Mary Agnes Ledwell

Mary passed away peacefully at home early on the morning of April 30th. She spent her last weekend closely surrounded by the love of her children Katie and Amos and husband Eric Hundert, as well as her sisters Anne Marie and Elaine.

From her childhood beside the sea in Calvert, Newfoundland to the many shores she has graced since, Mary has been the brightest, kindest, most joyful of adventurers. She had the gift to see the world’s beauty in the simplest of things and always found a reason to celebrate. Her love for the landscapes, the wild creatures, and most of all the people around her illuminated her life and ours.

At 18 Mary left Newfoundland to live and work across Canada. In 1978 she settled in Nova Scotia with Jack Whitehead and her daughter Katrin was born soon after in Antigonish. In 1986 she and Eric began their life together; they were married in 1989 and two years later Amos was born in Halifax, where the family has stayed since.

Mary loved to travel; with Eric and Amos she enjoyed the best pastries, coffees, and wines to be had across Europe, North and South America. Closer to home, she delighted in biking, hiking and canoeing.

Mary dreamed for many years of building a rural retreat where she could enjoy the natural world. Together with Eric, their children, and the help of many friends, they designed and built their cottage in Livingstone Cove which has been a haven of peace and joy to them all.

Mary graduated from Memorial University with a degree in social work and worked as a clinical social worker in a wide variety of settings. She was involved at the start of the Nova Scotia home care program, serving as the first regional coordinator for the Annapolis Valley. Shortly after Amos was born, she received a Masters in Social Work from Dalhousie University. Mary was a compassionate, understanding advocate for patients in the Halifax hospitals; her last position was as the social worker member on the diabetes team at the IWK Health Centre.

Predeceased by her beloved mother Marion and father Robert, Mary will be dearly missed by her husband Eric; her children Amos, Katie, Asa and Thian, and his wife Sandy; Sisters Anne Marie, Donna, Elaine, Jeanie, Maxine; Brothers Danny, Ernest, Pat, Ron, Vince and Wayne; Grandchildren Meredith, Ella and Jocelyn; mother- and father-in-law Rose and Murray, and brother-in-law Steve; as well as her nieces, nephews and extended family.

Mary’s love and devotion to her family and friends will help sustain us for the rest of our lives.

A memorial gathering will be held 2 pm on Sunday, May 6th at Cruikshank’s, 2666 Windsor Street, Halifax, 902-423-7295. To view or place an online message please visit www.cruikshankhalifaxfuneralhome.com.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Adsum House for Women and Children by visiting www.adsumforwomen.org.