LUCILLE MAHON (CILE)

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LUCILLE MAHON

Lucille Mahon, cherished wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, homemaker, gardener, sports enthusiast, volunteer, friend, and woman of prayer, passed away peacefully on July 21, 2020, at her apartment home at the age of 87 years, following several years of challenges with a blood disease.
Surviving Lucille is her dear sister, Margaret Meagher of Montreal, and her five beloved children: Susan (Pat) McMahon; Patrick (Barbara) Mahon; Michael (Maureen) Mahon; Kathleen (Craig) Downs; and Paul (Anne) Mahon. Her cherished husband of 59 years, James V. Mahon, passed away in 2014.
Lucille is also survived by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren: James (Laura) McMahon and great-grandson, Maverick, and Brian McMahon; Thomas Mahon and Christopher Mahon (Emily Nunez); Katie Mahon (Adam McPherson), Brennan (Sarah) Mahon, and Seann (Caroline) Mahon and newborn great-grandson, Finnley Michael; Sarah (Ian) Carpick and great-grandchildren, Jack, Violet, and James; Michael (Katie) Downs and great-grandchildren, Olivia and Will; Benjamin (Carmen) Downs and great-granddaughter Murphy; Amy (Lou) Mulvenna; and Scott Downs; Kendra Mahon, Mark Mahon, and Andrew Mahon. Also surviving is Lucille's second cousin, Susan Rebbeck. Lucille was predeceased by her parents, Larry and Mabel Skelly, and her brother Richard Skelly.
Lucille Mahon was a woman of faith, commitment, and courage. She greatly loved to connect with people, as was evident from the many entries on her kitchen calendar, kept day by day in her fine handwriting until well into her 86th year. As a young mother, alongside Jim, she rarely missed one of her kids' games, concerts, plays or speech contests, and her dedication to the role of mother in the community was evident in her great involvement at St. John Brebeuf School (including teaching Sunday School with Jim for numerous of their later years), and at St. Paul's High School, and St. Mary's Academy - her alma mater. Lucille remained an active presence as a St. Mary's Alumna for 60 years.
Day-to-day family life was busy for Cile, as Jim called her, and she thrived on the many-faceted and diverse directions her children took when they were young, and supported their ambitions as they blossomed as adults in the world: Sue and Kathy in the field of health care, Pat in the arts, Mike in sport and university life, and Paul in the insurance industry. Mom was always keenly interested in her children's lives and could hold her own in conversations with her children and their friends about what they were living, learning, and trying on for size. She claimed more than once that she was never overly worried about which of her children was where, or doing what at any given moment, as they moved into adulthood. This would suggest that she had great faith in us, and that could certainly be said – at least on some days!
With the growth of her kids came the growth of the family, with marriages and babies who added copiously to the next generations of the Mahon clan. Lucille truly loved each of the amazing spouses of her children (Pat, Barb, Maurie, Craig, and Anne), welcoming them into the family through Sunday dinners of very well-cooked roast beefs, and to the cottage, and when they brought the grandchildren and great-grandchildren around. She and Sarah Carpick (Downs) had a special bond that began early in Sarah's life. Indeed, Lucille's grandmotherly concern is remembered fondly according to an oft-repeated story: as baby Sarah was being bundled up on a cold Winnipeg winter evening, Grandma could be heard to command like a marshal, "Start the car!" Gram loved each one of the grandchildren, and then the burgeoning crew of great-grandchildren, equally and well. A look at her calendar in later life showed her faithful attendance at the games and concerts of the next generations.
Cile and Jimmy had a deeply loving relationship and a wonderful life as a team, which included working together for a time in Dad's successful insurance business, numerous years of cottage life, and travel. They were genuinely proud of and engaged in the lives of their family, had many friends and involvements (curling and bridge were big), and greatly loved going to Bomber games, the symphony, theatre centre and numerous other events - being the true "Winnipeggers" they were. Their commitment to St. John Brebeuf Church was legendary, and in later years they were dedicated St. Ignatius daily mass attenders. Mom kept up that calling faithfully until mere months ago, and her enjoyment of the community forged after mass (a.k.a. the Chicken Ministry), was a great mainstay of daily life that she shared with dear friends and supportive clergy. Lucille was a deeply faithful woman as evidenced by her long-running commitment to prayer groups, oftentimes directed by members of the Jesuits of Winnipeg. Lots of people, especially from the family, turned to Lucille for prayer in times of need, and knew she would faithfully respond. It was not lost on us that in her last days, as we were all praying for Mom, we were living and loving by her example.
Lucille's illness, which challenged her daily life in moderated ways for numerous years, eventually required more consistent attention from wonderful doctors and caregivers. Our heartfelt thanks go to Dr. Catherine Moltzan, Dr. Wade Glue, and the Community Palliative Care Team. In the later months of her life, Lucille required extended stays in hospital: at the Victoria General she was given the highly professional and respectful care of their wonderful rehab team. And, finally, when she was able to return to the Boulton, she was attended with gentle kindness by the caregivers of Home Instead, as well as by her deeply loving Winnipeg children, Sue, Kathy, and Paul, with Pat and Mike as part of the family team at a distance. In that period, each of us came to understand a little better the meaning of "courage in times of adversity" that Mom had shown us over the many years of her remarkable life.
A funeral Mass in celebration of Lucille's life is being held for the family.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Rossbrook House, or a charity of your choice.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jul 23, 2020, Jul 25, 2020