Mary Mobley

She came into this world as Gladys Mary Dingwall on the 4th of October 1919 and left it a much better place due to her presence on the 22nd of March 2012, at the age 92.

She was predeceased by her husband Frank, her son Edwin, and 7 of her eight siblings (brother Alan, Munro, Eric, and Jack Dingwall and sister Jean Hawn, Jessie Martin, and Dolly Leigh). She leaves behind her youngest sister Wilma Flynn, son Doug (Wendy) Mobley, daughter Coral (Bob) Dunn and daughter-in-law Pat Mobley, as well as 4 grandchildren Shannon, Jeff, Michele and Christina and 7 great grandchildren Jeromy, Brennan, Derek, Chase, Michael, Nadia and Isla, and many nieces and nephews.

She was born in the Comox Valley and, as part of a pioneering family, traces her family roots to some of the earliest Comox Valley settlers in the 1860’s.

Mary was well travelled, having been literally around the world by the age of 32, after living in Australia for three and a half years. She continued travelling when her husband Frank was in the Royal Canadian Air Force. When Frank retired they moved back to Courtenay and bought the Courtenay Florist. When Frank died, Mary carried on as owner and then employee of the Courtenay Florist until she retired. She then carried on her travels with numerous trips to Australia, the Far East, Africa, England, Scotland, and the Shetland Islands (family roots).

She was very active in local organizations including the Heritage Advisory Commission to the City of Courtenay, the Courtenay and District Museum, the Historical Society and was a long time member of the Rebekahs and the Royal Canadian Legion.

She was a woman of many talents, having been a machinist in her father’s machine shop in WWII, a hotel cook in Australia and a florist, and more. She has been described as a voracious reader, and her knitting skills have kept many recipients warm. Mary’s generous, caring nature will be greatly missed by family and friends.

There will be a celebration of her life at Piercy’s Mt Washington Funeral Home at 2 pm Saturday, March 31 2012. Her wishes were for flowers or a donation to the charity of your choice.