Mary Buckle

Mary (Stockley) Buckle

Hubbards (1928 - 2024)

We are sad to announce that Mom passed away at home on February 4, 2024 at age 95. She was predeceased by her parents (Edward and Esther), her brothers (Jim and Tom) and her beloved husband of 50 years, Hollis. She is survived by her four daughters, Esther (Ronnie), Ruth (Graham), Elizabeth (Mark), and Sarah (Danny); seven grandchildren, Jimmy, (Amy), Kathryn, Jack, Anna, Matthew, Luke and Rachael; and four great grandchildren, Gwenevere, Holden, Atticus, and Asher as well as many nieces and nephews on three continents.

Her personality was set at an early age and is clear in this photo of her as a young girl - mischievous, strong-willed and a wee bit stubborn. She was a remarkable woman who had a remarkable life, full of adventure. She was born in Lincoln, England where she played piano and sports and idolized her older brothers. She then moved to London where she trained at St. Thomas' hospital to be a nurse practitioner and midwife, using rare nights off (or sneaking out) to enjoy classical music concerts. She loved to cycle, hike, camp and hostel in northern England and Scotland and ski in Europe. Following in her father's footsteps (he taught school in northern Manitoba in 1910), she joined the Grenfell medical mission and, along with her kayak and bicycle, came to Canada as an outpost nurse. She was posted to an isolated part of Quebec's Lower North Shore where she met our father, Hollis. She fell in love, married him and, after one attempt at living in England where Esther was born, returned to Quebec. She travelled by dog sled and boat to nurse the isolated communities along the Lower North Shore - delivering babies, stitching up cuts, setting bones etc. She and our father settled in Mutton Bay, a village of about 150, only accessible by boat, plane, dog sled or snow mobile, where they raised the four of us. In 1974, the family moved to Halifax - another adventure - where she worked as a nurse at the V.G. (11 Vic) for many years. Finally, after her third try at retirement, it stuck, and she and dad moved to Hubbards where they collected stray dogs, cats, rabbits and at least one pigeon.

In Hubbards, mom found community. After our father's passing, she was grateful for the friendship and support of the other members of the library's scrabble club and creative writing group and very proud of the stories she published in her late 80s.

She was a "reuser" and recycler before it was fashionable, a fierce competitor at scrabble and quiddler, a walker, a reader, a bird-watcher, a lover of classical music, a generous supporter of many and an unapologetically bad housekeeper.

She was a force in all of our lives and we, her daughters, only hope that we have inherited some of her bravery, resilience, spirit and strength. We will miss her.

We thank her neighbours and caregivers who helped her remain independent in her later years. Ruth, Elizabeth and Sarah want to especially thank our sister Esther for the devotion and care she has given our mother over the past two years. Without Esther, mom could not have remained in her home and we are so very grateful.

A celebration of life will be held in the summer when all the grandchildren can be home. In lieu of flowers, mom would have appreciated a donation to a charity of your choice (preferably one that helps animals, kids or your local hospital) or that you take a moment to be kind to an animal or person.

Online condolence can be made to www.rawalker.ca