Nancy Anne Toyne

The family of Nancy Anne Toyne announces her passing on a snowy Sunday morning while holding her sons’ hands after a valiant battle against cancer on January 23, 2022 at the age of 69.

Nancy was predeceased by the love of her life Donald and her parents, Allenby and Nancy Ballendine. Left to cherish her memory are her sons Kevin and Brett (Jacqueline), grandchildren Devon, Avery, Haidyn, Blake, Nayda and Donan, niece Vickie (Mike) and her sons Keaton, Alex and Brady, and many other relatives and dear friends both near and far.

Born in Victoria, B.C., Nancy and her family eventually settled in Transcona. She graduated from Murdoch MacKay Collegiate in 1970 and pursued a career as an occupational therapist. Nancy met Don in 1969 and they were married on Valentine’s Day in 1975. They initially lived on the street named after her father in Transcona before moving to Oakbank. Nancy and Don became well-known in Transcona as they worked side by side operating the Pic-a-Pop store on Regent Avenue and the Quick Stop on Kildare Avenue.

When Don began operating Mac’s Convenience Stores, Nancy devoted herself to raising her two boys and volunteering in her community. She went door to door and made calls for many charities and volunteered with the Oakbank community club and minor hockey. She eventually resumed working side by side with Don (and Brett too when he joined the family business) as they operated many Subway restaurants in and around Winnipeg as well as Swan River.

Nana loved hosting family gatherings and spending time by the family swimming pool with her kids and grandkids while grading their jumps, dives, slides and handstands. She was so proud of all of the accomplishments and efforts of her boys and grandkids. Nancy made sure her boys had so many wonderful memories growing up and from at least one family trip every year. In the mid-1990s, Nancy fell in love with Sioux Narrows, Ontario and the family returned there every summer until the pandemic made that impossible.

After being diagnosed with cancer in mid-2020, Nancy never stopped fighting. Her family is eternally grateful to her medical and palliative care teams at Health Sciences Centre, CancerCare Manitoba and St. Boniface Hospital and to everyone else that supported and assisted her and the family in her final years.

Nancy has been cremated and her ashes will rest with her beloved Don’s in the Lake of Woods.

Donations in Nancy’s memory may be made to the CancerCare Manitoba Foundation.