Mary Graham Hardy passed away peacefully at the Veteran's Memorial Lodge at Broadmead, Victoria on October 23.
Predeceased by her husband Ronald and her son Donald, she leaves sons: Murray, Alexander (Sandy) and Graham; daughters-in-law: Gisele and Catherine; and grandchildren: Chelsea, Krista, Cameron, Rachel, and Emma.
Mary was born October 20, 1923 to Catriona and Alistair MacLeod on the Isle of Raasay, Inverness County, Scotland. In May 1925, the family made their way down the west coast to Glasgow by "puffer", then embarking on the S.S. Marloch to arrive in Montreal in late June.
Crossing Canada by rail, they booked passage on the S.S Maquinna, to join the MacLeod clan, by then well established in the fledgling village of Tofino.
In March 1943, with World War II raging and the country deeply divided over conscription, Mary elected to volunteer for the R.C.A.F. In her words, " I joined to free up a man for the front ". She was one of four woman to enlist from the village and their names are noted in a place of honour at the Tofino Legion today.
"De-mobbed" from the RCAF in 1945, she met her future husband Ronald, then stationed at RCAF Station Tofino. Married life involved multiple moves to airbases throughout Canada and the UK. Finally, after raising four sons, she returned to Vancouver Island where she enjoyed a view of Mill Bay and a long-deferred garden.
Mary will be fondly remembered for her devotion to family, her kindness to others, and her Christian faith. She has requested that she be laid to rest alongside her husband following a brief Graveside Ceremony which will be held at 11 am on Thursday, November 4, 2021 at the Mountain View Cemetery, Duncan, BC.
In lieu of flowers, friends and family are encouraged to donate to a charity of their choice.
The family would like to express their gratitude to the staff, nurses, and physicians, of the Veteran's Memorial Lodge, in Broadmead, Victoria for the excellent care given our mother.
Sands of DuncanAdditional Photo(s):
