Mary Bender

Mary, affectionately known as “Mert”, was born in Fort Frances, ON on August 31, 1931 Mary spent many of her early years in the Fort Frances, Mine Centre, Flanders, Glenorchy area before moving to Crozier. She married Stan Gustafson in 1949 and raised a family of four boys, Gary, Jim, Dale and David. Mary was a star employee, working at Sanitary Dry Cleaner as well as Murray’s Music & Gift for many years. Here she excelled at sales, greeting and dealing with the many customers she met at the store. She shared a very special working relationship with the Murray Family during her tenure with their company. During her last few years with the Murrays, Mary met and married the second love of her life, Richard Bender. Mary will be remembered as a very kind and affectionate mother, friend and volunteer at the church and its many functions.

Mary is survived by her 4 sons; Gary (Jackie) of Nepean, ON, Jim (Kym) of Winnipeg, MB, Dale (JoAnne) of Fort Frances, ON and David (Brenda) of Hinton, AB; 7 grandchildren Heidi, Nicholas, Maureen, Jillian, Sydney, Erin and Brooke; 2 great grandchildren Ciara and Aine; 3 sisters Norma Hagen, Noreen Barker and Doreen (Frank) DeBenedet; brother George Barrett; stepchildren Bonnie Bender, Allan Bender, Terry (Debbie) Bender and Tom Bender; step grandchildren Allison, Heather and Holly as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents Donald and Isabelle Barrett; first husband Stanley Gustafson; second husband Richard Bender; brother Don (Marg) Barrett and sister Ruth Gresko.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, December 24, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. at Green Funeral Home with Father Wayne McIntosh officiating.

Friends may visit one hour prior to the service.

Cremation will take place with a private family interment at a later date.

If friends so desire in memoriam donations may be made to the St. John’s Anglican Church Memorial Fund, 360 Church Street, Fort Frances, Ontario, P9A 1G7 or the Alzheimer’s Society, Box 837, Kenora, ON, P9N 4B5.

Online condolences may be made in care of www.greenfuneralhomefortfrances.com.