MARY ROBERTA MAK (CASS)

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MARY ROBERTA MAK (nee CASS) Mary Roberta Mak, age 69, passed away at home with her family at her side on Friday, October 13, 2006, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. She was predeceased by her son Patrick and parents Edwin Eddie and Mary Cass. Mary leaves to mourn her husband and best friend of forty-eight years Frank Mak, daughters Virginia Mak, Clare Hargrave and Shelagh Hirch, sons-in-law Andrew Hargrave and Larry Hirch, grandchildren Brendan, Kevin and Michael Hargrave, and Elisabeth, Conor, Liam and Madelaine Hirch, as well as many friends from Winnipeg and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Mary received her elementary and high school education at St. Ignatius School and St. Mary's Academy respectively. She then went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Manitoba having taken her classes at St. Mary's Academy and St. Paul's College which were both affiliated with the University of Manitoba at that time. Mary's employment career spanned a period of nearly fifty years and included intermittently teaching sociology to nursing students at St. Boniface Hospital, doing protection and night duty work for the Children's Aid Society of Winnipeg and most recently working twenty-five years as a tax preparer and instructor with H R Block. Mary also served her community for many years as a volunteer with the St. John Brebeuf School Board, St. Mary's Academy Mother's Guild and Sir John Franklin Community Centre. However, Mary's prime focus and purpose in life was her family, caring for and worrying about them and preferring always to give rather than to receive, until the last days of her life. She was the core and strength of the family and leaves a legacy for her husband, children and grandchildren which will be difficult for them to carry forward. The family wishes to express their deep felt thanks to the medical and nursing staff of CancerCare Manitoba, the fifth floor of the Women's Hospital and especially the staff of the Palliative Home Care Program for their excellent and devoted care to Mary. Prayers will be held at St. John Brebeuf Church, 1707 John Brebeuf Place, Tuesday October 17 at 7:00 p.m. Funeral Mass will be said at St. John Brebeuf Church, Wednesday October 18 at 11:00 a.m. with interment to follow at Assumption Cemetery. Pallbearers will be John Addison, Guy Coughlin, Andrew, Brendan and Kevin Hargrave and Larry Hirch. Honourary Pallbearers will be Don Brock, John Burns, James Mahon and Raoul McKay. The family would be grateful if those wishing to make a donation in memory of Mary, would do so in favour of the National Ovarian Cancer Association, 101-145 Front Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M5A 1E3; the St. Mary's Academy Bursary Fund, 550 Wellington Crescent, R3M 0C1, Winnipeg, Manitoba; or a charity of their choice. Cropo Funeral Chapel 586-8044

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Oct 16, 2006