Mary HOTEL

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HOTEL: Mary E. Hotel, widow of the late Glen Hotel, passed away peacefully and surrounded by the love her family at her residence, Country Meadows Personal Care Home, Neepawa, Manitoba on December 7, 2015 at the age of 88 years. Her memory is cherished by her children Joanne Vinthers (Keith), Sharon McCreath (Bob), Cameron Hotel (Diane Kullberg), six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren Shaun Vinthers, (Morgan, Nora and Sloane), Stacey Vinthers (Tatem Anderson), Pam Hamilton (Andrew and Brantley), Derek McCreath (Melanie and Marlow), Lauren Hotel (Kevin Miller) and Blair Hotel (Cecile Corriveau). Predeceased by brothers and sisters-in-law, Gordon (Edna), Morris (Audrey), Edwin (Ted) and Don, mom is also survived by two sisters-in-law Grace Hay (Winnipeg), Edith Hay (Minnedosa), and several nieces and nephews.Born on the family farm at Austin, MB on April 27, 1927 mom completed her schooling at Sight Hill School #563 and Austin High School, after which she attended Success Business College in Winnipeg. She obtained employment at Confederation Life and subsequently returned to MacGregor where she worked at the Bank of Montreal, helped dad and his parents when they ran the BA Service Station and as the secretary at MacGregor Collegiate Institute. When the family moved to Brandon, mom obtained employment at Brandon University where she worked in the Alumni, Personnel and Controller’s offices for 15 years, retiring in 1986. Mom and dad took great pride in their yard and gardens at our family home on 22nd street, each year tweaking the perennial beds with new roses or lilies, tending to a fruit tree or adding another row of something that could be snipped for cut flowers that always seemed to be present in mom’s living room. Her hospitable nature and love of hosting family gatherings and entertaining guests was well known and mom was never happier than when the family was all there around the dining room table with kids running the hallways. She loved to cook and bake the comfort foods that now instantly bring back memories of those great days getting together at our family home. She was well known for her cinnamon buns, pies and tarts that would melt in your mouth and for having an extensive variety of treats on hand at all times to be sure that everyone’s taste was satisfied. Mom was quick to whip up a pie, a pan of buns or a pot of soup and show up at your door if you’d been ill had experienced a loss in your family or if she’d simply heard that you might need picking up in some way. Her caring nature and capacity to just listen to your story would have been enough but having that compassion accompanied by one of her treats never went amiss. Mary’s creative side included her love of music, photography, oil and water color painting and she had a real gift for being able to express her thoughts through writing. Our home was always filled with music whether she was playing her piano or organ, listing to CDs or dancing in the living room with dad. Sunday drives back to familiar homesteads or simply wherever the road took them gave mom the chance to take pictures of trees, fields, birds, clouds, animals or old buildings and those pictures then often became the subject of a painting. If you were lucky, one of those images may have graced the front of a card that she had made especially for your birthday, anniversary or other special occasion. Her ability to string words together meant that she was often called on by co-workers, fraternal Eastern Star colleagues or by friends to put some words together for a song, a skit or to commemorate a special event and we cherish all the special messages that she tailored especially to each occasion. Mom’s greatest joys truly were her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Both mom and dad were avid followers of their sporting, school and extra-curricular activities and were extraordinarily proud of their school and university gradations, career choices and successes. We have been so fortunate that mom got to know her four great grandchildren and she loved nothing more than to get right down on the floor with these babies to watch them on their play mats or to talk to them right on their level. Her eyes simply sparkled when she could impart her love for them in this manner. Mom moved to Country Meadows Personal Care Home in Neepawa a couple of years ago and enjoyed her time there. She took up painting again, mostly working in water colors and she was only too happy to show her latest creations to staff and visitors. She was a regular attender at “Wonderful Wednesdays” where she enjoyed the piano music and sing alongs of war time songs. A consummate Toronto Blue Jays fan, she could be found on any given night, ball cap on, official program in hand, in front of her TV cheering on her team. Sunday nights were reserved for her 7:00 p.m. date with Lawrence Welk! We want to acknowledge the outstanding care that mom received at Country Meadows from staff who always treated her with dignity, respect and compassion. You are special individuals who will always hold a place in our hearts. A celebration of Mary’s life took place on Wednesday, December 16, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at the Austin & District Community Hall, Austin, Manitoba. Interment will take place in Austin Cemetery at a later date. If friends to wish, memorial donations can be made to Country Meadows Personal Care Activities Fund or a charity of choice. White’s Funeral Home, Neepawa, MB in care of arrangements.Rest easy mom – you’ll be forever loved.

As published in Brandon Sun on Dec 19, 2015