Mary Josephene McKinnon

Mary (Fiene) died peacefully in her eightieth year at Joseph Brant Hospital, surrounded by her loved ones. She will be missed by her six loving children Joseph Butson (Kim), Midge Butson (Clark), Teresa Butson, Rosemary Horne (Donald), Timothy Butson and Susan Butson (Gordon) as well as twelve adoring grandchildren Katie Pearson, Ethan Pearson, Chelsea Horne, Alexandra Horne, Laurence Horne, Samantha Horne, Rowan Horne, Jordan Lewis, Jessica Lewis, Emma Butson, Jake Butson and Dylan Butson. Mary will also be missed by all of her brothers and sisters including Vince McKinnon, Connie McKinnon, Carmel Rich, Dolores Carver, Greg McKinnon, Francine Cooper and Rose Harvey and all of their husbands, wives and children. She was pre-deceased by her beloved husband Ted Thombs.

Her remarkably full life began in Cape Breton Island where she and her 14 siblings were raised. When she was in her teens her parents moved the family to Brantford, Ontario where many of her brothers and sisters and their families remain living today. She had all six of her children with Ronald Butson, to whom she was married for 27 years. Subsequently she re-married Ted Thombs and they were together until his death in 2004. Mary loved her family and her children and spent her life caring for both. She has always loved to read, a passion that she has passed down to all of her children and was an energetic and compassionate humanist through all of her days.

A private family wake will be held in her honour on Wednesday, January 25th, 2012 at The Knights of Kolumbus Hall at 2400 Industrial Drive Street in Burlington, Ontario. The family requests that no flowers be sent but rather that donations be given in memory of Mary McKinnon to the Heart and Stroke Foundation or the Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital Foundation.