Obituary of Mary Eileen O’Connor

Mary Eileen O’Connor (nee Agar), beloved wife of Mike of Calgary, passed away peacefully at the Foothills Medical Centre on Thursday, April 1, 2004 at the age of 58 years, after a hard-fought battle with stomach cancer over the past five months. Mary is survived by her husband Mike; son Michael (wife Joanne); daughter Virginia (friend Ron Salomonson); grandson Aidan; parents, Isabelle and Gordon Agar; sister Ruth (husband Doug Smith); brothers, John Agar (wife Narda) and Jamie Agar (wife Shona Ward), sister-in-law Nancy (husband Malcolm MacGregor); ten nieces and nephews; and countless loving friends. Mary was born in Palmerston, ON and lived her early years in central India, a country that she loved and to which she has returned for visits. She met Mike in her first year at Queen’s University and following graduation taught High School French in Lindsay, ON. Mary and Mike were married in 1968 and moved to Calgary. Mary worked in adoptions and child protection with the Alberta Division of Social Services. In 1973, Michael was born and the family returned to Kingston, ON where Mike pursued his Ph.D at Queen’s. During that stint, Mary was the warden of the Graduate Students’ Residence and, to this year, had kept in touch with many of the young people under her tutelage. The family returned to Calgary in 1975. Ginny was born that year and Mary has been an inspirational community leader in Calgary since that time. She served as a youth leader at Central United Church, taught nursery school, was active in the Alberta Light Horse Association, and has enriched the lives of the elderly through many years of voluntary services at Care West facilities. Mary and Mike spent the 1998-99 academic year at Queen’s as Mentors in Residence. They helped first-year engineering students in their adjustment to university life and shared wisdom and knowledge from their life experience with the entire Queen’s community. Employees at O’Connor Associates Environmental Inc. affectionately call Mary the company matriarch. She welcomed their families when they joined the corporate family and nurtured their growth through life’s milestones. Mary loved the outdoors, international travel, the fine arts, and artistic hobbies. Above all, she thrived on intimate human relationships and showered everyone with her generosity. Most significant, of course, was her thirty-six year marriage to Mike, in which they reinforced each others’ strengths, nurtured their families, and embraced an enormous circle of friends in their adventure. Funeral Services will be held at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY’S Chapel of the Bells (2720 Centre Street North) on Sunday, April 4, 2004 at 2:30 P.M. To forward condolences go to www.mcinnisandholloway.com. Special thanks to Dr. Scot Dowden, the staff at Tom Baker Cancer Centre and particularly all the staff of Unit 47. In living memory of Mary O’Connor, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 Centre Street North, CALGARY, TELEPHONE: (403) 276-2296.