Marie Clancy
Marie MacKay (Aitken) Clancy
Daughter of Hugh Duncan Aitken (Dec. 12th, 1892 – June 6th, 1984) and Laura Florence (Hall) Aitken (June 26th, 1894 – June 20th, 1939). Born July 29th, 1926 in Edam Saskatchewan and died October 6th, 1985 in Toronto.
Marie MacKay Aitken was born July 29, 1926 and passed away from cancer on October 6, 1985 at the age of 59. She was born in Edam Saskatchewan but grew up mostly in Kindersley Saskatchewan, and lived there until she moved to Edmonton for nursing school after high school. Her father was a bank manager for CIBC, who came to Canada as a young man from Scotland, and her mother was a housewife, from Lloydminster, Saskatchewan and from the Hall family who were part of the Barr colonists who were part of the first settlers to the area. Marie was the youngest of 6 children. Francis, Margaret, Florence Helen (died as an infant), Ian and Lorna (twins) and then Marie. Marie’s mother passed away from cancer when Marie was 13 and her mother was 45. Her father married Helen four years later. Marie also had a half-sister Carole who was born when Marie was 19.
Marie was involved in sports as a child and enjoyed figure skating. She also was a very strong piano player. When she was 16 she had cataract surgery and had very limited eye sight for about a year. Her sister Francis came home and looked after her that year. Marie was able to see well enough to go back to school and finish high school and complete Nursing school. She was also able to drive all her adult life. After she became a nurse she worked at various hospitals for the next 10 years. She worked in hospitals in Edmonton Alberta, Chilliwack BC, St. Catharines, ON, and even a year in Sydney Australia where her sister Margaret lived. It was quite a thing for a single woman to travel around the world alone to places like the Middle East, India and Australia. She finished her nursing career as a single woman at Sick Kids Hospital in Downtown Toronto in the mid 50’s and loved working with children at that hospital.
Marie attended the large Young Adult group that met at Timothy Eaton United church when she was nursing at Sick Kids. She met her soon to be husband at that church young adults group.
Marie was married on August 24, 1957 to Gordon Webber Clancy having just turned 31. Her matron of honour was Blanche Jayes who took a Greyhound bus from Red Deer Alberta and back just for the wedding. The best man was Joe Strain who was Gord’s best friend since childhood. Marie became good friends with Jackie Strain who was Joe’s wife.
Marie and Gord had 4 sons. David Gordon July 22, 1958. Marie came home from the hospital with David on her birthday (July 29th) and she said that was the best present. Norman Hugh born February 1, 1960, Ian Webber June 5, 1962 and Shawn Douglas October 25, 1965.
Marie quit nursing once she started having children and was very active in bringing up her children. Marie was very social and had very good friends in the neighbourhood and at church. She was involved in women’s Bridge club that met bi-monthly and was regularly connecting with the women in the neighbourhood. Marie regularly invited guests over for roast beef dinners for Sunday lunches.
In addition to having poor eye sight she also had hearing problems. She always could be heard speaking very loudly on the phone due to her poor hearing which got better after a minor operation. As kids we dreaded when Mom was away as it seemed like the only meal dad prepared was “pork and beans”. Gord always said “if you can read you can cook”, well apparently Gord didn’t read much!
Marie kept up her piano playing and was the organist for many years at Bethel Baptist church where she attended faithfully with her children and husband. She played the organ at church for 25 plus years! Saturday nights at home were often filled with the church hymns being practiced that family would be singing on Sunday morning or Sunday evening services. Marie also led many women’s bible studies that met during the week and would faithfully attend Wednesday night prayer meetings.
Marie’s husband (Gordon) died unexpectedly when she was only 50. She did an amazing job of keeping things together and working hard to make sure her children lacked for nothing. Marie was very proud of her children and supported them and encouraged them to do their best and pursue their passions. Around the same time, Marie started a catering business with good friend Ann Davis, that was quite successful. She also went back to nursing at a local retirement home. A couple of years later, her father also came to live with the family for a year. It was hard as both Ian and Shawn were allergic to cigarette smoke and he was a chain smoker. Within a year Grandpa moved up to Sudbury to live with Aunt Carole. When she was 54 she was diagnosed with cancer and thus began the next number of years going through many surgeries. The surgeries kept coming and Marie ended up being in hospital full time when she was 58 for about 10 months. Over the summer when she turned 59 she was able to come home from May to August. Aunt Dorothy (husband Gordon’s sister) came to live with Marie, Shawn and Ian to help care for her. One of the great joys for her that summer was getting to see her first grandson Gordon born August 26th. God granted her prayer that she would live long enough to hold her Grandchild. Unfortunately the pain was getting too great to control at home and she returned to Toronto General Hospital that September until she passed away October 6th that year.
