Obituary of Marie Smith

September 8, 1929 – Bottrel, Alberta

October 9, 2023 - Calgary, Alberta

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Marie Smith of Calgary, AB on Monday, October 9, 2023, at the age of 94.

Marie was born on September 8, 1929, in Bottrel, AB. She lived on a farm and enjoyed the outdoor work and life with the animals and her siblings. There were nine of them. She attended a one room school with nine grades being taught at the same time. They had some great fun in that classroom. At the age of 16 Marie moved to Calgary to complete her schooling at Summit Hill (Crescent Height High School). She lived with the Thompson family, working for her room and board, going home every other weekend. She always wanted to be a nurse, so she went to Archer Memorial Hospital in Lamont, AB and took her nursing training.

Her desire to travel began when she worked for one year in Port Radium, N.W.T., on The Great Bear Lake, 1000 miles north of Edmonton, working as a nurse at the Uranium Mining Camp. On completion she spent three months touring Europe. She worked in rural hospitals until 1958. She met Roy while working at the Baker Sanitorium in Bowness, in six months, they were married. They went to England for their honeymoon, staying with Roy’s sister Norma and family.

Roy and Marie had three children, two girls and a boy. For over twenty years, while raising the children she worked part-time and then full-time at the Mayfair Nursing Home. Marie worked hard and had many passions to travel. They had many busy years, the teen years, the fun years and the trying years. She loved the outdoors and as a family they did a lot of camping, water skiing, fishing, hiking, and swimming, she swam several times a week until COVID.

Marie was an avid churchgoer, she played bridge, and Roy and Marie learned to square dance. They also spent many winters as snowbirds traveling to Arizona.

Marie’s memory will be cherished by her children, Donna (Kevin) Ellis, Barbara (Craig) Hamilton, and Earl (Cindy) Smith; and grandchildren, Cecily (Justin) Bills, Seth (Melissa) Ellis, Nathaniel Ellis, Heather (Joe) Uppal, Cory (Jordan) Anderson, Jeff Hamilton, Bradley (Sonja) Smith, and Scott (Emily) Smith. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren will greatly miss her. She is also survived by her sister Johanna (Nick) Vanveen, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Marie was predeceased by her husband Roy Smith, granddaughter Kira Ellis, her parents Hendrik Jansen and mother Aaltje Jansen; and brothers, Stephen (Reka) Jansen, Henry (Johanna) Jansen; sisters, Wanda (Joseph) Shibley, Alice (Harold) Ball, Harriette (Vern) Rau, Teunisje (Lawrence) Harrison, and Jeannette (Gilbert) Spielman. 

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal. Love leaves a memory no one can steal.

Funeral Services will be held at McInnis & Holloway (Fish Creek, 14441 Bannister Road SE, Calgary, AB) on Sunday, October 22, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. Reception to follow in the Hospitality Centre at the Funeral Home. Family and friends who are unable to attend in person are invited to join the service streamed live (see below) on the day of the service. For those who are unable to view live, a recording of the service will be posted. Condolences, memories, and photos can also be shared and viewed here.

In living memory of Marie Smith, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Fish Creek, 14441 Bannister Road SE, Calgary, Ab t2x 3j3, Telephone: 403-256-9575.

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