Obituary of Marie Anne Armstrong

ARMSTRONG, Marie Anne

On Saturday, April 4, 2020, Marie Armstrong, loving mother of six children, and long-time companion of Claudette Seems, passed away at the age of 91.

Marie was born on April 13, 1928 in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia to Fabian and Dorothy (Campbell) Landry. She moved to Peterborough with her family as a young woman. After raising her own family of six children she returned to school earning a degree in philosophy at Trent University and subsequently returned to the east coast where she completed a master’s degree in education at Dalhousie University.

In addition to being a Mom, Marie pursued her interests in piano, singing, oil painting, reading and writing poetry. She will be remembered by many as a woman who always had time to listen to their story, providing advice, understanding, compassion and encouragement. In addition to these traits, her children also knew her as a strong woman, determined, patient, caring and interested.

Marie was preceded in death by her parents Fabian and Dorothy (aka Nanny and Pop), her husband Raymond, her brothers Vincent (Connie) and Cyril (Mary), and her sisters Dorothy and Joan (Bill). She is survived by her best friend and companion Claudette, her six children Ray (Margaret), Wayne (Vicki), Mark (Linda), Joanne (Larry), Chris (Georgia) and Randy (Linda), her sister Margaret (Verne, predeceased), and her brothers Martin (Lorraine) and Leo (Lynn). She leaves many happy memories with them and though a void has been created in their lives, her seventeen grandchildren and nine (to date) great-grandchildren can all take solace knowing a little of Mom (Nanny) will always be with them.

Due to the current on-going covid-crisis, a Celebration of Life for Marie will be deferred to some later date when it will be possible for folks to gather together and reminisce. The family would like to extend its most sincere appreciation to the good folks at the Lakefield Extendicare for their fabulous care of Marie and their generosity in accommodating her family during her final days.

In closing, Marie might have said something like the following:

“So … I was born; I blinked; and it was over.

No buildings named after me; no monuments erected in my honor. But I DID have the chance to know and love each and every friend as well as all my family members. How much more blessed can a person be?”