Daughter of Hugh Duncan Aitken (Dec. 12th, 1892 – June 6th, 1984) and Laura Florence (Hall) Aitken (June 26th, 1894 – June 20th, 1939). Born July 29th, 1926 in Edam Saskatchewan and died October 6th, 1985 in Toronto.
Marie MacKay Aitken was born July 29, 1926 and passed away from cancer on October 6, 1985 at the age of 59. She was born in Edam Saskatchewan but grew up mostly in Kindersley Saskatchewan, and lived there until she moved to Edmonton for nursing school after high school. Her father was a bank manager for CIBC, who came to Canada as a young man from Scotland, and her mother was a housewife, from Lloydminster, Saskatchewan and from the Hall family who were part of the Barr colonists who were part of the first settlers to the area. Marie was the youngest of 6 children. Francis, Margaret, Florence Helen (died as an infant), Ian and Lorna (twins) and then Marie. Marie’s mother passed away from cancer when Marie was 13 and her mother was 45. Her father married Helen four years later. Marie also had a half-sister Carole who was born when Marie was 19.
Marie was involved in sports as a child and enjoyed figure skating. She also was a very strong piano player. When she was 16 she had cataract surgery and had very limited eye sight for about a year. Her sister Francis came home and looked after her that year. Marie was able to see well enough to go back to school and finish high school and complete Nursing school. She was also able to drive all her adult life. After she became a nurse she worked at various hospitals for the next 10 years. She worked in hospitals in Edmonton Alberta, Chilliwack BC, St. Catharines, ON, and even a year in Sydney Australia where her sister Margaret lived. It was quite a thing for a single woman to travel around the world alone to places like the Middle East, India and Australia. She finished her nursing career as a single woman at Sick Kids Hospital in Downtown Toronto in the mid 50’s and loved working with children at that hospital.
Marie attended the large Young Adult group that met at Timothy Eaton United church when she was nursing at Sick Kids. She met her soon to be husband at that church young adults group.
Marie was married on August 24, 1957 to Gordon Webber Clancy having just turned 31. Her matron of honour was Blanche Jayes who took a Greyhound bus from Red Deer Alberta and back just for the wedding. The best man was Joe Strain who was Gord’s best friend since childhood. Marie became good friends with Jackie Strain who was Joe’s wife.
Marie and Gord had 4 sons. David Gordon July 22, 1958. Marie came home from the hospital with David on her birthday (July 29th) and she said that was the best present. Norman Hugh born February 1, 1960, Ian Webber June 5, 1962 and Shawn Douglas October 25, 1965.
Marie quit nursing once she started having children and was very active in bringing up her children. Marie was very social and had very good friends in the neighbourhood and at church. She was involved in women’s Bridge club that met bi-monthly and was regularly connecting with the women in the neighbourhood. Marie regularly invited guests over for roast beef dinners for Sunday lunches.
In addition to having poor eye sight she also had hearing problems. She always could be heard speaking very loudly on the phone due to her poor hearing which got better after a minor operation. As kids we dreaded when Mom was away as it seemed like the only meal dad prepared was “pork and beans”. Gord always said “if you can read you can cook”, well apparently Gord didn’t read much!
Marie kept up her piano playing and was the organist for many years at Bethel Baptist church where she attended faithfully with her children and husband. She played the organ at church for 25 plus years! Saturday nights at home were often filled with the church hymns being practiced that family would be singing on Sunday morning or Sunday evening services. Marie also led many women’s bible studies that met during the week and would faithfully attend Wednesday night prayer meetings.
Marie’s husband (Gordon) died unexpectedly when she was only 50. She did an amazing job of keeping things together and working hard to make sure her children lacked for nothing. Marie was very proud of her children and supported them and encouraged them to do their best and pursue their passions. Around the same time, Marie started a catering business with good friend Ann Davis, that was quite successful. She also went back to nursing at a local retirement home. A couple of years later, her father also came to live with the family for a year. It was hard as both Ian and Shawn were allergic to cigarette smoke and he was a chain smoker. Within a year Grandpa moved up to Sudbury to live with Aunt Carole. When she was 54 she was diagnosed with cancer and thus began the next number of years going through many surgeries. The surgeries kept coming and Marie ended up being in hospital full time when she was 58 for about 10 months. Over the summer when she turned 59 she was able to come home from May to August. Aunt Dorothy (husband Gordon’s sister) came to live with Marie, Shawn and Ian to help care for her. One of the great joys for her that summer was getting to see her first grandson Gordon born August 26th. God granted her prayer that she would live long enough to hold her Grandchild. Unfortunately the pain was getting too great to control at home and she returned to Toronto General Hospital that September until she passed away October 6th that year.
