Obituary of Mary Christena "Mae" Markling

My Mom was born Mary Christena McLean on February 10, 1928 being the first of John and Florence McLean's 6 children; her siblings to follow were: Bernice in 1932 Joyce in 1936 Grace in 1938 Shirley in 1941 Don in 1943 Mom was born in the hospital in Wadena, Saskatchewan and she often talked about the fact she wasn't born at home which was the case of so many births "back in the day"! She often talked about growing up on the farm and the hardships endured as well as recounting the many fond memories she had of neighbours, close friends and family. Whenever we travel to that part of Saskatchewan, I look for, but can never find, the hill running uphill both ways to and from the little one room school house in Bells Hill. Mom spoke of the challenges constantly faced growing up in rural Saskatchewan, times were tough and most of the farmers in the region supplemented their income by working off the farm in the winter. Being the first born, Mae often called herself Grandpa's boy as she was tasked with many of the chores that needed doing on the farm and to help Grandma cope with the pitter patter of little feet as the family continued to grow. Mom was proud of her and her sisters accomplishments on the farm and at times might have even been a little braggy when she spoke of being a better horse person than some of the neighbour boys. They had a strong sense of community and I can only close my eyes and imagine what it was truly like for the family to venture off to some far away social event, hitching a team of horses, hopping in the caboose and getting a good fire going to begin the trek home, often arriving home just in time to do the morning chores. On May 7, 1947 after 3 years of courtship, Mom and Dad were married and began their life together by working the Markling farm in the Nobleville District of Saskatchewan. It was here that they toiled to make ends meet by raising the usual farm critters and hoping that year's crop was better than the one before. Dad spent many of the winters logging across Greenwater Lake while Mom tended to the farm and house. In 1949, they welcomed a darling baby daughter into the family and Janice quickly became the guiding force in their lives. In 1955 tragedy struck. While undergoing a routine appendix operation, Janice developed a complication associated with the anaesthetic and passed away in the Kelvington Hospital at the age of 6. 1955 also turned out to be another year of extreme rain and coupled with the pain experienced with the loss of a daughter and multiple crop failures, Mae and Louis faced no option other than to pull up stakes and they headed for B.C., staying a short time in Canal Flats and ultimately ending up in Dawson Creek where Uncle Burt and Aunt Bernice had settled. In 1957, the most perfect of children came along ..me! Over the past many years I horrified my mother with my concocted tales generally designed to get a laugh, but nonetheless creating great anxiety in Mom who would sometimes later admit that maybe there was a bit of humour in the fabrications. I remember not that long ago, we were in a discussion concerning dementia and its complications when I asked one of Mom's friends what her earliest recollection was; after we heard about her going to church with her Mom and Dad I had to break the news that I indeed had the better memory; when quizzed I explained that my memories are crystal clear and the first one was that of going to a Country dance with my Daddy and going home with my Mommy; mother was horrified and I explained to her that anyone that knows the family knows it was a story; Dad loved dancing so there was no time for . anything else?? Mom was always supporting me as I grew, she became a Cub Leader braving the mosquitoes of our Kiskatinaw Camp, she helped coach Minor League ball and was always involved in the extra-curricular activities, school or otherwise. From the time Mom and Dad moved to Dawson Creek, she worked out, spending time with the Bay, the Bank of Montreal, and then went to Vocational School where she obtained accreditation in bookkeeping and went on to a long career as the Office Manager and Accountant with the Dawson Co-op. Even though Mom was busy with work commitments and trying to keep track of a rotten kid, she maintained time for her overwhelming sense of community. In the mid 60's, Mom began her affiliation with the Fall Fair, joining Ev Higens, Millie Robinson, Kay Dresser and others in Home Baking and Horticulture then later becoming a member of the Board of Directors serving many years in the capacity of Treasurer she was later awarded a Lifetime Membership for which she was especially proud. Mae was a long-time member of the United Church, Sons of Norway, and later an involved member of the Rotary Manor Auxiliary; it seemed fitting that her last place of residence, even for a few short days, was in the facility she thought so important. Over the years, many of Mom's favourite moments involved socializing with friends over a card game or going to a country dance. In the summer months, Mom and Dad could be found travelling around the area camping with friends and putting their motorhome through its paces. Only a few days before Mom's passing, we were reminiscing about the many vacations we experienced by meeting Aunt Shirley and Uncle Dale in the Okanagan or travelling with Orin and Clara Boe to Saskatchewan; each trip taken was a memory which Mom recalled with precision and joy; it still amazes me how she could recall to the day different events or milestones. Following retirement, Mom and Dad embarked on a journey which with the company of Aunt Joyce and Uncle Wallace, saw them driving to Nashville, Florida and most other places in the deep south of the USA. Mom's eyes always took on a brighter twinkle when she brought forward the memories of that first big trip. Mae and Louis had many happy years together, there were tough ones, wondering where the next tank of gas was coming from, but lots of good ones travelling, socializing or sitting by a campfire with friends. In 1995, Mom and Dad celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and Mom was amazed that they received best wishes from the Premier, Prime Minister, Governor General, and a host of other elected officials. Also in 1995, Mom's life took on a bit of a different direction with the birth of her first grandchild Shaye-Lyn and again when Brendan hit the carpet in 1997. The grandkids were her driving force and major focal point with Grandma going to every school and sporting event she could regardless of time or temperature. When Merv and Michelle united so began another extension to Mom's family and she became Grandma Mae to two more grandchildren and smiled at the birth of five great-grandchildren. Following Dad's death in 2006, Mom's social life didn't slow down, it seemed she was always involved in some community event or was organizing a Christmas get-together, potluck or card game. Her network of friends included many of her neighbours in Spruceland, some of whom she supported one way or another when their health deteriorated or they simply needed a ride up town. These favours were repaid 10 fold when she herself was diagnosed with cancer and her own health started to decline. The support the residents of Spruceland Manor show each other is akin to that of family, and ours wouldn't have been able to cope had it not been for the support of Mom's friends and neighbours. The unselfish acts of kindness and assistance shown by so many allowed Mom to remain in her home for as long as she was able. To list names would be to risk missing one and for you all, our gratitude can't be measured in a tangible way, you were a part of our Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother's family and you now are a member of ours as well. Mom was predeceased by her husband Louis, daughter Janice, sister Grace and numerous brothers and sister in-laws. She leaves to cherish her memory son Merv and wife Michelle, grandchildren Shaye-Lyn, Brendan, Blake (wife Jessica), Tarla (husband Matt), great-grandchildren Clark, Collins, Harris, Miller and Gibson, sisters Bernice, Joyce and Shirley, brother Don; and numerous nieces and nephews. Service 2:00 pm Thursday, November 24, 2016 Senior Citizens Hall 1101 McKellar Ave DAWSON CREEK, British Columbia, Canada V1G 2S2 Interment Dawson Creek City Cemetery 1900 Alaska Avenue DAWSON CREEK, British Columbia, Canada