at the Garden Chapel of Tubman Funeral Homes, 3440 Richmond Rd (Between Bayshore Dr. and Baseline Rd. ), from 11 a.m. to noon. Mass at St. John the Apostle, 2340 Baseline Rd, at 1 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like to request a donation be made to the Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre; (613) 761-4295