Obituary of Mary Michel

The family of Mary Michel are deeply saddened to announce Mary's passing on July 4, 2007 in Big River, SK at the age of 84 years. Mary McInnis was born to Harry and Jane McInnis on June 16, 1923 at Langham, SK. She had 2 brothers, Stuart and Bruce. In 1936 the family moved to Meadow Lake where father was the LID administrator and then the family transferred to Big River in 1942. In the late 1940's the war had ended and Mary was beginning to see a young air force mechanic named Hubert Michel. In 1950 Hubert and Mary were married in the house she and her mother had purchased. With the birth of Janice, Mary changed to the role of mother. That role continued with David and Lorna. A big part of Mary's life was the appreciation and creation of various art forms. One of Mary's strengths was the amount of time she volunteered to community. She also served in the church for all of her life. Mary and Hubert built a cabin on Delaronde Lake and that cabin became the focus of many family gatherings. Mary's life began to change when dementia started to take her memory small pieces at a time. Last August a stroke caused extensive damage and Mary has spent the last year of her life in the lodge. She will be remembered and sadly missed by her loving husband of 57 years, Hubert Michel; her two daughters Janice (Grant) Wood of Big River, SK and Lorna (Stephen) Lamothe of Big River, SK. Her daughter in-law Barb Michel of Yellowknife, NWT; Her 10 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren Ryan (Dana) Wood of Rostern and their children Micah, Sarah and Ava; Catherine (Neal) Rowan of Fort McMurray, AB and their children Andrew, Luke and Thomas; Marie (Wesley) Hutcheson of Prince Albert, SK and their son David; Laura (Robert) Ingram of Quill Lake, SK and their daughter Anna; Joseph Lamothe of Big River, SK; Lance Lamothe of Big River, SK; Stuart Lamothe of Big River, SK; Denise Michel of Yellowknife, NWT; Karen Michel of Yellowknife, NWT and Gina Michel of Yellowknife, NWT; her three sisters in-law Patricia Hanson, Marguerite Olson and Francis McInnis; her brother in-law Vincent Leslie as well as numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by h r parents Robert "Harry" and Jane McInnis; her son David Michel; her brothers Bruce and Stuart McInnis; her sisters in-law Gladys McInnis Therese Leslie; Patricia Michel and Gladys Schmidt; her brothers in-law Thomas Michel; Albert Michel; Phillipe, Michel and Myron Olson. The funeral service was held on Sunday, July 8th, 2007 at 3 p.m. from the Evangelical Free Church in Big River with Rev. Brian Maitland as the officiant. The eulogy was read by Grant Wood. Laura Wilson was the organist and special music was performed by the Big River Community Choir & her grandchildren. The congregational hymns were In The Sweet By And By and Take My Hand Precious Lord. The active pall bearers were Robert Ingram, Laura Ingram, Danny Michel, Eugene Michel, Neil Yurach and Lance Lamothe. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Lakewood Lodge or The United Church Building Fund. Mary was laid to rest in the Big River Cemetery.